sword blades & poppy seed-第4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！
In among them hopped the speckled frogs；
The wind slid through them； rustling。
The Poet lifted his cane；
And the iris heads fell into the water。
They floated away； torn and drowning。
〃Wretched flowers；〃 said the Poet；
〃They are not roses。〃
Peace be with you； Brother。 It is your affair。
The Poet came to a garden。
Dahlias ripened against a wall；
Gillyflowers stood up bravely for all their short stature；
And a trumpet…vine covered an arbour
With the red and gold of its blossoms。
Red and gold like the brass notes of trumpets。
The Poet knocked off the stiff heads of the dahlias；
And his cane lopped the gillyflowers at the ground。
Then he severed the trumpet…blossoms from their stems。
Red and gold they lay scattered；
Red and gold； as on a battle field；
Red and gold； prone and dying。
〃They were not roses；〃 said the Poet。
Peace be with you； Brother。
But behind you is destruction； and waste places。
The Poet came home at evening；
And in the candle…light
He wiped and polished his cane。
The orange candle flame leaped in the yellow ambers；
And made the jades undulate like green pools。
It played along the bright ebony；
And glowed in the top of cream…coloured ivory。
But these things were dead；
Only the candle…light made them seem to move。
〃It is a pity there were no roses；〃 said the Poet。
Peace be with you； Brother。 You have chosen your part。
The Coal Picker
He perches in the slime； inert；
Bedaubed with iridescent dirt。
The oil upon the puddles dries
To colours like a peacock's eyes；
And half…submerged tomato…cans
Shine scaly； as leviathans
Oozily crawling through the mud。
The ground is here and there bestud
With lumps of only part…burned coal。
His duty is to glean the whole；
To pick them from the filth； each one；
To hoard them for the hidden sun
Which glows within each fiery core
And waits to be made free once more。
Their sharp and glistening edges cut
His stiffened fingers。 Through the smut
Gleam red the wounds which will not shut。
Wet through and shivering he kneels
And digs the slippery coals； like eels
They slide about。 His force all spent；
He counts his small accomplishment。
A half…a…dozen clinker…coals
Which still have fire in their souls。
Fire！ And in his thought there burns
The topaz fire of votive urns。
He sees it fling from hill to hill；
And still consumed； is burning still。
Higher and higher leaps the flame；
The smoke an ever…shifting frame。
He sees a Spanish Castle old；
With silver steps and paths of gold。
From myrtle bowers comes the plash
Of fountains； and the emerald flash
Of parrots in the orange trees；
Whose blossoms pasture humming bees。
He knows he feeds the urns whose smoke
Bears visions； that his master…stroke
Is out of dirt and misery
To light the fire of poesy。
He sees the glory； yet he knows
That others cannot see his shows。
To them his smoke is sightless； black；
His votive vessels but a pack
Of old discarded shards； his fire
A peddler's； still to him the pyre
Is incensed； an enduring goal！
He sighs and grubs another coal。
Storm…Racked
How should I sing when buffeting salt waves
And stung with bitter surges； in whose might
I toss； a cockleshell？ The dreadful night
Marshals its undefeated dark and raves
In brutal madness； reeling over graves
Of vanquished men； long…sunken out of sight；
Sent wailing down to glut the ghoulish sprite
Who haunts foul seaweed forests and their caves。
No parting cloud reveals a watery star；
My cries are washed away upon the wind；
My cramped and blistering hands can find no spar；
My eyes with hope o'erstrained； are growing blind。
But painted on the sky great visions burn；
My voice； oblation from a shattered urn！
Convalescence
From out the dragging vastness of the sea；
Wave…fettered； bound in sinuous； seaweed strands；
He toils toward the rounding beach； and stands
One moment； white and dripping； silently；
Cut like a cameo in lazuli；
Then falls； betrayed by shifting shells； and lands
Prone in the jeering water； and his hands
Clutch for support where no support can be。
So up； and down； and forward； inch by inch；
He gains upon the shore； where poppies glow
And sandflies dance their little lives away。
The sucking waves retard； and tighter clinch
The weeds about him； but the land…winds blow；
And in the sky there blooms the sun of May。
Patience
Be patient with you？
When the stooping sky
Leans down upon the hills
And tenderly； as one who soothing stills
An anguish； gathers earth to lie
Embraced and girdled。 Do the sun…filled men
Feel patience then？
Be patient with you？
When the snow…girt earth
Cracks to let through a spurt
Of sudden green； and from the muddy dirt
A snowdrop leaps； how mark its worth
To eyes frost…hardened； and do weary men
Feel patience then？
Be patient with you？
When pain's iron bars
Their rivets tighten； stern
To bend and break their victims； as they turn；
Hopeless； there stand the purple jars
Of night to spill oblivion。 Do these men
Feel patience then？
Be patient with you？
You！ My sun and moon！
My basketful of flowers！
My money…bag of shining dreams！ My hours；
Windless and still； of afternoon！
You are my world and I your citizen。
What meaning can have patience then？
Apology
Be not angry with me that I bear
Your colours everywhere；
All through each crowded street；
And meet
The wonder…light in every eye；
As I go by。
Each plodding wayfarer looks up to gaze；
Blinded by rainbow haze；
The stuff of happiness；
No less；
Which wraps me in its glad…hued folds
Of peacock golds。
Before my feet the dusty； rough…paved way
Flushes beneath its gray。
My steps fall ringed with light；
So bright；
It seems a myriad suns are strown
About the town。
Around me is the sound of steepled bells；
And rich perfumed smells
Hang like a wind…forgotten cloud；
And shroud
Me from close contact with the world。
I dwell impearled。
You blazon me with jewelled insignia。
A flaming nebula
Rims in my life。 And yet
You set
The word upon me； unconfessed
To go unguessed。
A Petition
I pray to be the tool which to your hand
Long use has shaped and moulded till it be
Apt for your need； and； unconsideringly；
You take it for its service。 I demand
To be forgotten in the woven strand
Which grows the multi…coloured tapestry
Of your bright life； and through its tissues lie
A hidden； strong； sustaining； grey…toned band。
I wish to dwell around your daylight dreams；
The railing to the stairway of the clouds；
To guard your steps securely up； where streams
A faery moonshine washing pale the crowds
Of pointed stars。 Remember not whereby
You mount； protected； to the far…flung sky。
A Blockhead
Before me lies a mass of shapeless days；
Unseparated atoms； and I must
Sort them apart and live them。 Sifted dust
Covers the formless heap。 Reprieves； delays；
There are none； ever。 As a monk who prays
The sliding beads asunder； so I thrust
Each tasteless particle aside； and just
Begin again the task which never stays。
And I have known a glory of great suns；
When days flashed by； pulsing with joy and fire！
Drunk bubbled wine in goblets of desire；
And felt the whipped blood laughing as it runs！
Spilt is that liquor； my too hasty hand
Threw down the cup； and did not understand。
Stupidity
Dearest； forgive that with my clumsy touch
I broke and bruised your rose。
I hardly could suppose
It were a thing so fragile that my clutch
Could kill it； thus。
It stood so proudly up upon its stem；
I knew no thought of fear；
And coming very near
Fell； overbalanced； to your garment's hem；
Tearing it down。
Now； stooping； I upgather； one by one；
The crimson petals； all
Outspread about my fall。
They hold their fragrance still； a blood…red cone
Of memory。
And with my words I carve a little jar
To keep their scented dust；
Which； opening； you must
Breathe to your soul； and； breathing； know me far
More grieved than you。
Irony
An arid daylight shines along the beach
Dried to a grey monotony of tone；
And stranded jelly…fish melt soft upon
The sun…baked pebbles； far beyond their reach
Sparkles a wet； reviving sea。 Here bleach
The skeletons of fishes； every bone
Polished and stark； like traceries of stone；
The joints and knuckles hardened each to each。
And they are dead while waiting for the sea；
The moon…pursuing sea； to come again。
Their hearts are blown away on the hot breeze。
Only the shells and stones can wait to be
Washed bright。 For living things； who suffer pain；
May not endure till time can bring them ease。
Happiness
Happiness； to some； elation；
Is； to others； mere stagnation。
Days of passive somnolence；
At its wildest； indolence。
Hours of empty quietness；
No delight； and no distress。
Happiness to me is wine；
Effervescent； superfine。
Full of tang and fiery pleasure；
Far too hot to leave me leisure
For a single thought beyond it。
Drunk！ Forgetful！ This the bond： it
Means to give one's soul to gain
Life's quintessence。 Even pain
Pricks to livelier living； then
Wakes the nerves to laugh again；
Rapture's self is three parts sorrow。
Although we must die to…morrow；
Losing every thought but this；
Torn； triumphant； drowned in bliss。
Happiness： We rarely feel it。
I would buy it； beg it； steal it；
Pay in coins of dripping blood
For this one transcendent good。
The Last Quarter of the Moon
How long shall I tarnish the mirror of life；
A spatter of rust on its polished steel！
The seasons reel
Like a goaded wheel。
Half…numb； half…maddened； my days are strife。
The night is sliding towards the dawn；
And upturned hills crouch at autumn's knees。
A torn moon flees
Through the hemlock trees；
The hours have gnawed it to feed their spawn。
Pursuing and jeering the misshapen thing
A rabble of clouds flares out of the east。
Like dogs unleashed
After a beast；
They stream on the sky； an outflung string。
A desolate wind； through the unpeopled dark；
Shakes the bushes and whistles through empty nests；
And the fierce unrests
I keep as guests
Crowd my brain with corpses； pallid and stark。
Leave me in peace； O Spectres； who haunt
My labouring mind； I have fought and failed。
I have not quailed；
I was all unmailed
And naked I strove； 'tis my only vaunt。
