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！
As thence we withdrew。
IN A MUSEUM
I
Here's the mould of a musical bird long passed from light；
Which over the earth before man came was winging；
There's a contralto voice I heard last night；
That lodges in me still with its sweet singing。
II
Such a dream is Time that the coo of this ancient bird
Has perished not； but is blent； or will be blending
Mid visionless wilds of space with the voice that I heard；
In the full…fugued song of the universe unending。
EXETER。
APOSTROPHE TO AN OLD PSALM TUNE
I met you firstah； when did I first meet you？
When I was full of wonder； and innocent；
Standing meek…eyed with those of choric bent；
While dimming day grew dimmer
In the pulpit…glimmer。
Much riper in years I met youin a temple
Where summer sunset streamed upon our shapes；
And you spread over me like a gauze that drapes；
And flapped from floor to rafters；
Sweet as angels' laughters。
But you had been stripped of some of your old vesture
By Monk； or another。 Now you wore no frill；
And at first you startled me。 But I knew you still；
Though I missed the minim's waver；
And the dotted quaver。
I grew accustomed to you thus。 And you hailed me
Through one who evoked you often。 Then at last
Your raiser was borne off； and I mourned you had passed
From my life with your late outsetter；
Till I said； 〃'Tis better！〃
But you waylaid me。 I rose and went as a ghost goes；
And said； eyes…full 〃I'll never hear it again！
It is overmuch for scathed and memoried men
When sitting among strange people
Under their steeple。〃
Now； a new stirrer of tones calls you up before me
And wakes your speech； as she of Endor did
（When sought by Saul who； in disguises hid；
Fell down on the earth to hear it）
Samuel's spirit。
So； your quired oracles beat till they make me tremble
As I discern your mien in the old attire；
Here in these turmoiled years of belligerent fire
Living still onand onward； maybe；
Till Doom's great day be！
Sunday； August 13； 1916。
AT THE WORD 〃FAREWELL〃
She looked like a bird from a cloud
On the clammy lawn；
Moving alone； bare…browed
In the dim of dawn。
The candles alight in the room
For my parting meal
Made all things withoutdoors loom
Strange； ghostly； unreal。
The hour itself was a ghost；
And it seemed to me then
As of chances the chance furthermost
I should see her again。
I beheld not where all was so fleet
That a Plan of the past
Which had ruled us from birthtime to meet
Was in working at last：
No prelude did I there perceive
To a drama at all；
Or foreshadow what fortune might weave
From beginnings so small；
But I rose as if quicked by a spur
I was bound to obey；
And stepped through the casement to her
Still alone in the gray。
〃I am leaving you 。 。 。 Farewell！〃 I said；
As I followed her on
By an alley bare boughs overspread；
〃I soon must be gone！〃
Even then the scale might have been turned
Against love by a feather；
… But crimson one cheek of hers burned
When we came in together。
FIRST SIGHT OF HER AND AFTER
A day is drawing to its fall
I had not dreamed to see；
The first of many to enthrall
My spirit； will it be？
Or is this eve the end of all
Such new delight for me？
I journey home： the pattern grows
Of moonshades on the way：
〃Soon the first quarter； I suppose；〃
Sky…glancing travellers say；
I realize that it； for those；
Has been a common day。
THE RIVAL
I determined to find out whose it was …
The portrait he looked at so； and sighed；
Bitterly have I rued my meanness
And wept for it since he died！
I searched his desk when he was away；
And there was the likenessyes； my own！
Taken when I was the season's fairest；
And time…lines all unknown。
I smiled at my image； and put it back；
And he went on cherishing it； until
I was chafed that he loved not the me then living；
But that past woman still。
Well； such was my jealousy at last；
I destroyed that face of the former me；
Could you ever have dreamed the heart of woman
Would work so foolishly！
HEREDITY
I am the family face；
Flesh perishes； I live on；
Projecting trait and trace
Through time to times anon；
And leaping from place to place
Over oblivion。
The years…heired feature that can
In curve and voice and eye
Despise the human span
Of durancethat is I；
The eternal thing in man；
That heeds no call to die。
〃YOU WERE THE SORT THAT MEN FORGET〃
You were the sort that men forget；
Though Inot yet！ …
Perhaps not ever。 Your slighted weakness
Adds to the strength of my regret！
You'd not the artyou never had
For good or bad …
To make men see how sweet your meaning；
Which； visible； had charmed them glad。
You would； by words inept let fall；
Offend them all；
Even if they saw your warm devotion
Would hold your life's blood at their call。
You lacked the eye to understand
Those friends offhand
Whose mode was crude； though whose dim purport
Outpriced the courtesies of the bland。
I am now the only being who
Remembers you
It may be。 What a waste that Nature
Grudged soul so dear the art its due！
SHE； I； AND THEY
I was sitting；
She was knitting；
And the portraits of our fore…folk hung around；
When there struck on us a sigh；
〃Ahwhat is that？〃 said I：
〃Was it not you？〃 said she。 〃A sigh did sound。〃
I had not breathed it；
Nor the night…wind heaved it；
And how it came to us we could not guess；
And we looked up at each face
Framed and glazed there in its place；
Still hearkening； but thenceforth was silentness。
Half in dreaming；
〃Then its meaning；〃
Said we； 〃must be surely this； that they repine
That we should be the last
Of stocks once unsurpassed；
And unable to keep up their sturdy line。〃
1916。
NEAR LANIVET； 1872
There was a stunted handpost just on the crest；
Only a few feet high：
She was tired； and we stopped in the twilight…time for her rest；
At the crossways close thereby。
She leant back； being so weary； against its stem；
And laid her arms on its own；
Each open palm stretched out to each end of them；
Her sad face sideways thrown。
Her white…clothed form at this dim…lit cease of day
Made her look as one crucified
In my gaze at her from the midst of the dusty way；
And hurriedly 〃Don't；〃 I cried。
I do not think she heard。 Loosing thence she said；
As she stepped forth ready to go；
〃I am rested now。Something strange came into my head；
I wish I had not leant so！〃
And wordless we moved onward down from the hill
In the west cloud's murked obscure；
And looking back we could see the handpost still
In the solitude of the moor。
〃It struck her too；〃 I thought； for as if afraid
She heavily breathed as we trailed；
Till she said； 〃I did not think how 'twould look in the shade；
When I leant there like one nailed。〃
I； lightly： 〃There's nothing in it。 For YOU； anyhow