Read it through once

“As like as a Hand to another Hand!” Whoever said that foolish thing, Could not have studied to understand The counsels of God in fashioning, Out of the infinite love of his heart, This Hand, whose beauty I praise, apart From the world of wonder left to praise, If I tried to learn the other ways Of love, in its skill, or love, in its power. “As like as a Hand to another Hand”: {10} Who said that, never took his stand, Found and followed, like me, an hour, The beauty in this,--how free, how fine To fear, almost,--of the limit-line! As I looked at this, and learned and drew, Drew and learned, and looked again, While fast the happy minutes flew, Its beauty mounted into my brain, And a fancy seized me; I was fain To efface my work, begin anew, {20} Kiss what before I only drew; Ay, laying the red chalk ‘twixt my lips, With soul to help if the mere lips failed, I kissed all right where the drawing ailed, Kissed fast the grace that somehow slips Still from one’s soulless finger-tips.