anthology of massachusetts poets-第9节
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So thick； she cannot see her lover hiding；
But she guesses he is near；
And the sliding of the water
Seems the stroking of a dear
Hand upon her。
What is Summer in a fine brocaded gown！
I should like to see it lying in a heap upon the
ground。
All the pink and silver crumpled up upon the ground。
I would be the pink and silver as I ran along the paths；
And he would stumble after；
Bewildered by my laughter。
I should see the sun flashing from his sword hilt
and the buckles on his shoes。
I would choose
To lead him in a maze along the patterned paths；
A bright and laughing maze for my heavy…booted
lover；
Till he caught me in the shade；
And the buttons of his waistcoat bruised my body
as he clasped me；
Aching； melting； unafraid。
With the shadows of the leaves and the sundrops；
And the plopping of the waterdrops；
All about us in the open afternoon…
I am very like to swoon
With the weight of this brocade；
For the sun sifts through the shade。
Underneath the fallen blossom
In my bosom；
Is a letter I have hid。
It was brought to me this morning by a rider from
the Duke。
〃Madam； we regret to inform you that Lord Hart…
well
Died in action Thursday sen'night。〃
As I read it in the white morning sunlight。
The letters squirmed like snakes。
〃Any answer； Madam；〃 said my footman。
〃No；〃 I told him。
〃See that the messenger takes some refreshment。
No； no answer。〃
And I walked into the garden；
Up and down the patterned paths；
In my stiff； correct brocade。
The blue and yellow flowers stood up proudly in
the sun；
Each one。
I stood upright too；
Held rigid to the pattern
By the stiffness of my gown。
Up and down I walked；
Up and down。
In a month be would have been my husband；
In a month； here； underneath this lime；
We would have broke the pattern；
He for me； and I for him；
He as Colonel； I as lady；
On this shady seat。
He had a whim
That sunlight carried blessing。
And I answered； 〃It shall be as you have said。〃
Now he is dead。
In Summer and in Winter I shall walk
Up and down
The patterned garden paths
In my stiff； brocaded gown。
The squills and the daffodils
Will give place to pillared roses； and to asters；
and to snow。
I shall go
Up and down；
In my gown。
Gorgeously arrayed；
Boned and stayed。
And the softness of my body will be guarded from
embrace
By each button； hook and lace。
For the man who should loose me is dead；
Fighting with the Duke in Flanders；
In a pattern called a war。
Christ！ What are patterns for？
AMY LOWELL
A BATHER
THICK dappled by circles of sunshine and
fluttering shade。
Your bright； naked body advances； blown over by
leaves；
Half…quenched in their various green； just a point
Of you showing；
A knee or a thigh； sudden glimpsed； then at once
Blotted into
The filmy and flickering forest； to start out again
Triumphant in smooth； supple roundness； edged
Sharp as white ivory；
Cool； perfect； with rose rarely tinting your lips and
Your breasts；
Swelling out from the green in the opulent curves
Of ripe fruit；
And hidden； like fruit； by the swift intermittence
Of leaves。
So； clinging to branches and moss； you advance on the ledges
Of rock which hang over the stream； with the
wood…smells about you；
The pungence of strawberry plants and of gum…
oozing spruces；
While below runs the water impatient； impatient…
to take you；
To splash you； to run down your sides； to sing you
of deepness；
Of pools brown and golden； with brown…and…gold
flags on their borders；
Of blue； lingering skies floating solemnly over your
beauty；
Of undulant waters a…sway in the effort to hold you
To keep you submerged and quiescent while over
you glories
The summer。
Oread； Dryad； or Naiad； or just
Woman； clad only in youth and in gallant perfection；
Standing up in a great burst of sunshine； you
dazzle my eyes
Like a snow…star； a moon； your effulgence burns up
in a halo；
For you are the chalice which holds all the races of
men。
You slip into the pool and the water folds over your
shoulder；
And over the tree…tops the clouds slowly follow
your swimming； To behold the way they act。
And the scent of the woods is sweet on this hot
summer morning。
AMY LOWELL
LEPRECHAUNS AND CLURICAUNS
OVER where the Irish hedges
Are with blossoms white as snow；
Over where the limestone ledges
Through the soft green grasses show…
There the fairies may be seen
In their jackets of red and green；
Leprechauns and cluricauns；
And the other ones； I ween。
And； bedad； it is a wonder
To behold the way they act。
They're the lads that seldom blunder；
Wise and wary； that's the fact。
You may hold them with your eye；
Look away and off they fly；
Leprechauns and cluricauns；
Bedad； but they are sly！
They have heaps of golden treasure
Hid away within the ground；
Where they spend their days in leisure；
And where fairy joys abound；
But to mortals not a guinea
Will they give…no； not a penny。
Leprechauns and cluricauns；
Their gold is seldom found。
Maybe of a morning early
As you pass a lonely rath；
You may see a little curly…
Headed fairy in your path。
He'll be working at a shoe；
But he'll have his eye on you…
Leprechauns and cluricauns；
They know just what to do。
Visions of a life of riches
Surely will before you flash；
（You'll no longer dig the ditches；
You'll be well supplied with cash。）
And you'll seize the little man；
And you'll hold himif you can；
Leprechauns and cluricauns；
'Tis they're the slipp'ry clan！
DENIS A。 MCCARTHY
L'ENVOI
WHEN the time for parting comes； and the
day is on the wane；
And the silent evening darkens over hill and over
plain；
And earth holds no more sorrow； no more grief；
and no more pain；
Shall we weary for the battle and the strife？
When at last the trail is ending； and the stars are
growing near；
And we breathe the breath of conquest； and the
voices that we hear
Are the great companions' voices that have hallowed
year on year；
Shall we know an instant's grieving as we pass？
Shall we pause a fleeting moment ere we grasp
the eager hands；
Take one last long look of wonder at the dimming
of the lands；
Love the earth one glowing moment ere we pass from
its demands；
Cull all beauty in its essence as we gaze？
Or with not one backward longing shall we leap the
last abyss；
Scale the highest crags glad…hearted； fearful only
lest the bliss
Of an earth…remembering instant should delay the
great sun's kiss…
Consuming us within the flame？
DOROTHEA LAWRENCE MANN
TO IMAGINATION
SUGGESTED BY MAXFIELD PARRISH'S 〃AIR CASTLES〃
O BEAUTEOUS boy a…dream； what visions
sought
Of pictures magical thy eyes unfold；
What triumphs of celestial wonders wrought；
What marvels from a breath of beauty rolled！
Skyward and seaward on the clouds are scrolled；
A mystic imagery of castled thought；
A thousand worlds to lose；or win and mould
A radiant iridescence swiftly caught
Of ever…changing glory； fancy…fraught。
Blue wonder of the sea and luminous sky；
A thousand wonders in thy dreamlit face；
Eyes that behold afar the turrets high
Of Ilium； and the transient mortal grace
Of Deirdre's sadness； all the conquering race
Of Athens； eyes that saw Eden's beauty lie
In passionate adorationvisions trace
Across the tender brooding of the sigh
That wrecked a city and made chieftains die。
Forward not backward turns the mystic shine
Of those far…seeing orbs that track the gleam…
The fleecy marvel of the cloud is line
On line the wizard tracery of a dream。
O lad； who buildest not of things that seem；
Beyond what bounds of visioning divine
Came that far smile； from what long…strayed sun…
beam
Caught thou the radiance； from what fostering vine
The power to build and mould the deep design？
Knowest thou the secret that thy brush would tell；
Is all the dream a bubbled splendor white；
Beyond those castles cloud…bound； does there dwell
The eternal silence of the darkor light？
Will thy hand hold the pen which shall indict
The symboled mystery…write the final knell
Of rainbow fancy…is the distant sight
A nothingless encircled by a spell
Of gleaming bubbles wrought of beauty's shell？
In vain to question； where the mystery
Of Youth's short golden dream is lord and king。
The eyes that farthest gaze in ecstasy；
Were never meant to paint the immortal thing
They see； nor understand the joy they bring。
The misty baubles of the sky and sea
Sail on。 Dream still； bright…visioned boy； and fling
The glittering mantle of thy thoughts that flee；
Weaving us evermore thy shining pageantry。
DORTHEA LAWRENCE MANN
DRAGON
SOME saw a dragon eating up the light；
Oho！ Oho！
