the complete poetical works-第131节
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And mingled voices of the doves and crows。
NOVEMBER
The Centaur； Sagittarius； am I；
Born of Ixion's and the cloud's embrace；
With sounding hoofs across the earth I fly；
A steed Thessalian with a human face。
Sharp winds the arrows are with which I chase
The leaves； half dead already with affright；
I shroud myself in gloom； and to the race
Of mortals bring nor comfort nor delight。
DECEMBER
Riding upon the Goat； with snow…white hair；
I come； the last of all。 This crown of mine
Is of the holly； in my hand I bear
The thyrsus； tipped with fragrant cones of pine。
I celebrate the birth of the Divine；
And the return of the Saturnian reign；
My songs are carols sung at every shrine；
Proclaiming 〃Peace on earth； good will to men。〃
AUTUMN WITHIN
It is autumn； not without；
But within me is the cold。
Youth and spring are all about；
It is I that have grown old。
Birds are darting through the air；
Singing； building without rest；
Life is stirring everywhere；
Save within my lonely breast。
There is silence： the dead leaves
Fall and rustle and are still；
Beats no flail upon the sheaves
Comes no murmur from the mill。
THE FOUR LAKES OF MADISON
Four limpid lakes；four Naiades
Or sylvan deities are these；
In flowing robes of azure dressed；
Four lovely handmaids； that uphold
Their shining mirrors； rimmed with gold；
To the fair city in the West。
By day the coursers of the sun
Drink of these waters as they run
Their swift diurnal round on high；
By night the constellations glow
Far down the hollow deeps below；
And glimmer in another sky。
Fair lakes； serene and full of light；
Fair town； arrayed in robes of white；
How visionary ye appear！
All like a floating landscape seems
In cloud…land or the land of dreams；
Bathed in a golden atmosphere！
VICTOR AND VANQUISHED
As one who long hath fled with panting breath
Before his foe； bleeding and near to fall；
I turn and set my back against the wall；
And look thee in the face； triumphant Death；
I call for aid； and no one answereth；
I am alone with thee； who conquerest all；
Yet me thy threatening form doth not appall；
For thou art but a phantom and a wraith。
Wounded and weak； sword broken at the hilt；
With armor shattered； and without a shield；
I stand unmoved； do with me what thou wilt；
I can resist no more； but will not yield。
This is no tournament where cowards tilt；
The vanquished here is victor of the field。
MOONLIGHT
As a pale phantom with a lamp
Ascends some ruin's haunted stair；
So glides the moon along the damp
Mysterious chambers of the air。
Now hidden in cloud； and now revealed；
As if this phantom； full of pain；
Were by the crumbling walls concealed；
And at the windows seen again。
Until at last； serene and proud
In all the splendor of her light；
She walks the terraces of cloud；
Supreme as Empress of the Night。
I look； but recognize no more
Objects familiar to my view；
The very pathway to my door
Is an enchanted avenue。
All things are changed。 One mass of shade；
The elm…trees drop their curtains down；
By palace； park； and colonnade
I walk as in a foreign town。
The very ground beneath my feet
Is clothed with a diviner air；
White marble paves the silent street
And glimmers in the empty square。
Illusion！ Underneath there lies
The common life of every day；
Only the spirit glorifies
With its own tints the sober gray。
In vain we look； in vain uplift
Our eyes to heaven； if we are blind；
We see but what we have the gift
Of seeing； what we bring we find。
THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE
＇A FRAGMENT。＇
I
What is this I read in history；
Full of marvel； full of mystery；
Difficult to understand？
Is it fiction； is it truth？
Children in the flower of youth；
Heart in heart； and hand in hand；
Ignorant of what helps or harms；
Without armor； without arms；
Journeying to the Holy Land！
Who shall answer or divine？
Never since the world was made
Such a wonderful crusade
Started forth for Palestine。
Never while the world shall last
Will it reproduce the past；
Never will it see again
Such an army； such a band；
Over mountain； over main；
Journeying to the Holy Land。
Like a shower of blossoms blown
From the parent trees were they；
Like a flock of birds that fly
Through the unfrequented sky；
Holding nothing as their own；
Passed they into lands unknown；
Passed to suffer and to die。
O the simple； child…like trust！
O the faith that could believe
What the harnessed； iron…mailed
Knights of Christendom had failed；
By their prowess； to achieve；
They the children； could and must？
Little thought the Hermit； preaching
Holy Wars to knight and baron；
That the words dropped in his teaching；
His entreaty； his beseeching；
Would by children's hands be gleaned；
And the staff on which he leaned
Blossom like the rod of Aaron。
As a summer wind upheaves
The innumerable leaves
In the bosom of a wood；
Not as separate leaves； but massed
All together by the blast；
So for evil or for good
His resistless breath upheaved
All at once the many…leaved；
Many…thoughted multitude。
In the tumult of the air
Rock the boughs with all the nests
Cradled on their tossing crests；
By the fervor of his prayer
Troubled hearts were everywhere
Rocked and tossed in human breasts。
For a century； at least；
His prophetic voice had ceased；
But the air was heated still
By his lurid words and will；
As from fires in far…off woods；
In the autumn of the year；
An unwonted fever broods
In the sultry atmosphere。
II
In Cologne the bells were ringing；
In Cologne the nuns were singing
Hymns and canticles divine；
Loud the monks sang in their stalls；
And the thronging streets were loud
With the voices of the crowd；
Underneath the city walls
Silent flowed the river Rhine。
From the gates； that summer day；
Clad in robes of hodden gray；
With the red cross on the breast；
Azure…eyed and golden…haired；
Forth the young crusaders fared；
While above the band devoted
Consecrated banners floated；
Fluttered many a flag and streamer；
And the cross o'er all the rest！
Singing lowly； meekly； slowly；
〃Give us； give us back the holy
Sepulchre of the Redeemer！〃
On the vast procession pressed；
Youths and maidens。 。 。 。
III
Ah！ what master hand shall paint
How they journeyed on their way；
How the days grew long and dreary；
How their little feet grew weary；
How their little hearts grew faint！
Ever swifter day by day
Flowed the homeward river； ever
More and more its whitening current
Broke and scattered into spray；
Till the calmly…flowing river
Changed into a mountain torrent；
Rushing from its glacier green
Down through chasm and black ravine。
Like a phoenix in its nest；
Burned the red sun in the West；
Sinking in an ashen cloud；
In the East； above the crest
Of the sea…like mountain chain；
Like a phoenix from its shroud；
Came the red sun back again。
Now around them； white with snow；
Closed the mountain peaks。 Below；
Headlong from the precipice
Down into the dark abyss；
Plunged the cataract； white with foam；
And it said； or seemed to say：
〃Oh return； while yet you may；
Foolish children； to your home；
There the Holy City is！〃
But the dauntless leader said：
〃Faint not； though your bleeding feet
O'er these slippery paths of sleet
Move but painfully and slowly；
Other feet than yours have bled；
Other tears than yours been shed
Courage！ lose not heart or hope；
On the mountains' southern slope
Lies Jerusalem the Holy！〃
As a white rose in its pride；
By the wind in summer…tide
Tossed and loosened from the branch；
Showers its petals o'er the ground；
From the distant mountain's side；
Scattering all its snows around；
With mysterious； muffled sound；
Loosened； fell the avalanche。
Voices； echoes far and near；
Roar of winds and waters blending；
Mists uprising； clouds impending；
Filled them with a sense of fear；
Formless； nameless； never ending。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。
SUNDOWN
The summer sun is sinking low；
Only the tree…tops redden and glow：
Only the weathercock on the spire
Of the neighboring church is a flame of fire；
All is in shadow below。
O beautiful； awful summer day；
What hast thou given； what taken away？
Life and death； and love and hate；
Homes made happy or desolate；
Hearts made sad or gay！
On the road of life one mile…stone more！
In the book of life one leaf turned o'er！
Like a red seal is the setting sun
On the good and the evil men have done；
Naugh
