a reading of life-第4章
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On the morrow stood to challenge； in their strength
Renewed； indomitable； whereof they won；
From hourly wrestlings up to shut of lids；
Her ready secret： the abounding life
Returned for valiant labour： she and they
Defeated and victorious turn by turn；
By loss enriched； by overthrow restored。
Exchange of powers of this conflict came；
Defacement none； nor ever squandered force。
Is battle nature's mandate； here it reigned；
As music unto the hand that smote the strings；
And she the rosier from their showery brows；
They fruitful from her ploughed and harrowed breast。
Back to the primal rational of those
Who suck the teats of milky earth； and clasp
Stability in hatred of the insane；
Man stepped； with wits less fearful to pronounce
The mortal mind's concept of earth's divorced
Above； those beautiful； those masterful；
Those lawless。 High they sit； and if descend；
Descend to reap； not sowing。 Is it just？
Earth in her happy children asked that word；
Whereto within their breast was her reply。
Those beautiful； those masterful； those lawless；
Enjoy the life prolonged； outleap the years；
Yet they （'twas the Great Mother's voice inspired
The audacious thought）； they； glorious over dust；
Outleap not her； disrooted from her soar；
To meet the certain fate of earth's divorced；
And clap lame wings across a wintry haze；
Up to the farthest bourne： immortal still；
Thenceforth innocuous； lovelier than when ruled
The Tyranny。 This her voice within them told；
When softly the Great Mother chid her sons
Not of the giant brood； who did create
Those lawless Gods； first offspring of our brain
Set moving by an abject blood； that waked
To wanton under elements more benign；
And planted aliens on Olympian heights； …
Imagination's cradle poesy
Become a monstrous pressure upon men； …
Foes of good Gaea； until dispossessed
By light from her； born of the love of her；
Their lordship the illumined brain rejects
For earth's beneficent； the sons of Law；
Her other name。 So spake she in their heart；
Among the wheat…blades proud of stalk； beneath
Young vine…leaves pushing timid fingers forth；
Confidently to cling。 And when brown corn
Swayed armied ranks with softened cricket song；
With gold necks bent for any zephyr's kiss；
When vine…roots daily down a rubble soil
Drank fire of heaven athirst to swell the grape；
When swelled the grape； and in it held a ray；
Rich issue of the embrace of heaven and earth；
The very eye of passion drowsed by excess；
And yet a burning lion for the spring；
Then in that time of general cherishment；
Sweet breathing balm and flutes by cool wood…side；
He the harsh rouser of ire being absent； caged；
Then did good Gaea's children gratefully
Lift hymns to Gods they judged； but praised for peace；
Delightful Peace； that answers Reason's call
Harmoniously and images her Law；
Reflects； and though short…lived as then； revives；
In memories made present on the brain
By natural yearnings； all the happy scenes；
The picture of an earth allied to heaven；
Between them the known smile behind black masks；
Rightly their various moods interpreted；
And frolic because toilful children borne
With larger comprehension of Earth's aim
At loftier； clearer； sweeter； by their aid。
Poem： The Night…Walk
Awakes for me and leaps from shroud
All radiantly the moon's own night
Of folded showers in streamer cloud；
Our shadows down the highway white
Or deep in woodland woven…boughed；
With yon and yon a stem alight。
I see marauder runagates
Across us shoot their dusky wink；
I hear the parliament of chats
In haws beside the river's brink；
And drops the vole off alder…banks；
To push his arrow through the stream。
These busy people had our thanks
For tickling sight and sound； but theme
They were not more than breath we drew
Delighted with our world's embrace：
The moss…root smell where beeches grew；
And watered grass in breezy space；
The silken heights； of ghostly bloom
Among their folds； by distance draped。
'Twas Youth； rapacious to consume；
That cried to have its chaos shaped：
Absorbing； little noting； still
Enriched； and thinking it bestowed；
With wistful looks on each far hill
For something hidden； something owed。
Unto his mantled sister； Day
Had given the secret things we sought
And she was grave and saintly gay；
At times she fluttered； spoke her thought；
She flew on it； then folded wings；
In meditation passing lone；
To breathe around the secret things；
Which have no word； and yet are known；
Of thirst for them are known； as air
Is health in blood： we gained enough
By this to feel it honest fare；
Impalpable； not barren； stuff。
A pride of legs in motion kept
Our spirits to their task meanwhile；
And what was deepest dreaming slept：
The posts that named the swallowed mile；
Beside the straight canal the hut
Abandoned； near the river's source
Its infant chirp； the shortest cut；
The roadway missed； were our discourse；
At times dear poets； whom some view
Transcendent or subdued evoked
To speak the memorable； the true；
The luminous as a moon uncloaked；
For proof that there； among earth's dumb；
A soul had passed and said our best。
Or it might be we chimed on some
Historic favourite's astral crest；
With part to reverence in its gleam；
And part to rivalry the shout：
So royal； unuttered； is youth's dream
Of power within to strike without。
But most the silences were sweet；
Like mothers' breasts； to bid it feel
It lived in such divine conceit
As envies aught we stamp for real。
To either then an untold tale
Was Life； and author； hero； we。
The chapters holding peaks to scale；
Or depths to fathom； made our glee；
For we were armed of inner fires；
Unbled in us the ripe desires；
And passion rolled a quiet sea；
Whereon was Love the phantom sail。
Poem： The Hueless Love
Unto that love must we through fire attain；
Which those two held as breath of common air；
The hands of whom were given in bond elsewhere；
Whom Honour was untroubled to restrain。
Midway the road of our life's term they met；
And one another knew without surprise；
Nor cared that beauty stood in mutual eyes；
Nor at their tardy meeting nursed regret。
To them it was revealed how they had found
The kindred nature and the needed mind；
The mate by long conspiracy designed；
The flower to plant in sanctuary ground。
Avowed in vigilant solicitude
For either； what most lived within each breast
They let be seen： yet every human test
Demanding righteousness approved them good。
She leaned on a strong arm； and little feared
Abandonment to help if heaved or sank
Her heart at intervals while Love looked blank；
Life rosier were she but less revered。
An arm that never shook did not obscure
Her woman's intuition of the bliss …
Their tempter's moment o'er the black abyss；
Across the narrow plank … he could abjure。
Then came a day that clipped for him the thread；
And their first touch of lips； as he lay cold；
Was all of earthly in their love untold；
Beyond all earthly known to them who wed。
So has there come the gust at South…west flung
By sudden volt on eves of freezing mist；
When sister snowflake sister snowdrop kissed；
And one passed out； and one the bell…head hung。
Poem： Song In The Songless
They have no song； the sedges dry；
And still they sing。
It is within my breast they sing；
As I pass by。
Within my breast they touch a string；
They wake a sigh。
There is but sound of sedges dry；
In me they sing。
Poem： Union In Disseverance
Sunset worn to its last vermilion he；
She that star overhead in slow descent：
That white star with the front of angel she；
He undone in his rays of glory spent
Halo； fair as the bow…shot at his rise；
He casts round her； and knows his hour of rest
Incomplete； were the light for which he dies；
Less like joy of the dove that wings to nest。
Lustrous momently； near on earth she sinks；
Life's full throb over breathless and abased：
Yet stand they； though impalpable the links；
One； more one than the bridally embraced。
Poem： The Burden Of Strength
If that thou hast the gift of strength； then know
Thy part is to uplift the trodden low；
Else in a giant's grasp until the end
A hopeless wrestler shall thy soul contend。
Poem： The Main Regret
＇Written for the Charing Cross Album＇
I。
Seen； too clear and historic within us； our sins of omission
Frown when the Autumn days strike us all ruthlessly bare。
They of our mortal diseases find never healing physician；
Errors they of the soul； past the one hope to repair。
II。
Sunshine might we have been unto seed under soil； or have scattered
Seed to ascendant suns brighter than any that shone。
Even the limp…legged beggar a sick desperado has flattered
Back to a half…sloughed life cheered by the mere human tone。
Poem： Alternation
Between the fountain and the rill
I passed； and saw the mighty will
To leap at sky； the careless run；
As earth would lead her little son。
Beneath them throbs an urgent well；
That here is play； and there is war。
I know not which had most to tell
Of whence we spring and what we are。
Poem： Hawarden
When comes the lighted day for men to read
Life's meaning； with the work before their hands
Till this good gift of breath from debt is freed；
Earth will not hear her children's wailful bands
Deplore the chieftain fall'n in sob and dirge；
Nor they look where is darkness； but on high。
The sun that dropped down our horizon's verge；
Illumes his labours through the travelled sky；
Now seen in sum； most glorious； and 'tis known
By what our warrior wrought we hold him fast。
A splendid image built of man has flown；
His deeds inspired of God outstep a Past。
Ours the great privilege to have had one
Among us who celestial tasks has done。
Poem： At The Close
To Thee； dear God of Mercy； both appeal；
Who straightway sound the call to arms。 Thou know'st；
And that black spot in each embattled host；
Spring of the blood…stream； later wilt reveal。
Now is it red artillery and white steel；
Till on a day will ring the victor's boast；
That 'tis Thy chosen towers uppermost；
Where Thy rejected grovels under heel。
So in all times of man's descent insane
To brute； did strength and craft combining strike；
Even as a God of Armies； his fell blow。
But at the close he entered Thy domain；
Dear God of Mercy； and if lion…like
He tore the fall'n； the Eternal was his Foe。
Poem： Forest History
I。
Beneath the vans of doom did men pass in。
Heroic who came out； for round them hung
A w
