Emerson: Poems
Ralph Waldo Emerson is one of the best-loved figures in nineteenth-century American literature. Though he earned his central place in our culture as an essayist and philosopher, since his death his reputation as a poet has grown as well.\ Known for challenging traditional thought and for his faith in the individual, Emerson was the chief spokesman for the Transcendentalist movement. His poems speak to his most passionately held belief: that external authority should be disregarded in favor of...
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Ralph Waldo Emerson is one of the best-loved figures in nineteenth-century American literature. Though he earned his central place in our culture as an essayist and philosopher, since his death his reputation as a poet has grown as well.Known for challenging traditional thought and for his faith in the individual, Emerson was the chief spokesman for the Transcendentalist movement. His poems speak to his most passionately held belief: that external authority should be disregarded in favor of one’s own experience. From the embattled farmers who “fired the shot heard round the world” in the stirring “Concord Hymn,” to the flower in “The Rhodora,” whose existence demonstrates “that if eyes were made for seeing, / Then Beauty is its own excuse for being,” Emerson celebrates the existence of the sublime in the human and in nature. Combining intensity of feeling with his famous idealism, Emerson’s poems reveal a moving, more intimate side of the man revered as the Sage of Concord.
From Poems (1847)The rhodora17The humble-bee18Fable21Astraea22Etienne de la Boece24Suum Cuique25Compensation25Forbearance26Berrying26Thine eyes still shined27Eros27Loss and gain28Hamatreya29The snow-storm32Painting and sculpture33Holidays34From the Persian of Hafiz35Ghaselle41Xenophanes43The day's ration44Blight46Musketaquid49Hymn ('By the rude bridge that arched the flood')51The sphinx54Each and all60The problem62To Rhea65The visit68Uriel70The world-soul73From May-day and other pieces (1867)Brahma81Nemesis82Fate83Freedom84Ode sung in the town hall85Boston hymn87Love and thought91Lover's petition92Una93Letters94Rubies95Merlin's song96The test97Nature I98Nature II99The Romany girl100My garden102The titmouse105Days109Sea-shore110Two rivers112Waldeinsamkeit113Terminus116The past118Experience119Compensation120Culture121Politics122Heroism123Character123Friendship124Beauty125Manners126Art127Spiritual laws128Unity129Worship130Quatrains131From Selected poems (1876)The nun's aspiration141Hymn ('we love the venerable house')143Cupido144Boston145Silence150The three dimensions151Motto to 'The poet'151Motto to 'Gifts'152Motto to 'Nature'152Motto to 'Nominalist and realist'153Motto to 'History'153South wind154From The unpublished poems'William does thy frigid soul'157'Perhaps thy lot in life is higher'158Song159'I spread my gorgeous sail'160'O what is heaven but the fellowship'161'Ah strange strange strange'161'See yonder leafless trees against the sky'161'Do that which you can do'161'Few are free'161Van Buren162The future162Rex162'And when I am entombed in my place'162'Bard or dunce is blest, but hard'163'It takes philosopher or fool'163'Tell men what they knew before'163'I use the knife'163'There is no evil but can speak'163'The sea reflects the rosy sky'163'In this sour world, o summerwind'163'Look danger in the eye it vanishes'164'As I walked in the wood'164'I sat upon the ground'165'Good Charles the spring's adorer'165'Around the man who seeks a noble end'165'In the deep heart of man a poet dwells'165'O what are heroes prophets men'166'Yet sometime to the sorrow stricken'167'The Bohemian hymn'167'Kind & holy were the words'167'Divine inviters! : I accept'169'Go if thou wilt ambrosial flower'169'In Walden wood the chickadee'170'Star seer Copernicus'170'At last the poet spoke'170'I grieve that better souls than mine'171Nantasket171Water172'Where the fungus broad & red'172From the stores of eldest matter'175'And the best gift of God'175'Stout Sparta shrined the god of laughter'175'Brother, no decrepitude'175'Who knows this or that'176'Saadi loved the new & old'176'And as the light divided the dark'176'When devils bite'177'Comfort with a purring cat'177'I cannot find a place so lonely'177'This shining hour is an edifice'177'The sparrow is rich in her nest'177'Bended to fops who bent to him'178Elizabeth Hoar178'Cloud upon cloud'179'Since the devil hopping on'180'Poets are colorpots'181'Thanks to those who go & come'181'I must not borrow light'182'Comrade of the snow & wind'182'God only knew how Saadi dined'182'Friends to me are frozen wine'183'That each should in his house abide'183New England capitalist183'On a raisin stone'184'Go out into nature and plant trees'184'Pale genius roves alone'185'Burn your literary verses'185'Intellect gravely broods apart on joy'185'The civil world will much forgive'186'Mask thy wisdom with delight'186'Roomy eternity'187Terminus187'More sweet than my refrain'188'O Boston city lecture-hearing'188'A patch of meadow & upland'188'And he like me is not too proud'190'Park & ponds are good by day'190'For Lyra yet shall be the pole'190'A score of airy miles will smooth'190'All things rehearse'190'Pendants all'191'I leave the book, I leave the wine'191'Easy to match what others do'191'If wishes would carry me over the land'192Maia192'Seyd planted where the deluge ploughed'192'Forbore the ant hill, shunned to tread'192'Borrow Urania's subtile wings'193'The comrade or the book is good'193'Is the pace of nature slow?'193'Why honor the new men'193'Think not the gods receive thy prayer'194'Inspired we must forget our books'194'Upon a rock yet uncreate'194Longer poemsWoodnotes I197May-day204The Adirondacs230From The poet244
