rivers to the sea-第1章
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！
Rivers to the Sea
by Sara Teasdale
To
ERNST
CONTENTS
PART I
SPRING NIGHT
THE FLIGHT
NEW LOVE AND OLD
THE LOOK
SPRING
THE LIGHTED WINDOW
THE KISS
SWANS
THE OLD MAID
FROM THE WOOLWORTH TOWER
AT NIGHT
THE YEARS
PEACE
APRIL
COME
MOODS
APRIL SONG
MAY DAY
CROWNED
TO A CASTILIAN SONG
BROADWAY
A WINTER BLUEJAY
IN A RESTAURANT
JOY
IN A RAILROAD STATION
IN THE TRAIN
TO ONE AWAY
SONG
DEEP IN THE NIGHT
THE INDIA WHARF
I SHALL NOT CARE
DESERT POOLS
LONGING
PITY
AFTER PARTING
ENOUGH
ALCHEMY
FEBRUARY
MORNING
MAY NIGHT
DUSK IN JUNE
LOVE…FREE
SUMMER NIGHT； RIVERSIDE
IN A SUBWAY STATION
AFTER LOVE
DOORYARD ROSES
A PRAYER
PART II
INDIAN SUMMER
THE SEA WIND
THE CLOUD
THE POOR HOUSE
NEW YEAR'S DAWN…BROADWAY
THE STAR
DOCTORS
THE INN OF EARTH
IN THE CARPENTER'S SHOP
THE CARPENTER'S SON
THE MOTHER OF A POET
IN MEMORIAM F。 O。 S
TWILIGHT
SWALLOW FLIGHT
THOUGHTS
TO DICK； ON HIS SIXTH BIRTHDAY
TO ROSE
THE FOUNTAIN
THE ROSE
DREAMS
〃I AM NOT YOURS〃
PIERROT'S SONG
NIGHT IN ARIZONA
DUSK IN WAR TIME
SPRING IN WAR TIME
WHILE I MAY
DEBT
FROM THE NORTH
THE LIGHTS OF NEW YORK
SEA LONGING
THE RIVER
LEAVES
THE ANSWER
PART III
OVER THE ROOFS
A CRY
CHANCE
IMMORTAL
AFTER DEATH
TESTAMENT
GIFTS
PART IV
FROM THE SEA
VIGNETTES OVERSEAS
PART V
SAPPHO
I
RIVERS TO THE SEA
SPRING NIGHT
THE park is filled with night and fog；
The veils are drawn about the world；
The drowsy lights along the paths
Are dim and pearled。
Gold and gleaming the empty streets；
Gold and gleaming the misty lake；
The mirrored lights like sunken swords；
Glimmer and shake。
Oh； is it not enough to be
Here with this beauty over me？
My throat should ache with praise； and I
Should kneel in joy beneath the sky。
Oh； beauty are you not enough？
RIVERS TO THE SEA
Why am I crying after love
With youth； a singing voice and eyes
To take earth's wonder with surprise？
Why have I put off my pride；
Why am I unsatisfied；
I for whom the pensive night
Binds her cloudy hair with light；
I for whom all beauty burns
Like incense in a million urns？
Oh； beauty； are you not enough？
Why am I crying after love？
THE FLIGHT
LOOK back with longing eyes and know that I will follow；
Lift me up in your love as a light wind lifts a swallow；
Let our flight be far in sun or windy rain
BUT WHAT IF I HEARD MY FIRST LOVE CALLING ME AGAIN？
Hold me on your heart as the brave sea holds the foam；
Take me far away to the hills that hide your home；
Peace shall thatch the roof and love shall latch the door
BUT WHAT IF I HEARD MY FIRST LOVE CALLING ME ONCE MORE？
NEW LOVE AND OLD
IN my heart the old love
Struggled with the new；
It was ghostly waking
All night thru。
Dear things； kind things；
That my old love said；
Ranged themselves reproachfully
Round my bed。
But I could not heed them；
For I seemed to see
The eyes of my new love
Fixed on me。
Old love； old love；
How can I be true？
Shall I be faithless to myself
Or to you？
THE LOOK
STREPHON kissed me in the spring；
Robin in the fall；
But Colin only looked at me
And never kissed at all。
Strephon's kiss was lost in jest；
Robin's lost in play；
But the kiss in Colin's eyes
Haunts me night and day。
SPRING
IN Central Park the lovers sit；
On every hilly path they stroll；
Each thinks his love is infinite；
And crowns his soul。
But we are cynical and wise；
We walk a careful foot apart；
You make a little joke that tries
To hide your heart。
Give over； we have laughed enough；
Oh dearest and most foolish friend；
Why do you wage a war with love
To lose your battle in the end？
THE LIGHTED WINDOW
HE SAID：
〃In the winter dusk
When the pavements were gleaming with rain；
I walked thru a dingy street
Hurried； harassed；
Thinking of all my problems that never are
solved。
Suddenly out of the mist； a flaring gas…jet
Shone from a huddled shop。
I saw thru the bleary window
A mass of playthings：
False…faces hung on strings；
Valentines； paper and tinsel；
Tops of scarlet and green；
Candy； marbles； jacks
A confusion of color
Pathetically gaudy and cheap。
All of my boyhood
RIVERS TO THE SEA
Rushed back。
Once more these things were treasures
Wildly desired。
With covetous eyes I looked again at the marbles；
The precious agates； the pee…wees； the chinies
Then I passed on。
In the winter dusk；
The pavements were gleaming with rain；
There in the lighted window
I left my boyhood。〃
THE KISS
BEFORE YOU kissed me only winds of heaven
Had kissed me； and the tenderness of rain
Now you have come； how can I care for kisses
Like theirs again？
I sought the sea； she sent her winds to meet me；
They surged about me singing of the south
I turned my head away to keep still holy
Your kiss upon my mouth。
And swift sweet rains of shining April weather
Found not my lips where living kisses are；
I bowed my head lest they put out my glory
As rain puts out a star。
I am my love's and he is mine forever；
Sealed with a seal and safe forevermore
Think you that I could let a beggar enter
Where a king stood before？
SWANS
NIGHT is over the park； and a few brave stars
Look on the lights that link it with chains of gold；
The lake bears up their reflection in broken bars
That seem too heavy for tremulous water to hold。
We watch the swans that sleep in a shadowy place；
And now and again one wakes and uplifts its head；
How still you areyour gaze is on my face
We watch the swans and never a word is said。
THE OLD MAID
I SAW her in a Broadway car；
The woman I might grow to be；
I felt my lover look at her
And then turn suddenly to me。
Her hair was dull and drew no light
And yet its color was as mine；
Her eyes were strangely like my eyes
Tho' love had never made them shine。
Her body was a thing grown thin；
Hungry for love that never came；
Her soul was frozen in the dark
Unwarmed forever by love's flame。
I felt my lover look at her
And then turn suddenly to me；
His eyes were magic to defy
The woman I shall never be。
FROM THE WOOLWORTH TOWER
VIVID with love； eager for greater beauty
Out of the night we come
Into the corridor； brilliant and warm。
A metal door slides open；
And the lift receives us。
Swiftly； with sharp unswerving flight
The car shoots upward；
And the air； swirling and angry；
Howls like a hundred devils。
Past the maze of trim bronze doors；
Steadily we ascend。
I cling to you
Conscious of the chasm under us；
And a terrible whirring deafens my ears。
The flight is ended。
We pass thru a door leading onto the ledge
RIVERS TO THE SEA
Wind； night and space
Oh terrible height
Why have we sought you？
Oh bitter wind with icy invisible wings
Why do you beat us？
Why would you bear us away？
We look thru the miles of air；
The cold blue miles between us and the city；
Over the edge of eternity we look
On all the lights；
A thousand times more numerous than the stars；
Oh lines and loops of light in unwound chains
That mark for miles and miles
The vast black mazy cobweb of the streets；
Near us clusters and splashes of living gold
That change far off to bluish steel
Where the fragile lights on the Jersey shore
Tremble like drops of wind…stirred dew。
The strident noises of the city
Floating up to us
RIVERS TO THE SEA
Are hallowed into whispers。
Ferries cross thru the darkness
Weaving a golden thread into the night；
Their whistles weird shadows of sound。
We feel the millions of humanity beneath us；
The warm millions； moving under the roofs；
Consumed by their own desires；
Preparing food；
Sobbing alone in a garret；
With burning eyes bending over a needle；
Aimlessly reading the evening paper；
Dancing in the naked light of the café；；
Laying out the dead；
Bringing a child to birth
The sorrow； the torpor； the bitterness； the frail joy
Come up to us
Like a cold fog wrapping us round。
Oh in a hundred years
Not one of these blood…warm bodies
RIVERS TO THE SEA
But will be worthless as clay。
The anguish； the torpor； the toil
Will have passed to other millions
Consumed by the same desires。
Ages will come and go；
Darkness will blot the lights
And the tower will be laid on the earth。
The sea will remain
Black and unchanging；
The stars will look down
Brilliant and unconcerned。
Beloved；
Tho' sorrow； futility； defeat
Surround us；
They cannot bear us down。
Here on the abyss of eternity
Love has crowned us
For a moment
Victors。
AT NIGHT
WE are apart； the city grows quiet between us；
She hushes herself； for midnight makes heavy her eyes；
The tangle of traffic is ended； the cars are empty；
Five streets divide us； and on them the moonlight lies。
Oh are you asleep； or Iying awake； my lover？
Open your dreams to my love and your heart to my words；
I send you my thoughts…the air between us is laden；
My thoughts fly in at your window； a flock of wild birds。
THE YEARS
TO…NIGHT I close my eyes and see
A strange procession passing me
The years before I saw your face
Go by me with a wistful grace；
They pass； the sensitive shy years；
As one who strives to dance； half blind with tears。
The years went by and never knew
That each one brought me nearer you；
Their path was narrow and apart
And yet it led me to your heart
Oh sensitive shy years； oh lonely years；
That strove to sing with voices drowned in tears。
PEACE
PEACE flows into me
AS the tide to the pool by the shore；
It is mine forevermore；
It ebbs not back like the sea。
I am the pool of blue
That worships the vivid sky；
My hopes were heaven…high；
They are all fulfilled in you。
I am the pool of gold
When sunset burns and dies；
You are my deepening skies；
Give me your stars to hold。
APRIL
THE roofs are shining from the rain；
The sparrows twitter as they fly；
And with a windy April grace
The little clouds go by。
Yet the back…yards are bare and brown
W
