an anthology of australian verse-第13节
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Like a white ghost； a city of the dead；
With palaces and temples wondrous fair；
Where moon…horn'd Isis once was worshipped。
But silence； like a pall； did all enfold；
And the inhabitants were turn'd to stone
Yea； stone the very heart of every one！
Once to a rich man I this tale re…told。
〃Stone hearts！ A traveller's myth！〃 he turn'd aside；
As Hunger begg'd； pale…featured and wild…eyed。
John Liddell Kelly。
Immortality
At twenty…five I cast my horoscope；
And saw a future with all good things rife
A firm assurance of eternal life
In worlds beyond； and in this world the hope
Of deathless fame。 But now my sun doth slope
To setting； and the toil of sordid strife；
The care of food and raiment； child and wife；
Have dimmed and narrowed all my spirit's scope。
Eternal life a river gulphed in sands！
Undying fame a rainbow lost in clouds！
What hope of immortality remains
But this： 〃Some soul that loves and understands
Shall save thee from the darkness that enshrouds〃；
And this： 〃Thy blood shall course in others' veins〃？
Heredity
More than a fleshly immortality
Is mine。 Though I myself return again
To dust； my qualities of heart and brain；
Of soul and spirit； shall not cease to be。
I view them growing； day by day； in thee；
My first…begotten son； I trace them plain
In you； my daughters； and I count it gain
Myself renewed and multiplied to see。
But sadness mingles with my selfish joy；
At thought of what you may be called to bear。
Oh； passionate maid！ Oh； glad； impulsive boy！
Your father's sad experience you must share
Self…torture； the unfeeling world's annoy；
Gross pleasure； fierce exultance； grim despair！
Robert Richardson。
A Ballade of Wattle Blossom
There's a land that is happy and fair；
Set gem…like in halcyon seas；
The white winters visit not there；
To sadden its blossoming leas；
More bland than the Hesperides；
Or any warm isle of the West；
Where the wattle…bloom perfumes the breeze；
And the bell…bird builds her nest。
When the oak and the elm are bare；
And wild winds vex the shuddering trees；
There the clematis whitens the air；
And the husbandman laughs as he sees
The grass rippling green to his knees；
And his vineyards in emerald drest
Where the wattle…bloom bends in the breeze；
And the bell…bird builds her nest。
What land is with this to compare？
Not the green hills of Hybla； with bees
Honey…sweet； are more radiant and rare
In colour and fragrance than these
Boon shores； where the storm…clouds cease；
And the wind and the wave are at rest
Where the wattle…bloom waves in the breeze；
And the bell…bird builds her nest。
Envoy。
Sweetheart； let them praise as they please
Other lands； but we know which is best
Where the wattle…bloom perfumes the breeze；
And the bell…bird builds her nest。
A Song
Above us only
The Southern stars；
And the moon o'er brimming
Her golden bars。
And a song sweet and clear
As the bell…bird's plaint；
Hums low in my ear
Like a dream…echo faint。
The kind old song
How did it go？
With its ripple and flow；
That you used to sing； dear；
Long ago。
Hand fast in hand；
I； love； and thou；
Hand locked in hand；
And on my brow
Your perfumed lips
Breathing love and life
The love of the maiden；
The trust of the wife。
And I'm listening still
To the ripple and flow
How did it go？
Of the little French song
Of that long ago。
Can you recall it
Across the years？
You used to sing it
With laughter and tears。
If you sang it now； dear；
That kind old refrain；
It would bring back the fragrance
Of the dead years again。
Le printemps pour l'amour
How did it go？
Only we know；
Sing it； sweetheart； to…night；
As you did long ago。
James Lister Cuthbertson。
Australia Federata
Australia！ land of lonely lake
And serpent…haunted fen；
Land of the torrent and the fire
And forest…sundered men：
Thou art not now as thou shalt be
When the stern invaders come；
In the hush before the hurricane；
The dread before the drum。
A louder thunder shall be heard
Than echoes on thy shore；
When o'er the blackened basalt cliffs
The foreign cannon roar
When the stand is made in the sheoaks' shade
When heroes fall for thee；
And the creeks in gloomy gullies run
Dark crimson to the sea：
When under honeysuckles gray；
And wattles' swaying gold；
The stalwart arm may strike no more；
The valiant heart is cold
When thou shalt know the agony；
The fever； and the strife
Of those who wrestle against odds
For liberty and life：
Then is the great Dominion born；
The seven sisters bound；
From Sydney's greenly wooded port
To lone King George's Sound
Then shall the islands of the south；
The lands of bloom and snow；
Forth from their isolation come
To meet the common foe。
Then； only then when after war
Is peace with honour born；
When from the bosom of the night
Comes golden…sandalled morn；
When laurelled victory is thine；
And the day of battle done；
Shall the heart of a mighty people stir；
And Australia be as one。
At Cape Schanck
Down to the lighthouse pillar
The rolling woodland comes；
Gay with the gold of she…oaks
And the green of the stunted gums；
With the silver…grey of honeysuckle；
With the wasted bracken red；
With a tuft of softest emerald
And a cloud…flecked sky o'erhead。
We climbed by ridge and boulder；
Umber and yellow scarred；
Out to the utmost precipice；
To the point that was ocean…barred；
Till we looked below on the fastness
Of the breeding eagle's nest；
And Cape Wollomai opened eastward
And the Otway on the west。
Over the mirror of azure
The purple shadows crept；
League upon league of rollers
Landward evermore swept；
And burst upon gleaming basalt；
And foamed in cranny and crack；
And mounted in sheets of silver；
And hurried reluctant back。
And the sea； so calm out yonder；
Wherever we turned our eyes；
Like the blast of an angel's trumpet
Rang out to the earth and skies；
Till the reefs and the rocky ramparts
Throbbed to the giant fray；
And the gullies and jutting headlands
Were bathed in a misty spray。
Oh； sweet in the distant ranges；
To the ear of inland men；
Is the ripple of falling water
In sassafras…haunted glen；
The stir in the ripening cornfield
That gently rustles and swells；
The wind in the wattle sighing；
The tinkle of cattle bells。
But best is the voice of ocean；
That strikes to the heart and brain；
That lulls with its passionate music
Trouble and grief and pain；
That murmurs the requiem sweetest
For those who have loved and lost；
And thunders a jubilant anthem
To brave hearts tempest…tossed。
That takes to its boundless bosom
The burden of all our care；
That whispers of sorrow vanquished；
Of hours that may yet be fair；
That tells of a Harbour of Refuge
Beyond life's stormy straits；
Of an infinite peace that gladdens；
Of an infinite love that waits。
Wattle and Myrtle
Gold of the tangled wilderness of wattle；
Break in the lone green hollows of the hills；
Flame on the iron headlands of the ocean；
Gleam on the margin of the hurrying rills。
Come with thy saffron diadem and scatter
Odours of Araby that haunt the air；
Queen of our woodland； rival of the roses；
Spring in the yellow tresses of thy hair。
Surely the old gods； dwellers on Olympus；
Under thy shining loveliness have strayed；
Crowned with thy clusters； magical Apollo；
Pan with his reedy music may have played。
Surely within thy fastness； Aphrodite；
She of the sea…ways； fallen from above；
Wandered beneath thy canopy of blossom；
Nothing disdainful of a mortal's love。
Aye； and Her sweet breath lingers on the wattle；
Aye； and Her myrtle dominates the glade；
And with a deep and perilous enchantment
Melts in the heart of lover and of maid。
The Australian Sunrise
The Morning Star paled slowly； the Cross hung low to the sea；
And down the shadowy reaches the tide came swirling free；
The lustrous purple blackness of the soft Australian night；
Waned in the gray awakening that heralded the light；
Still in the dying darkness； still in the forest dim
The pearly dew of the dawning clung to each giant limb；
Till the sun came up from ocean； red with the cold sea mist；
And smote on the limestone ridges； and the shining tree…tops kissed；
Then the fiery Scorpion vanished； the magpie's note was heard；
And the wind in the she…oak wavered； and the honeysuckles st
