helen of troy and other poems-第7节
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The city's street； a roaring blackened stream
Walled in by granite； thro' whose thousand eyes
A thousand yellow lights begin to gleam；
And over all the pale untroubled skies。
III
Rain at Night
The street…lamps shine in a yellow line
Down the splashy； gleaming street；
And the rain is heard now loud now blurred
By the tread of homing feet。
By the Sea
Beside an ebbing northern sea
While stars awaken one by one；
We walk together； I and he。
He woos me with an easy grace
That proves him only half sincere；
A light smile flickers on his face。
To him love…making is an art；
And as a flutist plays a flute；
So does he play upon his heart
A music varied to his whim。
He has no use for love of mine；
He would not have me answer him。
To hide my eyes within the night
I watch the changeful lighthouse gleam
Alternately with red and white。
My laughter smites upon my ears；
So one who cries and wakes from sleep
Knows not it is himself he hears。
What if my voice should let him know
The mocking words were all a sham；
And lips that laugh could tremble so？
What if I lost the power to lie；
And he should only hear his name
In one low； broken cry？
On the Death of Swinburne
He trod the earth but yesterday；
And now he treads the stars。
He left us in the April time
He praised so often in his rhyme；
He left the singing and the lyre and went his way。
He drew new music from our tongue；
A music subtly wrought；
And moulded words to his desire；
As wind doth mould a wave of fire；
From strangely fashioned harps slow golden tones he wrung。
I think the singing understands
That he who sang is still；
And Iseult cries that he is dead；
Does not Dolores bow her head
And Fragoletta weep and wring her little hands？
New singing now the singer hears
To lyre and lute and harp；
Catullus waits to welcome him；
And thro' the twilight sweet and dim；
Sappho's forgotten songs are falling on his ears。
Triolets
I
Love looked back as he took his flight；
And lo； his eyes were filled with tears。
Was it for love of lost delight
Love looked back as he took his flight？
Only I know while day grew night；
Turning still to the vanished years；
Love looked back as he took his flight；
And lo； his eyes were filled with tears。
II
（Written in a copy of 〃La Vita Nuova〃。 For M。 C。 S。）
If you were Lady Beatrice
And I the Florentine；
I'd never waste my time like this
If you were Lady Beatrice
I'd woo and then demand a kiss；
Nor weep like Dante here； I ween；
If you were Lady Beatrice
And I the Florentine。
III
（Written in a copy of 〃The Poems of Sappho〃。）
Beyond the dim Hesperides；
The girl who sang them long ago
Could never dream that over seas；
Beyond the dim Hesperides；
The wind would blow such songs as these
I wonder now if she can know；
Beyond the dim Hesperides；
The girl who sang them long ago？
IV
Dead leaves upon the stream
And dead leaves on the air
All of my lost hopes seem
Dead leaves upon the stream；
I watch them in a dream；
Going I know not where；
Dead leaves upon the stream
And dead leaves on the air。
Vox Corporis
The beast to the beast is calling；
And the soul bends down to wait；
Like the stealthy lord of the jungle；
The white man calls his mate。
The beast to the beast is calling；
They rush through the twilight sweet；
But the soul is a wary hunter；
He will not let them meet。
A Ballad of Two Knights
Two knights rode forth at early dawn
A…seeking maids to wed；
Said one； 〃My lady must be fair；
With gold hair on her head。〃
Then spake the other knight…at…arms：
〃I care not for her face；
But she I love must be a dove
For purity and grace。〃
And each knight blew upon his horn
And went his separate way；
And each knight found a lady…love
Before the fall of day。
But she was brown who should have had
The shining yellow hair
I ween the knights forgot their words
Or else they ceased to care。
For he who wanted purity
Brought home a wanton wild；
And when each saw the other knight
I ween that each knight smiled。
Christmas Carol
The kings they came from out the south；
All dressed in ermine fine；
They bore Him gold and chrysoprase；
And gifts of precious wine。
The shepherds came from out the north；
Their coats were brown and old；
They brought Him little new…born lambs
They had not any gold。
The wise…men came from out the east；
And they were wrapped in white；
The star that led them all the way
Did glorify the night。
The angels came from heaven high；
And they were clad with wings；
And lo； they brought a joyful song
The host of heaven sings。
The kings they knocked upon the door；
The wise…men entered in；
The shepherds followed after them
To hear the song begin。
And Mary held the little child
And sat upon the ground；
She looked up； she looked down；
She looked all around。
The angels sang thro' all the night
Until the rising sun；
But little Jesus fell asleep
Before the song was done。
The Faery Forest
The faery forest glimmered
Beneath an ivory moon；
The silver grasses shimmered
Against a faery tune。
Beneath the silken silence
The crystal branches slept；
And dreaming thro' the dew…fall
The cold white blossoms wept。
A Fantasy
Her voice is like clear water
That drips upon a stone
In forests far and silent
Where Quiet plays alone。
Her thoughts are like the lotus
Abloom by sacred streams
Beneath the temple arches
Where Quiet sits and dreams。
Her kisses are the roses
That glow while dusk is deep
In Persian garden closes
Where Quiet falls asleep。
A Minuet of Mozart's
Across the dimly lighted room
The violin drew wefts of sound；
Airily they wove and wound
And glimmered gold against the gloom。
I watched the music turn to light；
But at the pausing of the bow；
The web was broken and the glow
Was drowned within the wave of night。
Twilight
Dreamily over the roofs
The cold spring rain is falling；
Out in the lonely tree
A bird is calling； calling。
Slowly over the earth
The wings of night are falling；
My heart like the bird in the tree
Is calling； calling； calling。
The Prayer
My answered prayer came up to me；
And in the silence thus spake he：
〃O you who prayed for me to come；
Your greeting is but cold and dumb。〃
My heart made answer： 〃You are fair；
But I have prayed too long to care。
Why came you not when all was new；
And I had died for joy of you。〃
Two Songs for a Child
I
Grandfather's Love
They said he sent his love to me；
They wouldn't put it in my hand；
And when I asked them where it was
They said I couldn't understand。
I thought they must have hidden it；
I hunted for it all the day；
And when I told them so at night
They smiled and turned their heads away。
They say that love is something kind；
That I can never see or touch。
I wish he'd sent me something else；
I like his cough…drops twice as much。
II
The Kind Moon
I think the moon is very kind
To take such trouble just for me。
He came along with me from home
To keep me company。
He went as fast as I could run；
I wonder how he crossed the sky？
I'm sure he hasn't legs and feet
Or any wings to fly。
Yet here he is above their roof；
Perhaps he thinks it isn't right
For me to go so far alone；
Tho' mother said I might。
On the Tower
Under the leaf of many a Fable lies the Truth for those who look for it。
Jami。
On the Tower
（A play in one act。）
The Knight。
The Lady。
Voices of men and women on the ground at the foot of the tower。
The voice of the Knight's Page。
The top of a high battlemented tower of a castle。 A stone ledge；
which serves as a seat； extends part way around the parapet。
Small clouds float by in the blue sky； and occasionally a swallow passes。
Entrance R。 from an unseen stairway which is supposed to extend around
the outside of the tower。
The Lady （unseen）。
Oh do not climb so fast； for I am faint
With looking down the tower to where the earth
Lies dreami
