a reading of life-第2章
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Free of the cloud； beneath the flood of gold。
Crowned with wreaths that burn in dew；
Her couples whirl； sun…satiated；
Athirst for shade； they sigh； they wed；
They play the music made of two：
Oldest of earth； earth's youngest till earth's end：
Cunninger than the numbered strings；
For melodies； for harmonies；
For mastered discords； and the things
Not vocable； whose mysteries
Are inmost Love's； Life's reach of Life extend。
Is it an anguish overflowing shame
And the tongue's pudency confides to her；
With eyes of embers； breath of incense myrrh；
The woman's marrow in some dear youth's name；
Then is the Goddess tenderness
Maternal； and she has a sister's tones
Benign to soothe intemperate distress；
Divide despair from hope； and sighs from moans。
Her gentleness imparts exhaling ease
To those of her milk…bearer votaries
As warm of bosom…earth as she； of the source
Direct； erratic but in heart's excess；
Being mortal and ill…matched for Love's great force；
Like green leaves caught with flames by his impress。
And pray they under skies less overcast；
That swiftly may her star of eve descend；
Her lustrous morning star fly not too fast；
To lengthen blissful night will she befriend。
Unfailing her reply to woman's voice
In supplication instant。 Is it man's；
She hears； approves his words； her garden scans；
And him： the flowers are various； he has choice。
Perchance his wound is deep； she listens long；
Enjoys what music fills the plaintive song；
And marks how he； who would be hawk at poise
Above the bird； his plaintive song enjoys。
She reads him when his humbled manhood weeps
To her invoked： distraction is implored。
A smile； and he is up on godlike leaps
Above； with his bright Goddess owned the adored。
His tales of her declare she condescends；
Can share his fires； not always goads and rends：
Moreover； quits a throne； and must enclose
A queenlier gem than woman's wayside rose。
She bends； he quickens； she breathes low； he springs
Enraptured； low she laughs； his woes disperse；
Aloud she laughs and sweeps his varied strings。
'Tis taught him how for touch of mournful verse
Rarely the music made of two ascends；
And Beauty's Queen some other way is won。
Or it may solve the riddle； that she lends
Herself to all； and yields herself to none；
Save heavenliest： though claims by men are raised
In hot assurance under shade of doubt：
And numerous are the images bepraised
As Beauty's Queen； should passion head the rout。
Be sure the ruddy hue is Love's： to woo
Love's Fountain we must mount the ruddy hue。
That is her garden's precept； seen where shines
Her blood…flower； and its unsought neighbour pines。
Daughter of light； the joyful light；
She bids her couples face full East；
Reflecting radiance； even when from her feast
Their outstretched arms brown deserts disunite；
The lion…haunted thickets hold apart。
In love the ruddy hue declares great heart；
High confidence in her whose aid is lent
To lovers lifting the tuned instrument；
Not one of rippled strings and funeral tone。
And doth the man pursue a tightened zone；
Then be it as the Laurel God he runs；
Confirmed to win； with countenance the Sun's。
Should pity bless the tremulous voice of woe
He lifts for pity； limp his offspring show。
For him requiring woman's arts to please
Infantile tastes with babe reluctances；
No race of giants！ In the woman's veins
Persuasion ripely runs； through hers the pains。
Her choice of him； should kind occasion nod；
Aspiring blends the Titan with the God；
Yet unto dwarf and mortal； she； submiss
In her high Lady's mandate； yields the kiss；
And is it needed that Love's daintier brute
Be snared as hunter； she will tempt pursuit。
She is great Nature's ever intimate
In breast； and doth as ready handmaid wait；
Until perverted by her senseless male；
She plays the winding snake； the shrinking snail；
The flying deer； all tricks of evil fame；
Elusive to allure； since he grew tame。
Hence has the Goddess； Nature's earliest Power；
And greatest and most present； with her dower
Of the transcendent beauty； gained repute
For meditated guile。 She laughs to hear
A charge her garden's labyrinths scarce confute；
Her garden's histories tell of to all near。
Let it be said； But less upon her guile
Doth she rely for her immortal smile。
Still let the rumour spread； and terror screens
To push her conquests by the simplest means。
While man abjures not lustihead； nor swerves
From earth's good labours； Beauty's Queen he serves。
Her spacious garden and her garden's grant
She offers in reward for handsome cheer：
Choice of the nymphs whose looks will slant
The secret down a dewy leer
Of corner eyelids into haze：
Many a fair Aphrosyne
Like flower…bell to honey…bee：
And here they flicker round the maze
Bewildering him in heart and head：
And here they wear the close demure；
With subtle peeps to reassure：
Others parade where love has bled；
And of its crimson weave their mesh：
Others to snap of fingers leap；
As bearing breast with love asleep。
These are her laughters in the flesh。
Or would she fit a warrior mood；
She lights her seeming unsubdued；
And indicates the fortress…key。
Or is it heart for heart that craves；
She flecks along a run of waves
The one to promise deeper sea。
Bands of her limpid primitives；
Or patterned in the curious braid；
Are the blest man's； and whatsoever he gives；
For what he gives is he repaid。
Good is it if by him 'tis held
He wins the fairest ever welled
From Nature's founts： she whispers it： Even I
Not fairer！ and forbids him to deny；
Else little is he lover。 Those he clasps；
Intent as tempest； worshipful as prayer； …
And be they doves or be they asps； …
Must seem to him the sovereignty fair；
Else counts he soon among life's wholly tamed。
Him whom from utter savage she reclaimed；
Half savage must he stay； would he be crowned
The lover。 Else； past ripeness； deathward bound；
He reasons； and the totterer Earth detests；
Love shuns； grim logic screws in grasp； is he。
Doth man divide divine Necessity
From Joy； between the Queen of Beauty's breasts
A sword is driven； for those most glorious twain
Present her； armed to bless and to constrain。
Of this he perishes； not she； the throned
On rocks that spout their springs to the sacred mounts。
A loftier Reason out of deeper founts
Earth's chosen Goddess bears： by none disowned
While red blood runs to swell the pulse； she boasts；
And Beauty； like her star； descends the sky；
Earth's answer； heaven's consent unto man's cry；
Uplifted by the innumerable hosts。
Quickened of Nature's eye and ear；
When the wild sap at high tide smites
Within us； or benignly clear
To vision； or as the iris lights
On fluctuant waters； she is ours
Till set of man： the dreamed； the seen；
Flushing the world with odorous flowers：
A soft compulsion on terrene
By heavenly： and the world is hers
While hunger after Beauty spurs。
So is it sung in any space
She fills； with laugh at shallow laws
Forbidding love's devised embrace；
The music Beauty from it draws。
Poem： A Reading of Life … The Test Of Manhood
Like a flood river whirled at rocky banks；
An army issues out of wilderness；
With battle plucking round its ragged flanks；
Obstruction in the van； insane excess
Oft at the heart； yet hard the onward stress
Unto more spacious； where move ordered ranks；
And rise hushed temples built of shapely stone；
The work of hands not pledged to grind or slay。
They gave our earth a dress of flesh on bone；
A tongue to speak with answering heaven gave they。
Then was the gracious birth of man's new day；
Divided from the haunted night it shone。
That quiet dawn was Reverence； whereof sprang
Ethereal Beauty in full morningtide。
Another sun had risen to clasp his bride：
It was another earth unto him sang。
Came Reverence from the Huntress on her heights？
From the Persuader came it； in those vales
Whereunto she melodiously invites；
Her troops of eager servitors regales？
Not far those two great Powers of Nature speed
Disciple steps on earth when sole they lead；
Nor either points for us the way of flame。
From him predestined mightier it came；
His task to hold them both in breast； and yield
Their dues to each； and of their war be field。
The foes that in repulsion never ceased；
Must he； who once has been the goodly beast
Of one or other； at whose beck he ran；
Constrain to make him serviceable man；
Offending neither； nor the natural claim
Each pressed； denying； for his true man's name。
Ah； what a sweat of anguish in that strife
To hold them fast conjoined within him still；
Submissive to his will
Along the road of life！
And marvel not he wavered if at whiles
The forward step met frowns； the backward smiles。
For Pleasure witched him her sweet cup to drain；
Repentance offered ecstasy in pain。
Delicious licence called it Nature's cry；
Ascetic rigours crushed the fleshly sigh；
A tread on shingle timed his lame advance
Flung as the die of Bacchanalian Chance；
He of the troubled marching army leaned
On godhead visible； on godhead screened；
The radiant roseate； the curtained white；
Yet sharp his battle strained through day； through night。
He drank of fictions； till celestial aid
Might seem accorded when he fawned and prayed；
Sagely the generous Giver circumspect；
To choose for grants the egregious； his elect；
And ever that imagined succour slew
The soul of brotherhood whence Reverence drew。
In fellowship religion has its founts：
The solitary his own God reveres：
Ascend no sacred Mounts
Our hungers or our fears。
As only for the numbers Nature's care
Is shown； and she the personal nothing heeds；
So to Divinity the spring of prayer
From brotherhood the one way upward leads。
Like the sustaining air
Are both for flowers and weeds。
But he who claims in spirit to be flower；
Will find them both an air that doth devour。
Whereby he smelt his treason； who implored
External gifts bestowed but on the sword；
Beheld himself； with less and less disguise；
Through those blood…cataracts which dimmed his eyes；
His army's foe； condemned to strive and fail；
See a black adversary's ghost prevail；
Never； though triumphs hailed him； hope to win
While still the conflict tore his breast within。
Out of that agony； misread for those
Imprisoned Powers warring unappeased；
The ghost of his black adversary rose；
To smother light； shut heaven； show earth diseased。
And long with him was wrestling ere emerged
A mind to read in him the reflex shade
Of its fierce torment； this way； that way urged；
By craven compromises hourly swayed。
Crouched as a nestling； still its wings untried；
The man's mind opened under weight of cloud。
