ENGL405: The American Renaissance

The soul selects her own society,
Then shuts the door;
On her divine majority
Obtrude no more.

Unmoved, she notes the chariot's pausing
At her low gate;
Unmoved, an emperor is kneeling
Upon her mat.

I've known her from an ample nation
Choose one;
Then close the valves of her attention
Like stone.

Source: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/selects.html
This work is in the Public Domain.