songs from the mountains-第3章
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There are the gaps； with the surges that seethe in them …
Gaps in whose jaws is a menace that glares！
There the wan reefs； with the merciless teeth in them；
Gleam on a chaos that startles and scares！
Back in the dawn of this beautiful sphere； on it …
Land of the dolorous； desolate face …
Beamed the blue day； and the bountiful year on it
Fostered the leaf and the blossom of grace。
Grand were the lights of its midsummer noon on it …
Mornings of majesty shone on its seas；
Page： 24
Glitter of star and the glory of moon on it
Fell； in the march of the musical breeze。
Valleys and hills； with the whisper of wing in them；
Dells of the daffodil … spaces impearled；
Flowered and flashed with the splendour of Spring in them …
Back in the morn of this wonderful world。
Soft were the words that the thunder then said to it …
Said to this lustre of emerald plain；
Sun brought the yellow； the green； and the red to it …
Sweet were the songs of its silvery rain。
Voices of water and wind in the bays of it
Lingered； and lulled like the psalm of a dream。
Fair were the nights and effulgent the days of it …
Moon was in shadow and shade in the beam。
Summer's chief throne was the marvellous coast of it；
Home of the Spring was its luminous lea：
Garden of glitter！ But only the ghost of it
Moans in the south by the ghost of a sea。
Page： 25
BLACK LIZZIE
The gloved and jewelled bards who sing
Of Pippa； Maud； and Dorothea；
Have hardly done the handsome thing
For you； my inky Cytherea。
Flower of a land whose sunny skies
Are like the dome of Dante's clime；
They might have praised your lips； your eyes；
And； eke； your ankles in their rhyme！
But let them pass！ To right your wrong；
Aspasia of the ardent South；
Your poet means to sing a song
With some prolixity of mouth。
Page： 26
I'll even sketch you as you are
In Herrick's style of carelessness；
Not overstocked with things that bar
An ample view … to wit； with dress。
You have your blanket； it is true；
But then； if I am right at all；
What best would suit a dame like you
Was worn by Eve before the Fall。
Indeed； the ‘‘fashion'' is a thing
That never cramped your cornless toes：
Your single jewel is a ring
Slung in your penetrated nose。
I can't detect the flowing lines
Of Grecian features in your face；
Nor are there patent any signs
That link you with the Roman race。
Page： 27
In short； I do not think your mould
Resembles； with its knobs of bone；
The fair Hellenic shapes of old
Whose perfect forms survive in stone。
Still； if the charm called Beauty lies
In ampleness of ear and lip；
And nostrils of exceeding size；
You are a gem； my ladyship！
Here； squatting by the doubtful flame
Of three poor sticks； without a roof
Above your head； impassive dame
You live on … somewhat hunger…proof。
The current scandals of the day
Don't trouble you … you seem to take
Things in the coolest sort of way …
And wisest … for you have no ache。
Page： 28
You smoke a pipe … of course； you do！
About an inch in length or less；
Which； from a sexual point of view；
Mars somehow your attractiveness。
But； rather than resign the weed；
You'd shock us； whites； by chewing it；
For etiquette is not indeed
A thing that bothers you a bit。
Your people … take them as a whole …
Are careless on the score of grace；
And hence you needn't comb your poll
Or decorate your unctuous face。
Still； seeing that a little soap
Would soften an excess of tint；
You'll pardon my advance； I hope；
In giving you a gentle hint。
Page： 29
You have your lovers … dusky beaux
Not made of the poetic stuff
That sports an Apollonian nose；
And wears a sleek Byronic cuff。
But rather of a rougher clay
Unmixed with overmuch romance；
Far better at the wildwood fray
Than spinning in a ballroom dance。
These scarcely are the sonneteers
That sing their loves in faultless clothes：
Your friends have more decided ears
And more capaciousness of nose。
No doubt they suit you best … although
They woo you roughly it is said：
Their way of courtship is a blow
Struck with a nullah on the head。
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It doesn't hurt you much … the thing
Is hardly novel to your life；
And； sans the feast and marriage ring；
You make a good impromptu wife。
This hasty sort of wedding might；
In other cases； bring distress；
But then； your draper's bills are light …
You're frugal in regard to dress。
You have no passion for the play；
Or park； or other showy scenes；
And； hence； you have no scores to pay；
And live within your husband's means。
Of course； his income isn't large； …
And not too certain … still you thrive
By steering well inside the marge；
And keep your little ones alive。
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In short； in some respects you set
A fine example； and a few
Of those white matrons I have met
Would show some sense by copying you。
Here let us part！ I will not say；
O lady free from scents and starch；
That you are like； in any way；
The authoress of ‘‘Middlemarch''。
One cannot match her perfect phrase
With commonplaces from your lip；
And yet there are some sexual traits
That show your dim relationship。
Indeed； in spite of all the mists
That grow from social codes； I see
The liberal likeness which exists
Throughout our whole humanity。
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And though I've laughed at your expense；
O Dryad of the dusky race；
No man who has a heart and sense
Would bring displeasure to your face。
Page： 33
HY…BRASIL
‘‘DAUGHTER；'' said the ancient father； pausing by the evening sea；
‘‘Turn thy face towards the sunset … turn thy face and kneel with me！
Prayer and praise and holy fasting； lips of love and life of light；
These and these have made thee perfect … shining saint with seraph's sight！
Look towards that flaming crescent … look beyond that glowing space …
Tell me； sister of the angels； what is beaming in thy face？''
And the daughter； who had fasted； who had spent her days in prayer；
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Till the glory of the Saviour touched her head and rested there；
Turned her eyes towards the sea…line … saw beyond the fiery crest；
Floating over waves of jasper； far Hy…Brasil in the west。
All the calmness and the colour … all the splendour and repose；
Flowing where the sunset flowered； like a silver…hearted rose！
There indeed was singing Eden； where the great gold river runs
Past the porch and gates of crystal； ringed by strong and shining ones！
There indeed was God's own garden； sailing down the sapphire sea …
Lawny dells and slopes of summer； dazzling stream and radiant tree！
Page： 35
Out against the hushed horizon … out beneath the reverent day；
Flamed the Wonder on the waters … flamed and flashed and passed away。
And the maiden who had seen it felt a hand within her own；
And an angel that we know not led her to the lands unknown。
Never since hath eye beheld it … never since hath mortal； dazed
By its strange； unearthly splendour； on the floating Eden gazed！
Only once since Eve went weeping through a throng of glittering wings；
Hath the holy seen Hy…Brasil where the great gold river sings！
Only once by quiet waters； under still； resplendent skies；
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Did the sister of the seraphs kneel in sight of Paradise！
She； the pure； the perfect woman； sanctified by patient prayer；
Had the eyes of saints of Heaven； all their glory in her hair：
Therefore God the Father whispered to a radiant spirit near …
‘‘Show Our daughter fair Hy…Brasil … show her this； and lead her here。''
But beyond the halls of sunset； but within the wondrous west；
On the rose…red seas of evening； sails the Garden of the Blest。
Still the gates of glassy beauty； still the walls of glowing light；
Shine on waves that no man knows of； out of sound and out of sight。
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Yet the slopes and lawns of lustre； yet the dells of sparkling streams；
Dip to tranquil shores of jasper； where the watching angel beams。
But； behold； our eyes are human； and our way is paved with pain；
We can never find Hy…Brasil； never see its hills again；
Never look on bays of crystal； never bend the reverent knee
In the sight of Eden floating … floating on the sapphire sea！
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JIM THE SPLITTER
The bard who is singing of Wollombi Jim
Is hardly just now in the requisite trim
To sit on his Pegasus fairly；
Besides； he is bluntly informed by the Muse
That Jim is a subject no singer should choose；
For Jim is poetical rarely。
But being full up of the myths that are Greek …
Of the classic； and ‘‘noble； and nude； and antique；''
Which means not a rag but the pelt on；
This poet intends to give Daphne the slip；
For the sake of a hero in moleskin and kip；
With a jumper and snake…buckle belt on。
Page： 39
No party is Jim of the Pericles type …
He is modern right up from the toe to the pipe；
And being no reader or roamer；
He hasn't Euripides much in the head；
And let it be carefully； tenderly said；
He never has analysed Homer。
He can roar out a song of the twopenny kind；
But； knowing the beggar so well； I'm inclined
To believe that a ‘‘par'' about Kelly；
The rascal who skulked under shadow of curse；
Is more in his line than the happiest verse
On the glittering pages of Shelley。
You mustn't； however； adjudge him in haste；
Because a red robber is more to his taste
Than Ruskin； Rossetti； or Dante！
You see； he was bred in a bangalow wood；
And bangalow pith was the principal food
His mother served out in her shanty。
Page： 40
His knowledge is this … he can tell in the dark
What timber will split by the feel of the bark；
And rough as his manner of speech is；
His wits to the fore he can readily bring
In passing off ash as the genuine thing
When scarce in the forest the beech is。
In gir
