rivers to the sea-第6节
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Still fight？
The grass is waking in the ground；
Soon it will rise and blow in waves
How can it have the heart to sway
Over the graves；
New graves？
RIVERS TO THE SEA
Under the boughs where lovers walked
The apple…blooms will shed their breath
But what of all the lovers now
Parted by death；
Gray Death？
WHILE I MAY
WIND and hail and veering rain；
Driven mist that veils the day；
Soul's distress and body's pain；
I would bear you while I may。
I would love you if I might；
For so soon my life will be
Buried in a lasting night；
Even pain denied to me。
DEBT
WHAT do I owe to you
Who loved me deep and long？
You never gave my spirit wings
Or gave my heart a song。
But oh； to him I loved
Who loved me not at all；
I owe the little open gate
That led thru heaven's wall。
FROM THE NORTH
THE northern woods are delicately sweet；
The lake is folded softly by the shore；
But I am restless for the subway's roar；
The thunder and the hurrying of feet。
I try to sleep； but still my eyelids beat
Against the image of the tower that bore
Me high aloft； as if thru heaven's door
I watched the world from God's unshaken seat。
I would go back and breathe with quickened sense
The tunnel's strong hot breath of powdered steel；
But at the ferries I should leave the tense
Dark air behind； and I should mount and be
One among many who are thrilled to feel
The first keen sea…breath from the open sea。
THE LIGHTS OF NEW YORK
THE lightning spun your garment for the night
Of silver filaments with fire shot thru；
A broidery of lamps that lit for you
The steadfast splendor of enduring light。
The moon drifts dimly in the heaven's height；
Watching with wonder how the earth she knew
That lay so long wrapped deep in dark and dew；
Should wear upon her breast a star so white。
The festivals of Babylon were dark
With flaring flambeaux that the wind blew down；
The Saturnalia were a wild boy's lark
With rain…quenched torches dripping thru the town
But you have found a god and filched from him
A fire that neither wind nor rain can dim。
SEA LONGING
A THOUSAND miles beyond this sun…steeped wall
Somewhere the waves creep cool along the sand；
The ebbing tide forsakes the listless land
With the old murmur； long and musical；
The windy waves mount up and curve and fall；
And round the rocks the foam blows up like snow；
Tho' I am inland far； I hear and know；
For I was born the sea's eternal thrall。
I would that I were there and over me
The cold insistence of the tide would roll；
Quenching this burning thing men call the soul；
Then with the ebbing I should drift and be
Less than the smallest shell along the shoal；
Less than the sea…gulls calling to the sea。
THE RIVER
I CAME from the sunny valleys
And sought for the open sea；
For I thought in its gray expanses
My peace would come to me。
I came at last to the ocean
And found it wild and black；
And I cried to the windless valleys；
〃Be kind and take me back！〃
But the thirsty tide ran inland；
And the salt waves drank of me；
And I who was fresh as the rainfall
Am bitter as the sea。
LEAVES
ONE by one； like leaves from a tree；
All my faiths have forsaken me；
But the stars above my head
Burn in white and delicate red；
And beneath my feet the earth
Brings the sturdy grass to birth。
I who was content to be
But a silken…singing tree；
But a rustle of delight
In the wistful heart of night
I have lost the leaves that knew
Touch of rain and weight of dew。
Blinded by a leafy crown
I looked neither up nor down
But the little leaves that die
Have left me room to see the sky；
Now for the first time I know
Stars above and earth below。
THE ANSWER
WHEN I go back to earth
And all my joyous body
Puts off the red and white
That once had been so proud；
If men should pass above
With false and feeble pity；
My dust will find a voice
To answer them aloud：
〃Be still； I am content；
Take back your poor compassion；
Joy was a flame in me
Too steady to destroy；
Lithe as a bending reed
Loving the storm that sways her
I found more joy in sorrow
Than you could find in joy。〃
III
OVER THE ROOFS
I
OH chimes set high on the sunny tower
Ring on； ring on unendingly；
Make all the hours a single hour；
For when the dusk begins to flower；
The man I love will come to me！ 。 。 。
But no； go slowly as you will；
I should not bid you hasten so；
For while I wait for love to come；
Some other girl is standing dumb；
Fearing her love will go。
II
Oh white steam over the roofs； blow high！
Oh chimes in the tower ring clear and free ！
Oh sun awake in the covered sky；
For the man I love； loves me I 。 。 。
RIVERS TO THE SEA
Oh drifting steam disperse and die；
Oh tower stand shrouded toward the south；
Fate heard afar my happy cry；
And laid her finger on my mouth。
III
The dusk was blue with blowing mist；
The lights were spangles in a veil；
And from the clamor far below
Floated faint music like a wail。
It voiced what I shall never speak；
My heart was breaking all night long；
But when the dawn was hard and gray；
My tears distilled into a song。
IV
I said； 〃I have shut my heart
As one shuts an open door；
That Love may starve therein
And trouble me no more。〃
RIVERS TO THE SEA
But over the roofs there came
The wet new wind of May；
And a tune blew up from the curb
Where the street…pianos play。
My room was white with the sun
And Love cried out in me；
〃I am strong； I will break your heart
Unless you set me free。〃
A CRY
OH； there are eyes that he can see；
And hands to make his hands rejoice；
But to my lover I must be
Only a voice。
Oh； there are breasts to bear his head；
And lips whereon his lips can lie；
But I must be till I am dead
Only a cry。
CHANCE
How many times we must have met
Here on the street as strangers do；
Children of chance we were； who passed
The door of heaven and never knew。
IMMORTAL
So soon my body will have gone
Beyond the sound and sight of men；
And tho' it wakes and suffers now；
Its sleep will be unbroken then；
But oh； my frail immortal soul
That will not sleep forevermore；
A leaf borne onward by the blast；
A wave that never finds the shore。
AFTER DEATH
Now while my lips are living
Their words must stay unsaid；
And will my soul remember
To speak when I am dead？
Yet if my soul remembered
You would not heed it； dear；
For now you must not listen；
And then you could not hear。
TESTAMENT
I SAID； 〃I will take my life
And throw it away；
I who was fire and song
Will turn to clay。〃
〃I will lie no more in the night
With shaken breath；
I will toss my heart in the air
To be caught by Death。〃
But out of the night I heard；
Like the inland sound of the sea；
The hushed and terrible sob
Of all humanity。
Then I said； 〃Oh who am I
To scorn God to his face？
I will bow my head and stay
And suffer with my race。〃
GIFTS
I GAVE my first love laughter；
I gave my second tears；
I gave my third love silence
Thru all the years。
My first love gave me singing；
My second eyes to see；
But oh； it was my third love
Who gave my soul to me。
IV
FROM THE SEA
ALL beauty calls you to me； and you seem；
Past twice a thousand miles of shifting sea；
To reach me。 You are as the wind I breathe
Here on the ship's sun…smitten topmost deck；
With only light between the heavens and me。
I feel your spirit and I close my eyes；
Knowing the bright hair blowing in the sun；
The eager whisper and the searching eyes。
* * * * * *
Listen； I love you。 Do not turn your face
Nor touch me。 Only stand and watch awhile
The blue unbroken circle of the sea。
Look far away and let me ease my heart
Of words that beat in it with broken wing。
Look far away； and if I say too much；
Forget that I am speaking。 Only watch；
How like a gull that sparkling sinks to rest；
RIVERS TO THE SEA
The foam…crest drifts along a happy wave
Toward the bright verge； the boundary of the world。
* * * * * *
I am so wea
