main street and other poems-第3节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Gave him His hand to kiss。
Unbar your heart this evening
And keep no stranger out；
Take from your soul's great portal
The barrier of doubt。
To humble folk and weary
Give hearty welcoming；
Your breast shall be to…morrow
The cradle of a King。
The Robe of Christ
（For Cecil Chesterton）
At the foot of the Cross on Calvary
Three soldiers sat and diced；
And one of them was the Devil
And he won the Robe of Christ。
When the Devil comes in his proper form
To the chamber where I dwell；
I know him and make the Sign of the Cross
Which drives him back to Hell。
And when he comes like a friendly man
And puts his hand in mine；
The fervour in his voice is not
From love or joy or wine。
And when he comes like a woman；
With lovely； smiling eyes；
Black dreams float over his golden head
Like a swarm of carrion flies。
Now many a million tortured souls
In his red halls there be：
Why does he spend his subtle craft
In hunting after me？
Kings； queens and crested warriors
Whose memory rings through time；
These are his prey； and what to him
Is this poor man of rhyme；
That he； with such laborious skill；
Should change from role to role；
Should daily act so many a part
To get my little soul？
Oh； he can be the forest；
And he can be the sun；
Or a buttercup； or an hour of rest
When the weary day is done。
I saw him through a thousand veils；
And has not this sufficed？
Now； must I look on the Devil robed
In the radiant Robe of Christ？
He comes； and his face is sad and mild；
With thorns his head is crowned；
There are great bleeding wounds in his feet；
And in each hand a wound。
How can I tell； who am a fool；
If this be Christ or no？
Those bleeding hands outstretched to me！
Those eyes that love me so！
I see the Robe I look I hope
I fear but there is one
Who will direct my troubled mind；
Christ's Mother knows her Son。
O Mother of Good Counsel； lend
Intelligence to me！
Encompass me with wisdom；
Thou Tower of Ivory！
〃This is the Man of Lies；〃 she says；
〃Disguised with fearful art：
He has the wounded hands and feet；
But not the wounded heart。〃
Beside the Cross on Calvary
She watched them as they diced。
She saw the Devil join the game
And win the Robe of Christ。
The Singing Girl
（For the Rev。 Edward F。 Garesche； S。 J。）
There was a little maiden
In blue and silver drest；
She sang to God in Heaven
And God within her breast。
It flooded me with pleasure；
It pierced me like a sword；
When this young maiden sang： 〃My soul
Doth magnify the Lord。〃
The stars sing all together
And hear the angels sing；
But they said they had never heard
So beautiful a thing。
Saint Mary and Saint Joseph；
And Saint Elizabeth；
Pray for us poets now
And at the hour of death。
The Annunciation
（For Helen Parry Eden）
〃Hail Mary； full of grace；〃 the Angel saith。
Our Lady bows her head； and is ashamed；
She has a Bridegroom Who may not be named；
Her mortal flesh bears Him Who conquers death。
Now in the dust her spirit grovelleth；
Too bright a Sun before her eyes has flamed；
Too fair a herald joy too high proclaimed；
And human lips have trembled in God's breath。
O Mother…Maid； thou art ashamed to cover
With thy white self； whereon no stain can be；
Thy God； Who came from Heaven to be thy Lover；
Thy God； Who came from Heaven to dwell in thee。
About thy head celestial legions hover；
Chanting the praise of thy humility。
Roses
（For Katherine Bregy）
I went to gather roses and twine them in a ring；
For I would make a posy； a posy for the King。
I got an hundred roses； the loveliest there be；
From the white rose vine and the pink rose bush and from the red rose tree。
But when I took my posy and laid it at His feet
I found He had His roses a million times more sweet。
There was a scarlet blossom upon each foot and hand；
And a great pink rose bloomed from His side for the healing of the land。
Now of this fair and awful King there is this marvel told；
That He wears a crown of linked thorns instead of one of gold。
Where there are thorns are roses； and I saw a line of red；
A little wreath of roses around His radiant head。
A red rose is His Sacred Heart； a white rose is His face；
And His breath has turned the barren world to a rich and flowery place。
He is the Rose of Sharon； His gardener am I；
And I shall drink His fragrance in Heaven when I die。
The Visitation
（For Louise Imogen Guiney）
There is a wall of flesh before the eyes
Of John； who yet perceives and hails his King。
It is Our Lady's painful bliss to bring
Before mankind the Glory of the skies。
Her cousin feels her womb's sweet burden rise
And leap with joy； and she comes forth to sing；
With trembling mouth； her words of welcoming。
She knows her hidden God； and prophesies。
Saint John； pray for us； weary souls that tarry
Where life is withered by sin's deadly breath。
Pray for us； whom the dogs of Satan harry；
Saint John； Saint Anne； and Saint Elizabeth。
And； Mother Mary； give us Christ to carry
Within our hearts； that we may conquer death。
Multiplication
（For S。 M。 E。）
I take my leave； with sorrow； of Him I love so well；
I look my last upon His small and radiant prison…cell；
O happy lamp！ to serve Him with never ceasing light！
O happy flame！ to tremble forever in His sight！
I leave the holy quiet for the loudly human train；
And my heart that He has breathed upon is filled with lonely pain。
O King； O Friend； O Lover！ What sorer grief can be
In all the reddest depths of Hell than banishment from Thee？
But from my window as I speed across the sleeping land
I see the towns and villages wherein His houses stand。
Above the roofs I see a cross outlined against the night；
And I know that there my Lover dwells in His sacramental might。
Dominions kneel before Him； and Powers kiss His feet；
Yet for me He keeps His weary watch in the turmoil of the street：
The King of Kings awaits me； wherever I may go；
O who am I that He should deign to love and serve me so？
Thanksgiving
（For John Bunker）
The roar of the world is in my ears。
Thank God for the roar of the world！
Thank God for the mighty tide of fears
Against me always hurled！
Thank God for the bitter and ceaseless strife；
And the sting of His chastening rod！
Thank God for the stress and the pain of life；
And Oh； thank God for God！
The Thorn
（For the Rev。 Charles L。 O'Donnell； C。 S。 C。）
The garden of God is a radiant place；
And every flower has a holy face：
Our Lady like a lily bends above the cloudy sod；
But Saint Michael is the thorn on the rosebush of God。
David is the song upon God's lips；
And Our Lady is the goblet that He sips：
And Gabriel's the breath of His command；
But Saint Michael is the sword in God's right hand。
The Ivory Tower is fair to see；
And may her walls encompass me！
But when the Devil comes with the thunder of his might；
Saint Michael； show me how to fight！
The Big Top
The boom and blare of the big brass band is cheering to my heart
And I like the smell of the trampled grass and elephants and hay。
I take off my hat to the acrobat with his delicate； strong art；
And the motley mirth of the chalk…faced clown drives all my care away。
I wish I could feel as they must feel； these players brave and fair；
Who nonchalantly juggle death before a staring throng。
It must be fine to walk a line of silver in the air
And to cleave a hundred feet of space with a gesture like a song。
Sir Henry Irving never knew a keener； sweeter thrill
Than that which stirs the breast of him who turns his painted face
To the circling crowd who laugh aloud and clap hands with a will
As a tribute to the clown who won the great wheel…barrow race。
Now； one shall work in the living rock with a mallet and a knife；
And another shall dance on a big white horse that canters round a ring；
By another's hand shall colours stand in similitude of life；
And the hearts of the three shall be moved by one mysterious high thing。
For the sculptor and the acrobat and the painter are the same。
They know one hope； one fear； one pride； one sorrow and one mirth；
And they take delight in the endless fight for the fickle world's acclaim；
For they worship art above the clouds and serve her on the earth。
But you； who can build of the stubborn rock no form of loveliness；
Who can never mingle the radiant hues to make a wonder live；
Who can only show your li
