Main Street, and Other Poems

<h2> Houses </h2> <h3> (For Aline) </h3> <p>When you shall die and to the sky<br/> Serenely, delicately go,<br/> Saint Peter, when he sees you there,<br/> Will clash his keys and say:<br/> "Now talk to her, Sir Christopher!<br/> And hurry, Michelangelo!<br/> She wants to play at building,<br/> And you've got to help her play!"<br/> <br/> Every architect will help erect<br/> A palace on a lawn of cloud,<br/> With rainbow beams and a sunset roof,<br/> And a level star-tiled floor;<br/> And at your will you may use the skill<br/> Of this gay angelic crowd,<br/> When a house is made you will throw it down,<br/> And they'll build you twenty more.<br/> <br/> For Christopher Wren and these other men<br/> Who used to build on earth<br/> Will love to go to work again<br/> If they may work for you.<br/> "This porch," you'll say, "should go this way!"<br/> And they'll work for all they're worth,<br/> And they'll come to your palace every morning,<br/> And ask you what to do.<br/> <br/> And when night comes down on Heaven-town<br/> (If there should be night up there)<br/> You will choose the house you like the best<br/> Of all that you can see:<br/> And its walls will glow as you drowsily go<br/> To the bed up the golden stair,<br/> And I hope you'll be gentle enough to keep<br/> A room in your house for me.<br/></p> <p><SPAN name="link2H_4_0007" id="link2H_4_0007"></SPAN></p> <br/> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />