dreams & dust-第9节
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AT LAST
EACH race has died and lived and fought for the
〃true〃 gods of that poor race；
Unconsciously； divinest thought of each race gild…
ing its god's face。
And every race that lives and dies shall make itself
some other gods；
Shall build； with mingled truth and lies； new icons
from the world…old clods。
Through all the tangled creeds and dreams and
shifting shibboleths men hold
The false…and…true； inwoven； gleams： a matted
mass of dross and gold。
Prove； then； thy gods in thine own soul； all others'
gods； for thee； are vain；
Nor swerved be； struggling for the goal； by bribe
of joy nor threat of pain。
As skulls grow broader； so do faiths； as old tongues
die； old gods die； too；
And only ghosts of gods and wraiths may meet
the backward…gazer's view。
Where； where the faiths of yesterday？ Ah；
whither vanished； whither gone？
Say； what Apollos drive to…day adown the flaming
slopes of dawn？
Oh； does the blank past hide from view forgotten
Christs； to be reborn；
The future tremble where some new Messiah…
Memnon sings the morn？
Of all the worlds； say any earth； like dust wind…
harried to and fro；
Shall give the next Prometheus birth； but say
at lastyou do not know。
How should I know what dawn may gleam beyond
the gates of darkness there？
Which god of all the gods men dream？ Why
should I whip myself to care？
Whichever over all hath place hath shaped and
made me what I am；
Hath made me strong to front his face； to dare
to question though he damn。
Perhaps to cringe and cower and bring a shrine
a forced and faithless faith
Is far more futile than to fling your laughter in
the face of Death。
For writhe or whirl in dervish rout； they are not
flattered there on high；
Or sham belief to hide a doubtno gods are mine
that love a lie！
Nor gods that beg belief on earth with portents
that some seer foretells
Is life itself not wonder…worth that we must cry
for miracles？
Is it not strange enough we breathe？ Does every…
thing not God reveal？
Or must we ever weave and wreathe some creed
that shall his face conceal？
Some creed of which its prophets cry it holds
the secret's all…in…all：
Some creed which ever bye and bye doth crumble；
totter； to its fall！
Say any dream of all the dreams that drift and
darkle； glint and glow；
Holds most of truth within its gleams； but say
at lastyou do not know。
Oh； say the soul； from star to star； with victory
wing'd； leap on through space
And scale the bastioned nights that bar the secret's
inner dwelling…place；
Or say it ever roam dim glades where pallid
wraiths of long…dead moons
Flit like blown feathers through the shades； borne
on the breath of sobbing tunes：
Say any tide of any time； of all the tides that ebb
and flow；
Shall buoy us on toward any clime； but sayat
lastyou do not know！
LYRICS
〃KING PANDION； HE IS DEAD〃
〃King Pandion； he is dead；
All thy friends are lapp'd in lead。〃
SHAKESPEARE。
DREAMERS； drinkers； rebel youth；
Where's the folly free and fine
You and I mistook for truth？
Wits and wastrels； friends of wine；
Wags and poets； friends of mine；
Gleams and glamors all are fled；
Fires and frenzies half divine！
King Pandion； he is dead！
Time's unmannerly； uncouth！
Here's the crow's…foot for a sign！
And； upon our brows； forsooth；
Wits and wastrels； friends of wine；
Time hath set his mark malign；
Frost has touched us； heart and head；
Cooled the blood and dulled the eyne：
King Pandion； he is dead！
Time's a tyrant without ruth：
Fancies used to bloom and twine
Round a common tavern booth；
Wits and wastrels； friends of wine；
In that youth of mine and thine！
'Tis for youth the feast is spread；
When we dine nowwe but dine！
King Pandion； he is dead！
How our dreams would glow and shine；
Wits and wastrels； friends of wine；
Ere the drab Hour came that said：
King Pandion； he is dead！
DAVID TO BATHSHEBA
VERY red are the roses of Sharon；
But redder thy mouth；
There is nard； there is myrrh； in En Gedi；
From the uplands of Lebanon； heavy
With balsam； the winds
Drift freighted and scented and cedarn
But thy mouth is more precious than spices！
Thy breasts are twin lilies of Kedron；
White lilies； that sleep
In the shallows where loitering Kedron
Broadens out and is lost in the Jordan；
Globed lilies； so white
That David； thy King； thy beloved
Declareth them meet for his gardens。
Under the stars very strangely
The still waters gleam；
Deep down in the waters of Hebron
The soul of the starlight is sunken；
But deep in thine eyes
Stirs a more wonderful secret
Than pools ever learn of the starlight。
THE JESTERS
A TOAST to the Fools！
Pierrot； Pantaloon；
Harlequin； Clown；
Merry…Andrew； Buffoon
Touchstone and Tribouletall of the tribe。
Dancer and jester and singer and scribe。
We sigh over Yorick（unfortunate fool；
Ten thousand Hamlets have fumbled his skull！）
But where is the Hamlet to weep o'er the biers
Of his brothers？
And where is the poet solicits our tears
For the others？
They have passed from the world and left never
a sign；
And few of us now have the courage to sing
That their whimsies made life a more livable
thing
We； that are left of the line；
Let us drink to the jestersin gooseberry wine！
Then here's to the Fools！
Flouting the sages
Through history's pages
And driving the dreary old seers into rages
The humbugging Magis
Who prate that the wages
Of Folly are Deathtoast the Fools of all ages！
They have ridden like froth down the whirlpools
of time；
They have jingled their caps in the councils of
state；
They have snared half the wisdom of life in a
rhyme；
And tripped into nothingness grinning at fate
Ho； brothers mine；
Brim up the glasses with gooseberry wine！
Though the prince with his firman；
The judge in his ermine；
Affirm and determine
Bold words need the whip；
Let them spare us the rod and remit us the
sermon；
For Death has a quip
Of the tomb and the vermin
That will silence at last the most impudent lip！
Is the world but a bubble； a bauble； a joke？
Heigho； Brother Fools； now your bubble is broke；
Do you ask for a tear？or is it worth while？
Here's a sigh for you； thenbut it ends in a smile！
Ho； Brother Death；
We would laugh at you； tooif you spared us the
breath！
〃MARY； MARY； QUITE CONTRARY〃
〃Mary； Mary； quite contrary；
How does your garden grow？
With silver bells and cockle…shells
And pretty maids all in a row！〃
Mother Goose。
MARY； Mistress Mary；
How does your garden grow？
From your uplands airy；
Mary； Mistress Mary；
Float the chimes of faery
When the breezes blow！
Mary； Mistress Mary；
How does your garden grow？
With flower…maidens； singing
Among the morning hills
With silvern bells a…ringing；
With flower…maidens singing；
With vocal lilies； springing
By chanting daffodils；
With flower…maidens； singing
Among the morning hills！
THE TRIOLET
YOUR triolet should glimmer
Like a butterfly；
In golden light； or dimmer；
Your triolet should glimmer；
Tremble； turn； and shimmer；
Flash； and flutter by；
Your triolet should glimmer
Like a butterfly。
FROM THE BRIDGE
HELD and thrilled by the vision
I stood； as the twilight died；
Where the great bridge soars like a song
Over the crawling tide
Stood on the middle arch
And night flooded in from the bay；
And wonderful under the stars
Before me the city lay；
Girdled with swinging waters
Guarded by ship on ship
A gem that the strong old ocean
Held in his giant grip；
There was play of shadows above
And drifting gleams below；
And magic of shifting waves
That darkle and glance and glow；
Dusky and purple and splendid；
Banded with loops of light；
The tall towers rose like pillars；
Lifting the dome of night；
The gliding cars of traffic
Slid swiftly up and down
Like monsters； fiery mailed；
Leaping across the town。
Not planned with a thought of beauty；
Built by a lawless breed；
Builded of lust for power；
Builded of gold and greed。
Risen out of the trader's
Brutal and sordid wars
And yet； behold！ a city
Wonderful under the stars！
〃PALADINS； PALADINS； YOUTH NOBLE…HEARTED〃
GALAHADS； Galahads； Percivals； gallop！
Bayards； to the saddle！the clangorous trumpets；
Hoarse with their ecstasy； call to the mellay。
Paladins； Paladins； Rolands flame…hearted；
Olivers； Olivers； follow the bugl
