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！
freedom；
Little it dreams of the mill hid in the valley below；
Glad with the joy of existence； the child goes singing and
laughing；
Little dreaming what toils lie in the future concealed。
IX
As the ink from our pen； so flow our thoughts and our feelings
When we begin to write； however sluggish before。
X
Like the Kingdom of Heaven； the Fountain of Youth is within us；
If we seek it elsewhere； old shall we grow in the search。
XI
If you would hit the mark； you must aim a little above it；
Every arrow that flies feels the attraction of earth。
XII
Wisely the Hebrews admit no Present tense in their language；
While we are speaking the word； it is is already the Past。
XIII
In the twilight of age all things seem strange and phantasmal；
As between daylight and dark ghost…like the landscape appears。
XIV
Great is the art of beginning； but greater the art is of ending；
Many a poem is marred by a superfluous verse。
THE CITY AND THE SEA
The panting City cried to the Sea；
〃I am faint with heat；O breathe on me！〃
And the Sea said； 〃Lo； I breathe！ but my breath
To some will be life； to others death！〃
As to Prometheus； bringing ease
In pain； come the Oceanides；
So to the City； hot with the flame
Of the pitiless sun； the east wind came。
It came from the heaving breast of the deep；
Silent as dreams are； and sudden as sleep。
Life…giving； death…giving； which will it be；
O breath of the merciful； merciless Sea？
MEMORIES
Oft I remember those whom I have known
In other days； to whom my heart was led
As by a magnet； and who are not dead；
But absent； and their memories overgrown
With other thoughts and troubles of my own；
As graves with grasses are； and at their head
The stone with moss and lichens so o'erspread；
Nothing is legible but the name alone。
And is it so with them？ After long years；
Do they remember me in the same way；
And is the memory pleasant as to me？
I fear to ask； yet wherefore are my fears？
Pleasures； like flowers； may wither and decay；
And yet the root perennial may be。
HERMES TRISMEGISTUS
As Seleucus narrates； Hermes describes the principles that rank
as wholes in two myriads of books； or； as we are informed by
Manetho； he perfectly unfolded these principles in three myriads
six thousand five hundred and twenty…five volumes。 。 。 。
。 。 。 Our ancestors dedicated the inventions of their wisdom to
this deity； inscribing all their own writings with the name of
Hermes。IAMBLICUS。
Still through Egypt's desert places
Flows the lordly Nile；
From its banks the great stone faces
Gaze with patient smile。
Still the pyramids imperious
Pierce the cloudless skies；
And the Sphinx stares with mysterious；
Solemn； stony eyes。
But where are the old Egyptian
Demi…gods and kings？
Nothing left but an inscription
Graven on stones and rings。
Where are Helios and Hephaestus；
Gods of eldest eld？
Where is Hermes Trismegistus；
Who their secrets held？
Where are now the many hundred
Thousand books he wrote？
By the Thaumaturgists plundered；
Lost in lands remote；
In oblivion sunk forever；
As when o'er the land
Blows a storm…wind； in the river
Sinks the scattered sand。
Something unsubstantial； ghostly；
Seems this Theurgist；
In deep meditation mostly
Wrapped； as in a mist。
Vague； phantasmal； and unreal
To our thought he seems；
Walking in a world ideal；
In a land of dreams。
Was he one； or many； merging
Name and fame in one；
Like a stream； to which； converging
Many streamlets run？
Till； with gathered power proceeding；
Ampler sweep it takes；
Downward the sweet waters leading
From unnumbered lakes。
By the Nile I see him wandering；
Pausing now and then；
On the mystic union pondering
Between gods and men；
Half believing； wholly feeling；
With supreme delight；
How the gods； themselves concealing；
Lift men to their height。
Or in Thebes； the hundred…gated；
In the thoroughfare
Breathing； as if consecrated；
A diviner air；
And amid discordant noises；
In the jostling throng；
Hearing far； celestial voices
Of Olympian song。
Who shall call his dreams fallacious？
Who has searched or sought
All the unexplored and spacious
Universe of thought？
Who； in his own skill confiding；
Shall with rule and line
Mark the border…land dividing
Human and divine？
Trismegistus！ three times greatest！
How thy name sublime
Has descended to this latest
Progeny of time！
Happy they whose written pages
Perish with their lives；
If amid the crumbling ages
Still their name survives！
Thine； O priest of Egypt； lately
Found I in the vast；
Weed…encumbered sombre； stately；
Grave…yard of the Past；
And a presence moved before me
On that gloomy shore；
As a waft of wind； that o'er me
Breathed； and was no more。
TO THE AVON
Flow on； sweet river！ like his verse
Who lies beneath this sculptured hearse
Nor wait beside the churchyard wall
For him who cannot hear thy call。
Thy playmate once； I see him now
A boy with sunshine on his brow；
And hear in Stratford's quiet street
The patter of his little feet。
I see him by thy shallow edge
Wading knee…deep amid the sedge；
And lost in thought； as if thy stream
Were the swift river of a dream。
He wonders whitherward it flows；
And fain would follow where it goes；
To the wide world； that shall erelong
Be filled with his melodious song。
Flow on； fair stream！ That dream is o'er；
He stands upon another shore；
A vaster river near him flows；
And still he follows where it goes。
PRESIDENT GARFIELD
〃E venni dal martirio a questa pace。〃
These words the poet heard in Paradise；
Uttered by one who； bravely dying here；
In the true faith was living in that sphere
Where the celestial cross of sacrifice
Spread its protecting arms athwart the skies；
And set thereon； like jewels crystal clear；
The souls magnanimous； that knew not fear；
Flashed their effulgence on his dazzled eyes。
Ah me！ how dark the discipline of pain；
Were not the suffering followed by the sense
Of infinite rest and infinite release！
This is our consolation； and again
A great soul cries to us in our suspense；
〃I came from martyrdom unto this peace！〃
MY BOOKS
Sadly as some old mediaeval knight
Gazed at the arms he could no longer wield；
The sword two…handed and the shining shield
Suspended in the hall； and full in sight；
While secret longings for the lost delight
Of tourney or adventure in the field
Came over him； and tears but half concealed
Trembled and fell