endymion- a poetic romance-第13节
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Is of all these the gentlier… mightiest。
When thy gold breath is misting in the west；
She unobserved steals unto her throne；
And there she sits most meek and most alone；
As if she had not pomp subservient；
As if thine eye； high Poet！ was not bent
Towards her with the Muses in thine heart；
As if the ministring stars kept not apart；
Waiting for silver…footed messages。
O Moon！ the oldest shades 'mong oldest trees
Feel palpitations when thou lookest in：
O Moon！ old boughs lisp forth a holier din
The while they feel thine airy fellowship。
Thou dost bless every where； with silver lip
Kissing dead things to life。 The sleeping kine；
Couch'd in thy brightness； dream of fields divine：
Innumerable mountains rise； and rise；
Ambitious for the hallowing of thine eyes；
And yet thy benediction passeth not
One obscure hiding…place； one little spot
Where pleasure may be sent： the nested wren
Has thy fair face within its tranquil ken；
And from beneath a sheltering ivy leaf
Takes glimpses of thee； thou art a relief
To the poor patient oyster； where it sleeps
Within its pearly house。… The mighty deeps；
The monstrous sea is thine… the myriad sea！
O Moon！ far…spooming Ocean bows to thee；
And Tellus feels his forehead's cumbrous load。
Cynthia！ where art thou now？ What far abode
Of green or silvery bower doth enshrine
Such utmost beauty？ Alas； thou dost pine
For one as sorrowful： thy cheek is pale
For one whose cheek is pale： thou dost bewail
His tears； who weeps for thee。 Where dost thou sigh？
Ah！ surely that light peeps from Vesper's eye；
Or what a thing is love！ 'Tis She； but lo！
How chang'd； how full of ache； how gone in woe！
She dies at the thinnest cloud； her loveliness
Is wan on Neptune's blue： yet there's a stress
Of love…spangles； just off yon cape of trees；
Dancing upon the waves； as if to please
The curly foam with amorous influence。
O； not so idle： for down…glancing thence
She fathoms eddies； and runs wild about
O'erwhelming water…courses； scaring out
The thorny sharks from hiding…holes； and fright'ning
Their savage eyes with unaccustom'd lightning。
Where will the splendour be content to reach？
O love！ how potent hast thou been to teach
Strange journeyings！ Wherever beauty dwells；
In gulph or aerie； mountains or deep dells；
In light； in gloom； in star or blazing sun；
Thou pointest out the way； and straight 'tis won。
Amid his toil thou gav'st Leander breath；
Thou leddest Orpheus through the gleams of death；
Thou madest Pluto bear thin element；
And now； O winged Chieftain！ thou hast sent
A moon…beam to the deep； deep water…world；
To find Endymion。
On gold sand impearl'd
With lilly shells； and pebbles milky white；
Poor Cynthia greeted him； and sooth'd her light
Against his pallid face： he felt the charm
To breathlessness； and suddenly a warm
Of his heart's blood： 'twas very sweet； he stay'd
His wandering steps； and half…entranced laid
His head upon a tuft of straggling weeds；
To taste the gentle moon； and freshening beads；
Lash'd from the crystal roof by fishes' tails。
And so he kept； until the rosy veils
Mantling the east； by Aurora's peering hand
Were lifted from the water's breast； and fann'd
Into sweet air； and sober'd morning came
Meekly through billows：… when like taper…flame
Left sudden by a dallying breath of air；
He rose in silence； and once more 'gan fare
Along his fated way。
Far had he roam'd；
With nothing save the hollow vast； that foam'd；
Above； around； and at his feet； save things
More dead than Morpheus' imaginings：
Old rusted anchors； helmets； breast…plates large
Of gone sea…warriors； brazen beaks and targe；
Rudders that for a hundred years had lost
The sway of human hand； gold vase emboss'd
With long…forgotten story； and wherein
No reveller had ever dipp'd a chin
But those of Saturn's vintage； mouldering scrolls；
Writ in the tongue of heaven； by those souls
Who first were on the earth； and sculptures rude
In ponderous stone； developing the mood
Of ancient Nox；… then skeletons of man；
Of beast； behemoth； and leviathan；
And elephant； and eagle； and huge jaw
Of nameless monster。 A cold leaden awe
These secrets struck into him； and unless
Dian had chaced away that heaviness；
He might have died： but now； with cheered feel；
He onward kept； wooing these thoughts to steal
About the labyrinth in his soul of love。
〃What is there in thee； Moon！ that thou shouldst move
My heart so potently？ When yet a child
I oft have dried my tears when thou hast smil'd。
Thou seem'dst my sister： hand in hand we went
From eve to morn across the firmament。
No apples would I gather from the tree；
Till thou hadst cool'd their cheeks deliciously：
No tumbling water ever spake romance；
But when my eyes with thine thereon could dance：
No woods were green enough； no bower divine；
Until thou liftedst up thine eyelids fine：
In sowing time ne'er would I dibble take；
Or drop a seed； till thou wast wide awake；
And； in the summer tide of blossoming；
No one but thee hath heard me blithly sing
And mesh my dewy flowers all the night。
No melody was like a passing spright
If it went not to solemnize thy reign。
Yes； in my boyhood； every joy and pain
By thee were fashion'd to the self…same end；
And as I grew in years； still didst thou blend
With all my ardours： thou wast the deep glen；
Thou wast the mountain…top… the sage's pen…
The poet's harp… the voice of friends… the sun；
Thou wast the river… thou wast glory won；
Thou wast my clarion's blast… thou wast my steed…
My goblet full of wine… my topmost deed：…
Thou wast the charm of women； lovely Moon！
O what a wild and harmonized tune
My spirit struck from all the beautiful！
On some bright essence could I lean； and lull
Myself to immortality： I prest
Nature's soft pillow in a wakeful rest。
But； gentle Orb！ there came a nearer bliss…
My strange love came… Felicity's abyss！
She came； and thou didst fade； and fade away…
Yet not entirely； no； thy starry sway
Has been an under…passion to this hour。
Now I begin to feel thine orby power
Is coming fresh upon me： O be kind；
Keep back thine influence； and do not blind
My sovereign vision。… Dearest love； forgive
That I can think away from thee and live！…
Pardon me； airy planet； that I prize
One thought beyond thine argent luxuries！
How far beyond！〃 At this a surpris'd start
Frosted the springing verdure of his heart；
For as he lifted up his eyes to swear
How his own goddess was past all things fair；
He saw far in the concave green of the sea
An old man sitting calm and peacefully。
Upon a weeded rock this old man sat；
And his white hair was awful； and a mat
Of weeds were cold beneath his cold thin feet；
And； ample as the largest winding…sheet；
A cloak of blue wrapp'd up his aged bones；
O'erwrought with symbols by the deepest groans
Of ambitious magic： every ocean…form
Was woven in with black distinctness； storm；
And calm； and whispering； and hideous roar；
Quicksand； and whirlpool； and deserted shore；
Were emblem'd in the woof； with every shape
That skims； or dives； or sleeps； 'twixt cape and cape。
The gulphing whale was like a dot in the spell；
Yet look upon it； and 'twould size and swell
To its huge self； and the minutest fish
Would pass the very hardest gazer's wish；
And show his little eye's anatomy。
Then there was pictur'd the regality
Of Neptune； and the sea nymphs round his state；
In beauteous vassalage； look up and wait。
Beside this old man lay a pearly wand；
And in his lap a book； the which he conn'd
So stedfastly； that the new denizen
Had time to keep him in amazed ken；
To mark these shadowings； a
