DEPROFUNDIS
I
\"Percussussumsicutfoenum，etaruitcormeum。\"
—Ps。ciWintertimenighs;
Butmybereavement—painItcannotbringagain:
Twicenoonedies。
Flower—petalsflee;
But，sinceitoncehathbeen，NomorethatseveringsceneCanharrowme。
Birdsfaintindread:
IshallnotloseoldstrengthInthelonefrost\'sblacklength:
Strengthlongsincefled！
Leavesfreezetodun;
ButfriendscannotturncoldThisseasonasofoldForhimwithnone。
Tempestsmayscath;
ButlovecannotmakesmartAgainthisyearhisheartWhonohearthath。
Blackisnight\'scope;
ButdeathwillnotappalOnewho，pastdoubtingsall，Waitsinunhope。
DEPROFUNDIS
II
\"Considerabamaddexteram，etvidebam;etnoneratquicognosceretmeNonestquirequiratanimammeam。\"—Ps。cxli。
Whentheclouds\'swolnbosomsechobacktheshoutsofthemanyandstrongThatthingsareallastheybestmaybe，saveafewtoberighterelong，Andmyeyeshavenotthevisioninthemtodiscernwhattotheseissoclear，Theblotseemsstraightwayinmealone;onebetterhewerenothere。
Thestoutupstanderssay，All\'swellwithus:ruershavenoughttorue！
Andwhatthepotentsaysooft，canitfailtobesomewhattrue？
Breezilygothey，breezilycome;theirdustsmokesaroundtheircareer，TillIthinkIamonehornoutofduetime，whohasnocallinghere。
Theirdawnsbringlustyjoys，itseems;theirevesexultancesweet;
Ourtimesareblessedtimes，theycry:Lifeshapesitasismostmeet，Andnothingismuchthematter;therearemanysmilestoatear;
ThenwhatisthematterisI，Isay。Whyshouldsuchanonebehere？……
Lethimtowhoseearsthelow—voicedBestseemsstilledbytheclashoftheFirst，WhoholdsthatifwaytotheBettertherebe，itexactsafulllookattheWorst，Whofeelsthatdelightisadelicategrowthcrampedbycrookedness，custom，andfear，Gethimupandbegoneasoneshapedawry;hedisturbstheorderhere。
1895—96。
DEPROFUNDIS
III
\"Heumihi，quiaincolatusmeusprolongatusest！HabitavicumhabitantibusCedar;multumincolafuitaniniamea。\"—Ps。cxix。
TherehavebeentimeswhenIwellmighthavepassedandtheendinghavecome
Pointsinmypathwhenthedarkmighthavestolenonme，artless，unrueing
EreIhadlearntthattheworldwasawelteroffutiledoing:
SuchhadbeentimeswhenIwellmighthavepassed，andtheendinghavecome！
Say，onthenoonwhenthehalf—sunnyhourstoldthatAprilwasnigh，AndIupgatheredandcastforththesnowfromthecrocus—border，Fashionedandfurbishedthesoilintoasummer—seemingorder，GlowingingladsomefaiththatIquickenedtheyearthereby。
Oronthatloneliestofeveswhenafarandbenightedwestood，ShewhoupheldmeandI，inthemidmostofEgdontogether，ConfidentIinherwatchingandwardthroughtheblackeningheather，Deeminghermatchlessinmightandwithmeasurelessscopeendued。
Oronthatwinter—wildnightwhen，reclinedbythechimney—nookquoin，Slowlyadrowseovergatme，thesmallestandfeeblestoffolkthere，Weakfrommybaptismofpain;whenattimesandanonIawokethere
Heardofaworldwheelingon，withnolistingorlongingtojoin。
Eventhen！whileunweetingthatvisioncouldvexorthatknowledgecouldnumb，Thatsweetstothemouthinthebellyarebitter，andtart，anduntoward，Then，onsomedim—colouredsceneshouldmybrieflyraisedcurtainhavelowered，ThenmighttheVoicethatislawhavesaid\"Cease！\"andtheendinghavecome。
1896。
THECHURCH—BUILDER
I
ThechurchflingsforthabattledshadeOverthemoon—blanchedsward;
Thechurch;mygift;wheretoIpaidMyallinhandandhoard:
LavishedmygainsWithstintlesspainsToglorifytheLord。
II
IsquaredthebroadfoundationsinOfashlaredmasonry;
Imouldedmullionsthickandthin，Hewedfilletandogee;
IcircletedEachsculpturedheadWithnimbandcanopy。
III
IcalledinmanyacraftsmasterTofixemblazonedglass，TofigureCrossandSepulchreOndossal，boss，andbrass。
Mygoldallspent，MyjewelswentTogemthecupsofMass。
IV
IborroweddeeptocarvethescreenAndraisetheivoriedRood;
IpartedwithmysmalldemesneTomakemyowingsgood。
Heir—loomsunpricedIsacrificed，Untildebt—freeIstood。
V
Soclosedthetask。\"DeathlesstheCreedHeresubstanced！\"saidmysoul:
\"Iheardmebiddentothisdeed，Andstraightobeyedthecall。
Illumethisfane，ThatnotinvainIbuildit，Lordofall！\"
VI
But，asitchancedme，thenandthereDiddiremisfortunesburst;
Myhomewentwasteforlackofcare，Mysonsrebelledandcurst;
TillIconfessedThataimsthebestWerelookingliketheworst。
VII
EnkindledbymyvotiveworkNoburningfaithIfind;
Thedeeperthinkerssneerandsmirk，Andgivemytoilnomind;
FromnodandwinkIreadtheythinkThatIamfoolandblind。
VIII
MygifttoGodseemsfutile，quite;
Theworldmovesaserstwhile;
AndpowerfulwrongonfeeblerightTramplesinoldenstyle。
Myfaithburnsdown，Iseenocrown;
ButCares，andGriefs，andGuile。
IX
Sonow，theremedy？Yea，this:
IgentlyswingthedoorHere，ofmyfane—nosoultowis
AndcrossthepatternedfloorTotherood—screenThatstandsbetweenThenaveandinnerchore。