dreams & dust-第2节
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Then here will we hide； idle here and abide；
In the covert here； close by the waterside
Here； where the slim flattered reeds are aquiver
With the exquisite hints of the reticent river；
Here； where the lips of this pool are the lips
Of all pools； let us listen and question and wait；
Let us hark to the whispers of love and of death；
Let us hark to the lispings of life and of fate
In this place where pale silences flower into sound
Let us strive for some secret of all the profound
Deep and calm Silence that meshes men 'round！
There's as much of God hinted in one ripple's
plashes
There's as much of Truth glints in yon dragon…
fly's flight
There's as much Purpose gleams where yonder
trout flashes
As inany book else！could we read things
aright。
Then nymph of mine indolence； here let us hide；
Learn； listen； and question； idle here and abide
Where the rushes and lilies lean low to the tide。
〃THEY HAD NO POET 。 。 。〃
〃Vain was the chief's； the sage's pride！
They had no poet and they died。〃POPE。
By Tigris； or the streams of Ind；
Ere Colchis rose； or Babylon；
Forgotten empires dreamed and sinned；
Setting tall towns against the dawn；
Which； when the proud Sun smote upon；
Flashed fire for fire and pride for pride；
Their names were 。 。 。 Ask oblivion！ 。 。 。
〃They had no poet； and they died。〃
Queens； dusk of hair and tawny…skinned；
That loll where fellow leopards fawn 。 。 。
Their hearts are dust before the wind；
Their loves； that shook the world； are wan！
Passion is mighty 。 。 。 but； anon；
Strong Death has Romance for his bride；
Their legends 。 。 。 Ask oblivion！ 。 。 。
〃They had no poet； and they died。〃
Heroes； the braggart trumps that dinned
Their futile triumphs； monarch； pawn；
Wild tribesmen； kingdoms disciplined；
Passed like a whirlwind and were gone；
They built with bronze and gold and brawn；
The inner Vision still denied；
Their conquests 。 。 。 Ask oblivion！ 。 。 。
〃They had no poet； and they died。〃
Dumb oracles； and priests withdrawn；
Was it but flesh they deified？
Their gods were 。 。 。 Ask oblivion！ 。 。 。
〃They had no poet； and they died。〃
NEW YORK
SHE is hot to the sea that crouches beside；
Human and hot to the cool stars peering down；
My passionate city； my quivering town；
And her dark blood； tide upon purple tide；
With throbs as of thunder beats；
With leaping rhythms and vast； is swirled
Through the shaken lengths of her veined streets。。。
She pulses； the heart of a world！
I have thrilled with her ecstasy； agony； woe
Hath she a mood that I do not know？
The winds of her music tumultuous have seized
me and swayed me；
Have lifted； have swung me around
In their whorls as of cyclonic sound；
Her passions have torn me and tossed me and
brayed me；
Drunken and tranced and dazzled with visions
and gleams；
I have spun with her dervish priests；
I have searched to the souls of her hunted beasts
And found love sleeping there；
I have soared on the wings of her flashing dreams；
I have sunk with her dull despair；
I have sweat with her travails and cursed with
her pains；
I have swelled with her foolish pride；
I have raged through a thick red mist at one
with her branded Cains；
With her broken Christs have died。
O beautiful half…god city of visions and love！
O hideous half…brute city of hate！
O wholly human and baffled and passionate town！
The throes of thy burgeoning； stress of thy fight；
Thy bitter； blind struggle to gain for thy body a
soul；
I have known； I have felt； and been shaken
thereby！
Wakened and shaken and broken；
For I hear in thy thunders terrific that throb
through thy rapid veins
The beat of the heart of a world。
A HYMN
（1914）
CLOTHED on with thunder and with steel
And black against the dawn
The whirling armies clash and reel。 。 。 。
A wind； and they are gone
Like mists withdrawn；
Like mists withdrawn！
Like clouds withdrawn； like driven sands；
Earth's body vanisheth：
One solid thing unconquered stands；
The ghost that humbles death。
All else is breath；
All else is breath！
Man rose from out the stinging slime；
Half brute； and sought a soul；
And up the starrier ways of time；
Half god； unto his goal；
He still must climb；
He still must climb！
What though worlds stagger； and the suns
Seem shaken in their place；
Trust thou the leaping love that runs
Creative over space：
Take heart of grace；
Take heart of grace！
What though great kingdoms fall on death
Before the stabbing blade；
Their brazen might was only breath；
Their substance but a shade
Be not dismayed；
Be not dismayed！
Man's dream which conquered brute and clod
Shall fail not； but endure；
Shall rise； though beaten to the sod；
Shall hold its vantage sure
As sure as God；
As sure as God！
THE SINGER
A LITTLE while； with love and youth；
He wandered； singing：
He felt life's pulses hot and strong
Beat all his rapid veins along；
He wrought life's rhythms into song：
He laughed； he sang the Dawn！
So close； so close to life he dwelt
That at rare times and rapt he felt
The fleshly barriers yield and melt；
He trembled； looking on
Creation at her miracles；
His soul…sight pierced the earthly shells
And saw the spirit weave its spells；
The veil of clay withdrawn；
A little while； with love and youth；
He wandered； singing！
A little while； with age and death；
He wanders； dreaming；
No more the thunder and the urge
Of earth's full tides that storm the verge
Of heaven with their sweep and surge
Shall lift； shall bear him on；
Where is the golden hope that led
Him comrade with the mighty dead？
The love that aureoled his head？
The glory is withdrawn！
How shall one soar with broken wings？
The leagued might of futile things
Wars with the heart that dares and sings；
It is not always Dawn！
A little while； with age and death；
He wanders； dreaming。
WORDS ARE NOT GUNS
Put by the sword （a dreamer saith）；
The years of peace draw nigh！
Already the millennial dawn
Makes red the eastern sky！
Be not deceived。 It comes not yet！
The ancient passions keep
Alive beneath their changing masks。
They are not dead。 They sleep。
Surely peace comes。 As sure as Man
Rose from primeval slime。
That was not yesterday。 There's still
A weary height to climb！
And we can dwell too long with dreams
And play too much with words；
Forgetting our inheritance
Was bought and held with swords。
But Truth （you say） makes tyrants quail
Beats down embattled Wrong？
If truth be armed！ Be not deceived。
The strife is to the strong。
Words are not guns。 Words are not ships。
And ships and guns prevail。
Our liberties； that blood has gained；
Are guarded； or they fail。
Truth does not triumph without blows；
Error not tamely yields。
But falsehood closes with quick faith；
Fierce； on a thousand fields。
And surely； somewhat of that faith
Our fathers fought for clings！
Which called this freedom's hemisphere；
Despite Earth's leagued kings。
Great creeds grow thews； or else they die。
Thought clothed in deed is lord。
What are thy gods？ Thy gods brought love？
They also brought a sword。
Unchallenged； shall we always stand；
Secure； apart； aloof？
Be not deceived。 That hour shall come
Which puts us to the proof。
Then； that we hold the trust we have
Safeguarded for our sons；
Let us cease dreaming！ Let us have
More ships； more troops； more guns！
WITH THE SUBMARINES
ABOVE； the baffled twilight fails； beneath； the
blind snakes creep；
Beside us glides the charnel shark； our pilot
through the deep；
And； lurking where low headlands shield from
cruising scout and spy；
We bide the signal through the gloom that bids
us slay or die。
All watchful； mute； the crouching guns that guard
the strait sea lanes
Watchful and hawklike； plumed with hate； the
desperate aeroplanes
And still as death and swift as fate； above the
darkling coasts；
The spying Wireless sows the night with troops
of stealthy ghosts；
While hushed through all her huddled streets the
tide…walled city waits
The drumming thunders that announce brute
battle at her gates。
Southward a hundred windy leagues； through
storms that blind and bar；
Our cheated cruisers search the waves； our cap…
