r. f. murray-his poems with a memoir-第9节
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As I often saw you do; when I watched you going by
On the stormy days to College; from my window up on high。
I wander on the Lade Braes; where I used to walk with you;
And purple are the woods of Mount Melville; budding new;
But I cannot bear to look; for the tears keep coming so;
And the Spring has lost the freshness which it had a year ago。
Yet often I could fancy; where the pathway takes a turn;
I shall see you in a moment; coming round beside the burn;
Coming round beside the burn; with your swinging step and free;
And your face lit up with pleasure at the sudden sight of me。
Beyond the Rock and Spindle; where we watched the water clear
In the happy April sunshine; with a happy sound to hear;
There I sat this afternoon; but no hand was holding mine;
And the water sounded eerie; though the April sun did shine。
Oh; why should I complain of what I know was bound to be?
For you had your way to make; and you must not think of me。
But a woman's heart is weak; and a woman's joys are few …
There are times when I could die for a moment's sight of you。
It may be you will come again; before my hair is grey
As the sea is in the twilight of a weary winter's day。
When success is grown a burden; and your heart would fain be free;
Come back to St。 AndrewsSt。 Andrews and me。
THE SOLITARY
I have been lonely all my days on earth;
Living a life within my secret soul;
With mine own springs of sorrow and of mirth;
Beyond the world's control。
Though sometimes with vain longing I have sought
To walk the paths where other mortals tread;
To wear the clothes for other mortals wrought;
And eat the selfsame bread …
Yet have I ever found; when thus I strove
To mould my life upon the common plan;
That I was furthest from all truth and love;
And least a living man。
Truth frowned upon my poor hypocrisy;
Life left my soul; and dwelt but in my sense;
No man could love me; for all men could see
The hollow vain pretence。
Their clothes sat on me with outlandish air;
Upon their easy road I tripped and fell;
And still I sickened of the wholesome fare
On which they nourished well。
I was a stranger in that company;
A Galilean whom his speech bewrayed;
And when they lifted up their songs of glee;
My voice sad discord made。
Peace for mine own self I could never find;
And still my presence marred the general peace;
And when I parted; leaving them behind;
They felt; and I; release。
So will I follow now my spirit's bent;
Not scorning those who walk the beaten track;
Yet not despising mine own banishment;
Nor often looking back。
Their way is best for them; but mine for me。
And there is comfort for my lonely heart;
To think perhaps our journeys' ends may be
Not very far apart。
TO ALFRED TENNYSON1883
Familiar with thy melody;
We go debating of its power;
As churls; who hear it hour by hour;
Contemn the skylark's minstrelsy …
As shepherds on a Highland lea
Think lightly of the heather flower
Which makes the moorland's purple dower;
As far away as eye can see。
Let churl or shepherd change his sky;
And labour in the city dark;
Where there is neither air nor room …
How often will the exile sigh
To hear again the unwearied lark;
And see the heather's lavish bloom!
ICHABOD
Gone is the glory from the hills;
The autumn sunshine from the mere;
Which mourns for the declining year
In all her tributary rills。
A sense of change obscurely chills
The misty twilight atmosphere;
In which familiar things appear
Like alien ghosts; foreboding ills。
The twilight hour a month ago
Was full of pleasant warmth and ease;
The pearl of all the twenty…four。
Erelong the winter gales shall blow;
Erelong the winter frosts shall freeze …
And oh; that it were June once more!
AT A HIGH CEREMONY
Not the proudest damsel here
Looks so well as doth my dear。
All the borrowed light of dress
Outshining not her loveliness;
A loveliness not born of art;
But growing outwards from her heart;
Illuminating all her face;
And filling all her form with grace。
Said I; of dress the borrowed light
Could rival not her beauty bright?
Yet; looking round; ‘tis truth to tell;
No damsel here is dressed so well。
Only in them the dress one sees;
Because more greatly it doth please
Than any other charm that's theirs;
Than all their manners; all their airs。
But dress in her; although indeed
It perfect be; we do not heed;
Because the face; the form; the air
Are all so gentle and so rare。
THE WASTED DAY
Another day let slip! Its hours have run;
Its golden hours; with prodigal excess;
All run to waste。 A day of life the less;
Of many wasted days; alas; but one!
Through my west window streams the setting sun。
I kneel within my chamber; and confess
My sin and sorrow; filled with vain distress;
In place of honest joy for work well done。
At noon I passed some labourers in a field。
The sweat ran down upon each sunburnt face;
Which shone like copper in the ardent glow。
And one looked up; with envy unconcealed;
Beholding my cool cheeks and listless pace;
Yet he was happier; though he did not know。
INDOLENCE
Fain would I shake thee off; but weak am I
Thy strong solicitations to withstand。
Plenty of work lies ready to my hand;
Which rests irresolute; and lets it lie。
How can I work; when that seductive sky
Smiles through the window; beautiful and bland;
And seems to half entreat and half command
My presence out of doors beneath its eye?
Will not the air be fresh; the water blue;
The smell of beanfields; blowing to the shore;
Better than these poor drooping purchased flowers?
Good…bye; dull books! Hot room; good…bye to you!
And think it strange if I return before
The sea grows purple in the evening hours。
DAWN SONG
I hear a twittering of birds;
And now they burst in song。
How sweet; although it wants the words!
It shall not want them long;
For I will set some to the note
Which bubbles from the thrush's throat。
O jewelled night; that reign'st on high;
Where is thy crescent moon?
Thy stars have faded from the sky;
The sun is coming soon。
The summer night is passed away;
Sing welcome to the summer day。
CAIRNSMILL DENTUNE: ‘A ROVING'
As I; with hopeless love o'erthrown;
With love o'erthrown; with love o'erthrown;
And this is truth I tell;
As I; with hopeless love o'erthrown;
Was sadly walking all alone;
I met my love one morning
In Cairnsmill Den。
One morning; one morning;
One blue and blowy morning;
I met my love one morning
In Cairnsmill Den。
A dead bough broke within the wood
Within the wood; within the wood;
And this is truth I tell。
A dead bough broke within the wood;
And I looked up; and there she stood。
I asked what was it brought her there;
What brought her there; what brought her there;
And this is truth I tell。
I asked what was it brought her there。
Says she; ‘To pull the primrose fair。'
Says I; ‘Come; let me pull with you;
Along with you; along with you;'
And this is truth I tell。
Says I; ‘Come let me pull with you;
For one is not so good as two。'
But when at noon we climbed the hill;
We climbed the hill; we climbed the hill;
And this is truth I tell。
But when at noon we climbed the hill;
Her hands and mine were empty still。
And when we reached the top so high;
The top so high; the top so high;
And this is truth I tell。
And when we reached the top so high
Says I; ‘I'll kiss you; if I die!'
I kissed my love in Cairnsmill Den;
In Cairnsmill Den; in Cairnsmill Den;
And this is truth I tell。
I kissed my love in Cairnsmill Den;
And my love kissed me back again。
I met my love one morning
In Cairnsmill Den。
One morning; one morning;
One blue and blowy morning;
I met my love one morning
In Cairnsmill Den。
A LOST OPPORTUNITY
One dark; dark nightit was long ago;
The air was heavy and still and warm …
It fell to me and a man I know;
To see two girls to their father's farm。
There was little seeing; that I recall:
We seemed to grope in a cave profound。
They might have come by a painful fall;
Had we not helped them over the ground。
The girls were sisters。 Both were fair;
But mine was the fairer (so I say)。
The dark soon severed us; pair from pair;
And not long after we lost our way。
We wandered over the country…side;
And we frightened most of the sheep about;
And I do not think that we greatly tried;
Having lost our way; to find it out。
The night being fine; it was not worth while。
We strayed through furrow and corn and grass
We met with many a fence