I felt my life with both my hands 1
To see if it was there－
I held my spirit to the Glass,
To prove it possibler－
I turned my Being round and round 5
And paused at every pound
To ask the Owner's name－
For doubt, that I should know the Sound－
I judged my features－jarred my hair－9
I pushed my dimples by, and waited－
If they－twinkled back－
Conviction might, of me－
I told myself, "Take Courage, Friend－13
That－was a former time－
But we might learn to like the Heaven,
As well as our Old Home!"
To see if it was there－
I held my spirit to the Glass,
To prove it possibler－
I turned my Being round and round 5
And paused at every pound
To ask the Owner's name－
For doubt, that I should know the Sound－
I judged my features－jarred my hair－9
I pushed my dimples by, and waited－
If they－twinkled back－
Conviction might, of me－
I told myself, "Take Courage, Friend－13
That－was a former time－
But we might learn to like the Heaven,
As well as our Old Home!"
(F.357/J.351)
[1] my life, hands:: a puppet controlled by two hands.
[3] spirit, Glass:: practiced before a mirror to make the puppet spiritual.
[4] prove, possibler:: to make the puppet more alive.
[5–8] turned, Sound:: a description of puppet show with performer's narration.
[9, 10] features, hair, dimples:: vivid motions of the puppet.
[11] they twinkled back:: the audience's response.
[12] Conviction might:: the power of convincing, persuasion the audience.
[13] Friend:: the puppet.
[14] former time:: the time the puppet's form being fixed.
[15] Heaven:: covering of a theater, alluding stage.
[16] Old Home:: a familiar practising place.