the complete poetical works-第134节
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The vanished days of yore；
When the world with faith was filled；
Bring back the fervid zeal；
The hearts of fire and steel；
The hands that believe and build。
〃Then from our tower again
We will send over land and main
Our voices of command；
Like exiled kings who return
To their thrones； and the people learn
That the Priest is lord of the land！〃
O Bells of San Blas in vain
Ye call back the Past again；
The Past is deaf to your prayer！
Out of the shadows of night
The world rolls into light；
It is daybreak everywhere。
*************
FRAGMENTS
October 22； 1838。
Neglected record of a mind neglected；
Unto what 〃lets and stops〃 art thou subjected！
The day with all its toils and occupations；
The night with its reflections and sensations；
The future； and the present； and the past；
All I remember； feel； and hope at last；
All shapes of joy and sorrow； as they pass；
Find but a dusty image in this glass。
August 18； 1847。
O faithful； indefatigable tides；
That evermore upon God's errands go；
Now seaward bearing tidings of the land；
Now landward bearing tidings of the sea；
And filling every frith and estuary；
Each arm of the great sea； each little creek；
Each thread and filament of water…courses；
Full with your ministration of delight！
Under the rafters of this wooden bridge
I see you come and go； sometimes in haste
To reach your journey's end； which being done
With feet unrested ye return again
And recommence the never…ending task；
Patient； whatever burdens ye may bear；
And fretted only by the impeding rocks。
December 18； 1847。
Soft through the silent air descend the feathery snow…flakes；
White are the distant hills； white are the neighboring fields；
Only the marshes are brown； and the river rolling among them
Weareth the leaden hue seen in the eyes of the blind。
August 4； 1856。
A lovely morning； without the glare of the sun； the sea in great
commotion； chafing and foaming。
So from the bosom of darkness our days come roaring and gleaming；
Chafe and break into foam； sink into darkness again。
But on the shores of Time each leaves some trace of its passage；
Though the succeeding wave washes it out from the sand。
********
CHRISTUS： A MYSTERY
INTROITUS
The ANGEL bearing the PROPHET HABAKKUK through the air。
PROPHET。
Why dost thou bear me aloft；
O Angel of God； on thy pinions
O'er realms and dominions？
Softly I float as a cloud
In air； for thy right hand upholds me；
Thy garment enfolds me！
ANGEL。
Lo！ as I passed on my way
In the harvest…field I beheld thee；
When no man compelled thee；
Bearing with thine own hands
This food to the famishing reapers；
A flock without keepers！
The fragrant sheaves of the wheat
Made the air above them sweet；
Sweeter and more divine
Was the scent of the scattered grain；
That the reaper's hand let fall
To be gathered again
By the hand of the gleaner！
Sweetest； divinest of all；
Was the humble deed of thine；
And the meekness of thy demeanor！
PROPHET。
Angel of Light；
I cannot gainsay thee；
I can but obey thee！
ANGEL。
Beautiful was it in the lord's sight；
To behold his Prophet
Feeding those that toil；
The tillers of the soil。
But why should the reapers eat of it
And not the Prophet of Zion
In the den of the lion？
The Prophet should feed the Prophet！
Therefore I thee have uplifted；
And bear thee aloft by the hair
Of thy head； like a cloud that is drifted
Through the vast unknown of the air！
Five days hath the Prophet been lying
In Babylon； in the den
Of the lions； death…defying；
Defying hunger and thirst；
But the worst
Is the mockery of men！
Alas！ how full of fear
Is the fate of Prophet and Seer！
Forevermore； forevermore；
It shall be as it hath been heretofore；
The age in which they live
Will not forgive
The splendor of the everlasting light；
That makes their foreheads bright；
Nor the sublime
Fore…running of their time！
PROPHET。
Oh tell me； for thou knowest；
Wherefore and by what grace；
Have I； who am least and lowest；
Been chosen to this place；
To this exalted part？
ANGEL。
Because thou art
The Struggler； and from thy youth
Thy humble and patient life
Hath been a strife
And battle for the Truth；
Nor hast thou paused nor halted；
Nor ever in thy pride
Turned from the poor aside；
But with deed and word and pen
Hast served thy fellow…men；
Therefore art thou exalted！
PROPHET。
By thine arrow's light
Thou goest onward through the night；
And by the clear
Sheen of thy glittering spear！
When will our journey end？
ANGEL。
Lo； it is ended！
Yon silver gleam
Is the Euphrates' stream。
Let us descend
Into the city splendid；
Into the City of Gold！
PROPHET。
Behold！
As if the stars had fallen from their places
Into the firmament below；
The streets； the gardens； and the vacant spaces
With light are all aglow；
And hark！
As we draw near；
What sound is it I hear
Ascending through the dark？
ANGEL。
The tumultuous noise of the nations；
Their rejoicings and lamentations；
The pleadings of their prayer；
The groans of their despair；
The cry of their imprecations；
Their wrath； their love； their hate！
PROPHET。
Surely the world doth wait
The coming of its Redeemer！
ANGEL。
Awake from thy sleep； O dreamer？
The hour is near； though late；
Awake！ write the vision sublime；
The vision； that is for a time；
Though it tarry； wait； it is nigh；
In the end it will speak and not lie。
PART ONE
THE DIVINE TRAGEDY
THE FIRST PASSOVER
I
VOX CLAMANTIS
JOHN THE BAPTIST。
Repent！ repent！ repent！
For the kingdom of God is at hand；
And all the land
Full of the knowledge of the Lord shall be
As the waters cover the sea；
And encircle the continent！
Repent！ repent！ repent！
For lo； the hour appointed；
The hour so long foretold
By the Prophets of old；
Of the coming of the Anointed；
The Messiah； the Paraclete；
The Desire of the Nations； is nigh！
He shall not strive nor cry；
Nor his voice be heard in the street；
Nor the bruised reed shall He break；
Nor quench the smoking flax；
And many of them that sleep
In the dust of earth shall awake；
On that great and terrible day；
And the wicked shall wail and weep；
And be blown like a smoke away；
And be melted away like wax。
Repent！ repent！ repent！
O Priest； and Pharisee；
Who hath warned you to flee
From the wrath that is to be？
From the coming anguish and ire？
The axe is laid at the root
Of the trees； and every tree
That bringeth not forth good fruit
Is hewn down and cast into the fire！
Ye Scribes； why come ye hither？
In the hour that is uncertain；
In the day of anguish and trouble；
He that stretcheth the heavens as a curtain
And spreadeth them out as a tent；
Shall blow upon you； and ye shall wither；
And the whirlwind shall take you away as stubble！
Repent！ repent！ repent！
PRIEST。
Who art thou； O man of prayer！
In raiment of camel's hair；
Begirt with leathern thong；
That here in the wilderness；
With a cry as of one in distress；
Preachest unto this throng？
Art thou the Christ？
JOHN。
Priest of Jerusalem；
In meekness and humbleness；
I deny not； I confess
I am not the Christ！
PRIEST。
What shall we say unto them
That sent us here？ Reveal
Thy name； and naught conceal！
Art thou Elias？
JOHN。
No！
PRIEST。
Art thou that Prophet； then；
Of lamentation and woe；
Who； as a symbol and sign
Of impending wrath divine
Upon unbelieving men；
Shattered the vessel of clay
In the Valley of Slaughter？
JOHN。
Nay。
I am not he thou namest！
PRIEST。
Who art thou； and what is the word
That here thou proclaimest？
JOHN。
I am the voice of one
Crying in the wilderness alone：
Prepare ye the way of the Lord；
Make his paths straight
In the land that is desolate！
PRIEST。
If thou be not the Christ；
Nor yet Elias； nor he
That； in sign of the things to be；
Shattered the vessel of clay
In the Valley of Slaughter；
Then declare unto us； and say
By what authority now
Baptizest thou？
JOHN。
I indeed baptize you with water
Unto repentance； but He；
That cometh after me；
Is mightier than I and higher；
The latchet of whose shoes
I an not worthy to unloose；
He shall baptize you with fire；
And with the Holy Ghost！
Whose fan is in his hand；
He will purge to the uttermost
His floor； and garner his wheat；
But will burn the chaff in the brand
And fire of unquenchable heat！
Repent！ repent！ repent！
II
MOUNT QUARANTANIA
I
LUCIFER。
Not in the lightning's flash； nor in the thu
