anthology of massachusetts poets-第3节
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A sailor； he！ Too godly； though； I fear；
Offset it with tobacco！ Next； I'll find
Hedge…roses； star…dust； and a vagrant's mind；
His mother's heart now let me breathe upon；
When west winds blow； I'll whisper in her ear：
〃Apocalypse awaits him； call him John！〃
II
HIS PORTRAIT
A Man of Sorrows！ with such haunted eyes；
I trow； the Master looked across the lake；
Looked from the Judas…heart； so soon to make
Of Him the world's historic sacrifice；
Moreover； as I gaze； do more arise；
Great souls； great pallid ghosts of pain； who wake
And wander yet； all； weary men who brake
Their hearts； all hemlock…drunk； with growing
wise：
Hudson adrift； Defoe； the Wandering Jew；
Tannhauser； Faust； Andrea； phantoms； all；
In Masefield's eyes you lodge； and to the wall
I turn you；hand a…tremble；lest you make
Of mine own stricken eyes a mirror； too。
Wherein the sad world's sadder for your sake。
III
HIS 〃DAUBER〃
O Masefield's 〃Dauber！〃 You； who being dead；
Yet speak： heroic； dauntless； flaming soul；
Too suddenly snuffed out！ Here take fresh toll
Of cognizance； and； in your ocean bed；
Serenely rest； assured that who has read
What you would fain have pictured of the Pole
Would gladly match your part against the whole
Of many a modern artist； Paris…bred。
And more than this： if you； indeed； are his；
Then； by a dual truth； he； too； is yours；
For； marked and credited by what endures；
Were it the only thing； which bears his name；
（O deathless Soul； I speak you true in this！）
〃The Dauber〃 has brought Masefield to his fame。
IV
HIS 〃GALLIPOLI〃
〃Small wonder；〃 speaks my pensive self； 〃that he
Whose passion 'tis to sing of men who fail；
（Belabored； broken by The Unseen Flail）
Small wonder that be makes Gallipoli
His fervent text； for could there be
A costlier failure in Earth's shuddering tale？
Think of heroic Sulva's bloody swale；
Of Anzac's tortured thirst and agony！〃
But as I read； protesting voices cry： 〃Not we；
Not we； who fell among the daffodils；
Who conquered Death among those blistered hills；
And found our glory after mortal pain；
Not we； who failed and lost Gallipoli；
The sad； strange failure theirs who mourn in vain！〃
V
HIS MEAD
So； Masefield； have your royal words once more
Called forth the praise of men； where praise is due；
Your great elegiac； tragically true；
Must leave all Britain prouder than before；
And； in spite of all that breaking hearts deplore；
And all that anguished consciences must rue；
One arrowed gladness surely pierces through
》From London's centre to Canadian shore：
When England； sobbing； mourns Gallipoli；
When warm tears flow for Rupert Brooke
And all the splendid Youth her error took
As hostage from the fields of daffodils；
Let this a present； living solace be：
You are not sleeping in those cruel hills！
AMY BRIDGEMAN
1620…1920
BEFORE him rolls the dark； relentless ocean；
Behind him stretch the cold and barren sands；
Wrapt in the mantle of his deep devotion
The Pilgrim kneels； and clasps his lifted hands；
〃God of our fathers； who hast safely brought us
Through seas and sorrows； famine； fire； and
sword；
Who； in Thy mercies manifold hast taught us
To trust in Thee； our leader and our Lord；
〃God； who hast send Thy truth to shine before us；
A fiery pillar； beaconing on the sea；
God； who hast spread thy wings of mercy o'er us；
God； who hast set our children's children free；
〃Freedom Thy new…born nation here shall cherish；
Grant us Thy covenant； changing； sure：
Earth shall decay； the firmament shall perish；
Freedom and Truth； immortal shall endure。〃
Face to the Indian arrows。
Face to the Prussian guns；
》From then till now the Pilgrim's vow
Has held the Pilgrim's sons。
He braved the red man's ambush；
He loosed the black man's chain；
His spirit broke King George's yoke
And the battleships of Spain。
He crossed the seething ocean；
He dared the death…strewn track；
He charged in the hell of Saint Mihiel
And hurled the tyrant back。
For the voice of the lonely Pilgram
Who knelt upon the strand
A people hears three hundred years
In the conscience of the land。
Daughter of Truth and mother of Courage；
Conscience； all hail！
Heart of New England； strength of the Pilgrims；
Thou shalt prevail。
Look how the empires rise and fall！
Athens robed in her learning and beauty；
Rome in her royal lust for power…
Each has flourished for her little hour；
Risen and fallen and ceased to be。
What of her by the Western Sea；
Born and bred as the child of Duty；
Sternest of them all？
She it is and she alone
Who built on faith as her corner stone；
Of all the nations none but she
Knew that the truth shall make us free。
Daughter of Courage； mother of heros；
Freedom divine。
Light of New England； Star of the Pilgrim；
Still shalt thou shine。
Yet even as we in our pride rejoice；
Hark to the prophet's warning voice：
〃The Pilgrim's thrift is vanished
And the Pilgrim's faith is dead；
And the Pilgrim's God is banished；
And Mammon reigns in his stead；
And work is damned as an evil；
And men and women cry；
In their restless haste； 'Let us spend and waste；
And live； for to…morrow we die。'
〃And law is trampled under；
And the nations stand aghast；
As they hear the distant thunder
Of the storm that marches fast；
And we；whose ocean borders
Shut off the sound and the sight；
We will wait for marching orders；
The world has seen us fight；
We have earned our days of revel；
'On with the dance'！ we cry。
It is pain to think； we will eat and drink！
And live； for to…morrow we die。〃
〃We have laughed in the eyes of danger；
We have given our bravest and best；
We have succored the starving stranger；
Others shall heed the rest。'
And the revel never ceases；
And the nations hold their breath；
And our laughter peals； and the mad world reels；
To a carnival of death。
〃Slaves of sloth and the senses；
Clippers of Freedom's wings；
Come back to the Pilgrim's Army
And fight for the King of Kings；
Come back to the Pilgrim's conscience；
Be born in the nation's birth；
And strive again as simple men
For the freedom of the earth。
Freedom a free…born nation still shall cherish；
Be this our covenant； unchanging； sure：
Earth shall decay； the firmament shall perish；
Freedom and Truth immortal shall endure。〃
Land of our fathers； when the tempest rages；
When the wide earth is racked with war and crime；
Founded forever on the Rock of Ages；
Beaten in vain by surging seas of time；
Even as the shallop on the breakers riding；
Even as the Pilgrim kneeling on the shore；
Firm in thy faith and fortitude abiding；
Hold thou thy children free forever more。
And when we sail as Pilgrims' sons and daughters
The spirit's Mayflower into seas unknown；
Driving across the waste of wintry waters
The voyage every soul shall make alone；
The Pilgrim's faith； the Pilgrim's courage grant us；
Still shines the truth that for the Pilgrim shone。
We are his seed； nor life nor death shall daunt us。
The port is Freedom！ Pilgrim heart； sail on！
LE BARON RUSSELL BRIGGS
THE CROSS…CURRENT
THROUGH twelve stout generations
New England blood I boast；
The stubborn pastures bred them；
The grim； uncordial coast；
Sedate and proud old cities；
Loved well enough by me；
Then how should I be yearning
To scour the earth and sea。
Each of my Yankee forbears
Wed a New England mate：
They dwelt and did and died here；
Nor glimpsed a rosier fate。
My clan endured their kindred；
But foreigners they loathed；
And wandering folk； and minstrels；
And gypsies motley…clothed。
Then why do patches please me；
Fantastic； wild array？
Why have I vagrant fancies
For lads from far away。
My folk were godly Churchmen；
Or paced in Elders' weeds；
But all were grave and pious
And hated heathen creeds。
Then why are Thor and Wotan
To dread forces still？
Why does my heart go questing
For Pan beyond the hill？
My people clutched at freedom。
Though others' wills they chained；
But made the Law and kept it；
And Beauty； they restrained。
Then why am I a rebel
To laws of rule and square？
Why would I dream and dally；
Or； reckless； do and dare？
O righteous； solemn Grandsires；
O dames； correct and mild；
Who bred me of your virtues！
Whence comes this changing child？
The thirteenth generation；
Unlucky number this！
My grandma loved a Pirate；
And all my faults are his！
A gallant； ruffled rover；
With beauty…loving eye；
He swept Colonial waters
Of coarser； bloodier fry。
He waved his hat to danger；
At Law he shook his fist。
Ah； merrily he plundered；
He sang and fought and kissed！
Though none have found his treasure
