INMYOWNALBUM(1827)

inmyownalbum(1827)

freshcladfromheaveninrobesofwhite.

ayoungprobationeroflight,

thouwertmysoul,analbumbright,

aspotlessleaf;butthought,andcare,

andfriendandfoe,infoulorfair,

have"writtenstrangedefeatures"there;

andtimewithheaviesthandofall,

likethatfiercewritingonthewall,

hathstamp'dsaddates—hecan'trecal;

anderrorgildingworstdesigns—

likespeckledsnakethatstraysandshines—

betrayshispathbycrookedlines;

andvicehathlefthisuglyblot;

andgoodresolves,amomenthot,

fairlybegan—butfinish'dnot;

andfruitless,lateremorsedothtrace—

likehebrewloreabackwardpace—

herirrecoverablerace.

disjointednumbers;senseunknit;

hugereamsoffolly,shredsofwit;

composethemingledmassofit.

myscaldedeyesnolongerbrook

uponthisink-blurr'dthingtolook—

go,shuttheleaves,andclaspthebook.