an anthology of australian verse-第29节
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Whispered by lips of some lone…murmuring shell；
Thy dreaming soul； Oithona。
In gladness of thy reverie
What gracious form
Will fly the errand of our love to thee；
By ways with winged messengers aswarm
Through dawn of opalescent skies；
To say the time is come and bid thee rise
And be our child； Oithona？
Home
〃Where shall we dwell？〃 say you。
Wandering winds reply：
〃In a temple with roof of blue
Under the splendid sky。〃
Never a nobler home
We'll find though an age we try
Than is arched by the azure dome
Of the all…enfolding sky。
Here we are wed； and here
We live under God's own eye。
〃Where shall we dwell；〃 my dear？
Under the splendid sky。
Wilfred
What of these tender feet
That have never toddled yet？
What dances shall they beat；
With what red vintage wet？
In what wild way will they march or stray； by what sly paynims met？
The toil of it none may share；
By yourself must the way be won
Through fervid or frozen air
Till the overland journey's done；
And I would not take； for your own dear sake； one thorn from your track；
my son。
Go forth to your hill and dale；
Yet take in your hand from me
A staff when your footsteps fail；
A weapon if need there be；
'Twill hum in your ear when the foeman's near； athirst for the victory。
In the desert of dusty death
It will point to the hidden spring；
Should you weary and fail for breath；
It will burgeon and branch and swing
Till you sink to sleep in its shadow deep to the sound of its murmuring。
。 。 。 。 。
You must face the general foe
A phantom pale and grim。
If you flinch at his glare； he'll grow
And gather your strength to him；
But your power will rise if you laugh in his eyes and away in a mist
he'll swim。
To your freeborn soul be true
Fling parchment in the fire；
Men's laws are null for you；
For a word of Love is higher；
And can you do aught； when He rules your thought； but follow your own desire？
You will dread no pinching dearth
In the home where you love to lie；
For your floor will be good brown earth
And your roof the open sky。
There'll be room for all at your festival when the heart…red wine runs high。
。 。 。 。 。
Joy to you； joy and strife
And a golden East before；
And the sound of the sea of life
In your ears when you reach the shore；
And a hope that still with as good a will you may fight as you fought of yore。
Arthur H。 Adams。
Bayswater； W。
About me leagues of houses lie；
Above me； grim and straight and high；
They climb； the terraces lean up
Like long grey reefs against the sky。
Packed tier on tier the people dwell；
Each narrow； hollow wall is full；
And in that hive of honeycomb；
Remote and high； I have one cell。
And when I turn into my street
I hear in murmurous retreat
A tide of noises flowing out
The city ebbing from my feet！
And lo！ two long straight walls between；
There dwells a little park serene；
Where blackened trees and railings hem
A little handkerchief of green！
Yet I can see across the roof
The sun； the stars and 。 。 。 God！ For proof
Between the twisting chimney…pots
A pointing finger； old； aloof！
The traffic that the city rends
Within my quiet haven ends
In a deep murmur； or across
My pool a gentle ripple sends。
A chime upon the silence drab
Paints music； hooting motors stab
The pleasant peace； and； far and faint；
The jangling lyric of the cab！
And when I wander； proud and free；
Through my domain； unceasingly
The endless pageant of the shops
Marches along the street with me。
About me ever blossoming
Like rich parterres the hoardings fling
An opulence of hue； and make
Within my garden endless Spring。
The droning tram…cars spitting light：
And like great bees in drunken flight
Burly and laden deep with bloom；
The 'busses lumbering home at night！
Sometimes an afternoon will fling
New meaning on each sombre thing；
And low upon the level roofs
The sultry sun lies smouldering。
Sometimes the fog that faery girl
Her veil of wonder will unfurl；
And crescent gaunt and looming flat
Are sudden mysteries of pearl！
New miracles the wet streets show；
On stems of flame the gas…lamps glow。
I walk upon the wave and see
Another London drowned below！
And when night comes strange jewels strew
The winding streets I wander through：
Like pearls upon a woman's throat
The street…lamps' swerving avenue！
In every face that passes mine
Unfathomed epics I divine：
Each figure on the pavement is
A vial of untasted wine！
Through lands enchanted wandering；
To all a splendour seems to cling。
Lo！ from a window…beacon high
Hope still the Night is questioning！
And so； ere sleep； I lie and mark
Romance's stealthy footsteps。 Hark！
The rhythm of the horse's hoof
Bears some new drama through the dark！
So in this tall and narrow street
I lie as in Death's lone retreat
And hear； loud in the pulse of Life；
Eternity upon me beat！
Bond Street
Its glittering emptiness it brings
This little lane of useless things。
Here peering envy arm in arm
With ennui takes her saunterings。
Here fretful boredom； to appease
The nagging of her long disease；
Comes day by day to dabble in
This foamy sea of fripperies。
The languid women driven through
Their wearied lives； and in their view；
Patient about the bakers' shops；
The languid children； two and two！
The champing horses standing still；
Whose veins with life's impatience thrill；
And dead beside the carriage door
The footman； masked and immobile！
And bloated pugs those epicures
Of darkened boudoirs 。 。 。 and of sewers
Lolling high on their cushioned thrones
Blink feebly on their dainty wooers！
And in the blossoming window…shows
Each month another summer glows；
They pay the price of human souls
To rear one rich and sickly rose。
And a suave carven god of jade；
By some enthralled old Asian made；
With that thin scorn still on his lips；
Waits； in a window…front displayed：
The hurrying； streaming crowds he sees。
With the same smile he watches these
As from his temple…dusk he saw
The passing of the centuries！
Ethel Turner。
A Trembling Star
〃There is my little trembling star；〃 she said。
I looked； once more
The tender sea had put the sun to bed；
And heaven's floor
Was grey。
And nowhere yet in all that young night sky
Was any star；
But one that hung above the sea。 Not high；
Nor very far
Away。
〃I watch it every night；〃 she said； and crept
Within my arm。
〃Soft little star； I wish the angels kept
It safe from harm
Alway。
〃I know it is afraid；〃 she said； her eyes
Held a sweet tear。
〃They send it all alone into the skies；
No big stars near；
To stay。
〃They push it out before the sweet； kind moon
Lights up the sea。
They laugh because it fears the dark。 ‘Soon； soon；
You'll braver be；'
They say。
〃One night I climbed far up that high white tree
Beside the beach；
And tried to stretch my hand across the sea
And tried to reach
The grey。
〃For something made me feel my heart would break
Unless that night
I in my hand my trembling star could take
And kiss its fright
Away。
〃There only blew a strange wind chillily；
And clouds were swept。
The angels would not let my own star see
That someone wept。
I pray
〃To Christ； who hears my little prayers each night；
That He will seek
Through all His skies for that sweet； frightened light；
And stoop His cheek
And say
〃‘My angels must not send so frail a thing
To light the West。
Lift up the little trembling star to cling
About my breast
Alway。'〃
‘Oh； if that Rainbow up there！'
Oh； if that rainbow up there；
Spanning the sky past the hill；
Slenderly； tenderly fair
Shining with colours that thrill；
Oh； if that rainbow up there；
Just for a moment could reach
Through the wet slope of the air
Here where I stand on the beach！
Here where the waves wash the strand；
Swing itself lovingly low；
Let me catch fast with one hand；
Climb its frail rigging and go。
Climb its frail rigging and go？
Where is its haven of rest？
Out in the gleam and the glow
Of the blood…red waves of the West？
Or where the isles of the dawn
Lie on an amethyst sea；
Does it drift； pale and forlorn；
Ghost of the glory I see？
Is there； ah； is there a land
Such as the Icelanders say；
Or past the West's ruddy strand
Or on the edge of the day；
