On a Piece of Tapestry

Hold high the woof, dear friends, that we may see

The cunning mixture of its colours rare.

Nothing in nature purposely is fair,—

Her beauties in their freedom disagree;

But here all vivid dyes that garish be,

To that tint mellowed which the sense will bear,

Glow, and not wound the eye that, resting there,

Lingers to feed its gentle ecstacy.

Crimson and purple and all hues of wine,

Saffron and russet, brown and sober green

Are rich the shadowy depths of blue between;

While silver threads with golden intertwine,

To catch the glimmer of a fickle sheen,—

All the long labour of some captive queen.

Source: American Poetry: The Nineteenth Century (The Library of America, 1993)