按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Have lured the lady…bird with yellow brede
And made the gaudy moth forget its pride；
Treads down their brimming golden chalices
Under light feet which were not made for such rude ravages；
Or as a schoolboy tired of his book
Flings himself down upon the reedy grass
And plucks two water…lilies from the brook；
And for a time forgets the hour glass；
Then wearies of their sweets； and goes his way；
And lets the hot sun kill them； even go these lovers lay。
And Venus cried； 'It is dread Artemis
Whose bitter hand hath wrought this cruelty；
Or else that mightier maid whose care it is
To guard her strong and stainless majesty
Upon the hill Athenian； … alas！
That they who loved so well unloved into Death's house should
pass。'
So with soft hands she laid the boy and girl
In the great golden waggon tenderly
（Her white throat whiter than a moony pearl
Just threaded with a blue vein's tapestry
Had not yet ceased to throb； and still her breast
Swayed like a wind…stirred lily in ambiguous unrest）
And then each pigeon spread its milky van；
The bright car soared into the dawning sky；
And like a cloud the aerial caravan
Passed over the AEgean silently；
Till the faint air was troubled with the song
From the wan mouths that call on bleeding Thammuz all night long。
But when the doves had reached their wonted goal
Where the wide stair of orbed marble dips
Its snows into the sea； her fluttering soul
Just shook the trembling petals of her lips
And passed into the void； and Venus knew
That one fair maid the less would walk amid her retinue；
And bade her servants carve a cedar chest
With all the wonder of this history；
Within whose scented womb their limbs should rest
Where olive…trees make tender the blue sky
On the low hills of Paphos； and the Faun
Pipes in the noonday； and the nightingale sings on till dawn。
Nor failed they to obey her hest； and ere
The morning bee had stung the daffodil
With tiny fretful spear； or from its lair
The waking stag had leapt across the rill
And roused the ouzel； or the lizard crept
Athwart the sunny rock； beneath the grass their bodies slept。
And when day brake； within that silver shrine
Fed by the flames of cressets tremulous；
Queen Venus knelt and prayed to Proserpine
That she whose beauty made Death amorous
Should beg a guerdon from her pallid Lord；
And let Desire pass across dread Charon's icy ford。
III
In melancholy moonless Acheron；
Farm for the goodly earth and joyous day
Where no spring ever buds； nor ripening sun
Weighs down the apple trees； nor flowery May
Chequers with chestnut blooms the grassy floor；
Where thrushes never sing； and piping linnets mate no more；
There by a dim and dark Lethaean well
Young Charmides was lying； wearily
He plucked the blossoms from the asphodel；
And with its little rifled treasury
Strewed the dull waters of the dusky stream；
And watched the white stars founder； and the land was like a dream；
When as he gazed into the watery glass
And through his brown hair's curly tangles scanned
His own wan face； a shadow seemed to pass
Across the mirror； and a little hand
Stole into his； and warm lips timidly
Brushed his pale cheeks； and breathed their secret forth into a
sigh。
Then turned he round his weary eyes and saw；
And ever nigher still their faces came；
And nigher ever did their young mouths draw
Until they seemed one perfect rose of flame；
And longing arms around her neck he cast；
And felt her throbbing bosom； and his breath came hot and fast；
And all his hoarded sweets were hers to kiss；
And all her maidenhood was his to slay；
And limb to limb in long and rapturous bliss
Their passion waxed and waned； … O why essay
To pipe again of love； too venturous reed！
Enough； enough that Eros laughed upon that flowerless mead。
Too venturous poesy； O why essay
To pipe again of passion！ fold thy wings
O'er daring Icarus and bid thy lay
Sleep hidden in the lyre's silent strings
Till thou hast found the old Castalian rill；
Or from the Lesbian waters plucked drowned Sappho's golden quid！
Enough； enough that he whose life had been
A fiery pulse of sin； a splendid shame；
Could in the loveless land of Hades glean
One scorching harvest from those fields of flame
Where passion walks with naked unshod feet
And is not wounded； … ah！ enough that once their lips could meet
In that wild throb when all existences
Seemed narrowed to one single ecstasy
Which dies through its own sweetness and the stress
Of too much pleasure； ere Persephone
Had bade them serve her by the ebon throne
Of the pale God who in the fields of Enna loosed her zone。
POEMS
REQUIESCAT
Tread lightly； she is near
Under the snow；
Speak gently； she can hear
The daisies grow。
All her bright golden hair
Tarnished with rust；
She that was young and fair
Fallen to dust。
Lily…like； white as snow；
She hardly knew
She was a woman； so
Sweetly she grew。
Coffin…board； heavy stone；
Lie on her breast；
I vex my heart alone；
She is at rest。
Peace； Peace； she cannot hear
Lyre or sonnet；
All my life's buried here；
Heap earth upon it。
AVIGNON
SAN MINIATO
See； I have climbed the mountain side
Up to this holy house of God；
Where once that Angel…Painter trod
Who saw the heavens opened wide；
And throned upon the crescent moon
The Virginal white Queen of Grace； …
Mary！ could I but see thy face
Death could not come at all too soon。
O crowned by God with thorns and pain！
Mother of Christ！ O mystic wife！
My heart is weary of this life
And over…sad to sing again。
O crowned by God with love and flame！
O crowned by Christ the Holy One！
O listen ere the searching sun
Show to the world my sin and shame。
ROME UNVISITED
I。
The corn has turned from grey to red；
Since first my spirit wandered forth
From the drear cities of the north；
And to Italia's mountains fled。
And here I set my face towards home；
For all my pilgrimage is done；
Although； methinks； yon blood…red sun
Marshals the way to Holy Rome。
O Blessed Lady； who dost hold
Upon the seven hills thy reign！
O Mother without blot or stain；
Crowned with bright crowns of triple gold！
O Roma； Roma； at thy feet
I lay this barren gift of song！
For； ah！ the way is steep and long
That leads unto thy sacred street。
II。
And yet what joy it were for me
To turn my feet unto the south；
And journeying towards the Tiber mouth
To kneel again at Fiesole！
And wandering through the tangled pines
That break the gold of Arno's stream；
To see the purple mist and gleam
Of morning on the Apennines
By many a vineyard…hidden home；
Orchard and olive…garden grey；
Till from the drear Campagna's way
The seven hi