anthology of massachusetts poets-第2节
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Where then was happiness
Is now distress；
The laughter stilled；
For when she left
Youth followed her…
We stay bereft。
So all our golden joy
For what she brings
Must carry gray alloy：
The sorrow that she can not lay；
The mysery that she can not stay…
While all the gladsome songs she sings
Must bear for undertones
Old sighs and echoed moans。
As they who go away
In flush of youth
May come quite worn and gray
And bringing naught but ruth…
So； when the strife shall cease；
And when she comes at last；
When all the armies vast
Shall at her feet
Kneel down to greet
Thrice welcome Peace；
This world will be so changed
（So many dear ones dead；
So many friends estranged；
So many blessings fled；
So many wonted ways forever barred；
So many coming days forever marred）
That then
She truly comes not back again
She； the Peace we knew。
Yet how we long for her！
How ardently we yearn
For her return！
SYLVESTER BAXTER
TWO MOODS FROM THE HILL
I。
YOUTH
I LOVE to watch the world from here； for all
The numberless living portraits that are drawn
Upon the mind。 Far over is the sea；
Fronting the sand； a few great yellow dunes；
A salt marsh stumbling after； rank and green；
With brackish gullies wandering in between；
All this from the hill。
And more： a clump of dwarfed and twisted cedars；
Sentinels over the marsh； and bright with the sun
A field of daises wandering in the wind
As though a hidden serpent glided through；
A broken wall； a new…plowed field； and then
The dusty road and the abodes of men
Surrounding the hill。
How small the enclosure is wherein there lives
Each phase and passion of life； the distant sail
Dips in the limpid bosom of the sea；
》From that far place to where in state the turf
Raises a throne for me upon the hill；
Each little love and lust of a living thing
Can thus be compassed in a rainbow ring
And seen from the hill。
II。
AGE
Why did I build my cottage on a hill
Facing the sea？
Why did I plan each terraced lawn to slope
Down to the deep blue billowy breast of hope；
Surging and sweeping；
laughing and leaping；
Tumbling its garments of foam upon the shore；
Rustling the sands that know my step no more；
I should have found a valley； deep and still；
To shelter me。
There flows the river； and it seems asleep
So far away；
Yet I remember whip of wave and roar
Of wind that rose and smote against the oar；
Smote and retreated；
Proud but defeated；
While I rejoiced and rowed into the brine；
Drawing on wet and heavy …straining line
The great cod quivering from the deep
As counterplay。
What is the solace of these hills and vales
That rise and fall？
What is there glorious in the greenwood glen；
Or twittering thrush or wing of darting wren？
Give me the gusty；
Raucous and rusty
Call of the sea gull in the echoing sky；
The wild shriek of the winds that cannot die；
Give me the life that follows the bending sails；
Or none at all！
ERNEST BENSHIMOL
A BANQUET
ONE MEMORY FROM SOCRATES
AFTER the song the love； and after the love the play；
Flute girl and pretty boy blowing
Bubbles of sparkling
Wine into darkling
Beards of a former austerity； stern even now； but
Fast growing
Foolish； with less of a stately
Reserve that held them sedately。
Oh Zeus； what a sight！ With the wine dripping off it；
The grin of an ass on a bald…pated prophet。
After the feast the night； and after the night the day；
Fool and philosopher stirring
With the day dawning；
Stretching and yawning；
While in each wine…throbbing； desolated brain is the
Wheeling and whirring
Of thousands of bats； that the slaking
Of throats will not hinder from aching；
No wine for the brow that is beating to bursting；
But water at morning is quench for the thirsting！
ERNEST BENSHIMOL
SONG
OUT of one heart the birds and I together；
Earth hushed in twilight；
Low through the live…oaks hung heavy with silver；
Gemmed with the sky…light；
Under the great wet star
Shaking with light； we jar
Lute…voiced the silence with intervaled music。
While under the margined world the slow sun
lingers；
Flaming earth's portal；
Over the lilac dusk spreads his great fingers…
Earth is immortal！
While the frail beauty dies。
Dream in the dreamer's eyes；
All the good gladness turns praise for the singers。
Hark； 'tis the breath of life！ Hush！ and I need it；
Northern； gigantic；…
Questing the silences； herding the sudden foam
Down the Atlantic；
Leaves from the autumn's store
Shrill at my desert door；
They and I out of one heart that is grieving。
GEORGE CABOT LODGE
THE WORLDS
I SAW an idler on a summer day
Piping with Iris by a dancing brook；
And all his world was rife with Pleasures gay；
And languid Follies smiled from every nook。
I saw an artist in a world of dreams；
His rainbow rising from his radiant task；
To throw its magic prism beams
O'er Fancy's changeful masque and counter…
masque。
I saw Toilstooping underneath a world
Whereon his foster…brothers lighter tread；
His skyward pinions ever closer furled
Before the grim necessity of bread！
I saw a sinner working hard to be
Worthy his death…wage from the mint of time；
I saw a sailor； unto whom the sea
Was hearth and hope and love and wedding…
chime。
I saw a mother living in her child
I saw a saint among his fellow men
Brave soldiery before my eyes defiled
And solemn…hearted scholarsSudden then
I cried： 〃The stars are no less neighborly
In their ethereal remoteness swung；
Than these near human orbits wherein we
Live out our lives and speak our chosen tongue！
〃Love seek through allless there be one
Least soul unlit within the night
And over all； the selfsame sun
Give each creation light！〃
MARTHA GILBERT DICKINSON BIANCHI
THE RIOT
YOU may think my life is quiet。
I find it full of change；
An ever…varied diet；
As piquant as 'tis strange。
Wild thoughts are always flying；
Like sparks across my brain；
Now flashing out； now dying；
To kindle soon again。
Fine fancies set me thrilling；
And subtle monsters creep
Before my sight unwilling：
They even haunt my sleep。
One broad； perpetual riot
Enfolds me night and day。
You think my life is quiet？
You don't know what you say。
GAMALIEL BRADFORD
HUNGER
I'VE been a hopeless sinner； but I understand a
saint；
Their bend of weary knees and their con…
tortions long and faint；
And the endless pricks of conscience； like a hundred
thousand pins；
A real perpetual penance for imaginary sins。
I love to wander widely； but I understand a cell；
Where you tell and tell your beads because you've
nothing else to tell；
Where the crimson joy of flesh； with all its wild
fantastic tricks；
Is forgotten in the blinding glory of the crucifix。
I cannot speak for others； but my inmost soul is
torn
With a battle of desires making all my life forlorn。
There are moments when I would untread the paths
that I have trod。
I'm a haunter of the devil； but I hunger after God。
GAMALIEL BRADFORD
EXIT GOD
Of old our father's God was real；
Something they almost saw；
Which kept them to a stern ideal
And scourged them into awe。
They walked the narrow path of right
Most vigilantly well；
Because they feared eternal night
And boiling depths of Hell。
Now Hell has wholly boiled away
And God become a shade。
There is no place for him to stay
In all the world He made。
The followers of William James
Still let the Lord exist；
And call Him by imposing names；
A venerable list。
But nerve and muscle only count；
Gray matter of the brain；
And an astonishing amount
Of inconvenient pain。
I sometimes wish that God were back
In this dark world and wide；
For though sonic virtues He might lack；
He had his pleasant side。
GAMALIEL BRADFORD
ROUSSEAU
THAT odd； fantastic ass； Rousseau；
Declared himself unique。
How men persist in doing so；
Puzzles me more than Greek。
The sins that tarnish whore and thief
Beset me every day。
My most ethereal belief
Inhabits common clay。
GAMALIEL BRADFORD
JOHN MASEFIELD
I
MASEFIELD （HIMSELF）
GOD said； and frowned； as He looked on
Shropshire clay：
〃Alone； 'twont do； composite； would I make
This man…child rare； 'twere well； methinks； to take
A handful from the Stratford tomb； and weigh
A few of Shelley's ashes； Bunyan may
Contribute； too； and； for my sweet Son's sake；
I'll visit Avalon； then； let me slake
The whole with Wyclif…water from the Bay。
A sailor； he！ Too godly； though； I fear；
Offset it with tobacco！ Next； I'll find
Hedge…roses； star…dust； and a va
