the complete poetical works-第123节
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Where the pomp of camp and court？
Where the pilgrims with their prayers？
Where the merchants with their wares；
And their gallant brigantines
Sailing safely into port
Chased by corsair Algerines？
Vanished like a fleet of cloud；
Like a passing trumpet…blast；
Are those splendors of the past；
And the commerce and the crowd！
Fathoms deep beneath the seas
Lie the ancient wharves and quays；
Swallowed by the engulfing waves；
Silent streets and vacant halls；
Ruined roofs and towers and walls；
Hidden from all mortal eyes
Deep the sunken city lies：
Even cities have their graves！
This is an enchanted land！
Round the headlands far away
Sweeps the blue Salernian bay
With its sickle of white sand：
Further still and furthermost
On the dim discovered coast
Paestum with its ruins lies；
And its roses all in bloom
Seem to tinge the fatal skies
Of that lonely land of doom。
On his terrace； high in air；
Nothing doth the good monk care
For such worldly themes as these；
From the garden just below
Little puffs of perfume blow；
And a sound is in his ears
Of the murmur of the bees
In the shining chestnut…trees；
Nothing else he heeds or hears。
All the landscape seems to swoon
In the happy afternoon；
Slowly o'er his senses creep
The encroaching waves of sleep；
And he sinks as sank the town；
Unresisting； fathoms down；
Into caverns cool and deep！
Walled about with drifts of snow；
Hearing the fierce north…wind blow；
Seeing all the landscape white；
And the river cased in ice；
Comes this memory of delight；
Comes this vision unto me
Of a long…lost Paradise
In the land beyond the sea。
THE SERMON OF ST。 FRANCIS
Up soared the lark into the air；
A shaft of song； a winged prayer；
As if a soul； released from pain；
Were flying back to heaven again。
St。 Francis heard； it was to him
An emblem of the Seraphim；
The upward motion of the fire；
The light； the heat； the heart's desire。
Around Assisi's convent gate
The birds； God's poor who cannot wait；
From moor and mere and darksome wood
Came flocking for their dole of food。
〃O brother birds；〃 St。 Francis said；
〃Ye come to me and ask for bread；
But not with bread alone to…day
Shall ye be fed and sent away。
〃Ye shall be fed； ye happy birds；
With manna of celestial words；
Not mine； though mine they seem to be；
Not mine； though they be spoken through me。
〃O； doubly are ye bound to praise
The great Creator in your lays；
He giveth you your plumes of down；
Your crimson hoods； your cloaks of brown。
〃He giveth you your wings to fly
And breathe a purer air on high；
And careth for you everywhere；
Who for yourselves so little care！〃
With flutter of swift wings and songs
Together rose the feathered throngs；
And singing scattered far apart；
Deep peace was in St。 Francis' heart。
He knew not if the brotherhood
His homily had understood；
He only knew that to one ear
The meaning of his words was clear。
BELISARIUS
I am poor and old and blind；
The sun burns me； and the wind
Blows through the city gate
And covers me with dust
From the wheels of the august
Justinian the Great。
It was for him I chased
The Persians o'er wild and waste；
As General of the East；
Night after night I lay
In their camps of yesterday；
Their forage was my feast。
For him； with sails of red；
And torches at mast…head；
Piloting the great fleet；
I swept the Afric coasts
And scattered the Vandal hosts；
Like dust in a windy street。
For him I won again
The Ausonian realm and reign；
Rome and Parthenope；
And all the land was mine
From the summits of Apennine
To the shores of either sea。
For him； in my feeble age；
I dared the battle's rage；
To save Byzantium's state；
When the tents of Zabergan；
Like snow…drifts overran
The road to the Golden Gate。
And for this； for this； behold！
Infirm and blind and old；
With gray； uncovered head；
Beneath the very arch
Of my triumphal march；
I stand and beg my bread！
Methinks I still can hear；
Sounding distinct and near；
The Vandal monarch's cry；
As； captive and disgraced；
With majestic step he paced；
〃All； all is Vanity！〃
Ah！ vainest of all things
Is the gratitude of kings；
The plaudits of the crowd
Are but the clatter of feet
At midnight in the street；
Hollow and restless and loud。
But the bitterest disgrace
Is to see forever the face
Of the Monk of Ephesus！
The unconquerable will
This； too； can bear；I still
Am Belisarius！
SONGO RIVER
Nowhere such a devious stream；
Save in fancy or in dream；
Winding slow through bush and brake
Links together lake and lake。
Walled with woods or sandy shelf；
Ever doubling on itself
Flows the stream； so still and slow
That it hardly seems to flow。
Never errant knight of old；
Lost in woodland or on wold；
Such a winding path pursued
Through the sylvan solitude。
Never school…boy in his quest
After hazel…nut or nest；
Through the forest in and out
Wandered loitering thus about。
In the mirror of its tide
Tangled thickets on each side
Hang inverted； and between
Floating cloud or sky serene。
Swift or swallow on the wing
Seems the only living thing；
Or the loon； that laughs and flies
Down to those reflected skies。
Silent stream！ thy Indian name
Unfamiliar is to fame；
For thou hidest here alone；
Well content to be unknown。
But thy tranquil waters teach
Wisdom deep as human speech；
Moving without haste or noise
In unbroken equipoise。
Though thou turnest no busy mill；
And art ever calm and still；
Even thy silence seems to say
To the traveller on his way：
〃Traveller； hurrying from the heat
Of the city； stay thy feet！
Rest awhile； nor longer waste
Life with inconsiderate haste！
〃Be not like a stream that brawls
Loud with shallow waterfalls；
But in quiet self…control
Link together soul and soul〃
************
KERAMOS
Turn； turn； my wheel？ Turn round and round
Without a pause； without a sound：
So spins the flying world away！
This clay； well mixed with marl and sand；
Follows the motion of my hand；
Far some must follow； and some command；
Though all are made of clay！
Thus sang the Potter at his task
Beneath the blossoming hawthorn…tree；
While o'er his features； like a mask；
The quilted sunshine and leaf…shade
Moved； as the boughs above him swayed；
And clothed him； till he seemed to be
A figure woven in tapestry；
So sumptuously was he arrayed
In that magnificent attire
Of sable tissue flaked with fire。
Like a magician he appeared；
A conjurer without book or beard；
And while he plied his magic art
For it was magical to me
I stood in silence and apart；
And wondered more and more to see
That shapeless； lifeless mass of clay
Rise up to meet the master's hand；
And now contract and now expand；
And even his slightest touch obey；
While ever in a thoughtful mood
He sang his ditty； and at times
Whistled a tune between the rhymes；
As a melodious interlude。
Turn； turn； my wheel！ All things must change
To something new； to something strange；
Nothing that is can pause or stay；
The moon will wax； the moon will wane；
The mist and cloud will turn to rain；
The rain to mist and cloud again；
To…morrow be to…day。
Thus still the Potter sang； and still；
By some unconscious act of will；
The melody and even the words
Were intermingled with my thought
As bits of colored thread are caught
And woven into nests of birds。
And thus to regions far remote；
Beyond the ocean's vast expanse；
This wizard in the motley coat
Transported me on wings of song；
And by the northern shores of France
Bore me with restless speed along。
What land is this that seems to be
A mingling of the land and sea？
This land of sluices； dikes； and dunes？
This water…net； that tessellates
The landscape？ this unending maze
Of gardens； through whose latticed gates
The imprisoned pinks and tulips gaze；
Where in long summer afternoons
The sunshine； softened by the haze；
Comes streaming down as through a screen；
Where over fields and pastures green
The painted ships float high in air；
And over all and everywhere
The sails of windmills sink and soar
Like wings of sea…gulls on the shore？
What land is this？ Yon pretty town
Is Delft； with all its wares displayed；
The pride； the market…place； the crown
And centre of the Potter's trade。
See！ every house and room is bright
With glimmers of reflected light
From plates that on the dresser shine；
Flagons to foam with Flemish beer；
Or sparkle with the Rhenish wine；
And pilgrim flasks with fleurs…de…lis；
And ships upo
