love-songs of childhood-第5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！
Cometh like a fleeting ghost
From some distant eerie coast；
Never footfall can you hear
As that spirit fareth near …
Never whisper； never word
From that shadow…queen is heard。
In ethereal raiment dight；
From the realm of fay and sprite
In the depth of yonder skies
Cometh Lady Button…Eyes。
Layeth she her hands upon
My dear weary little one；
And those white hands overspread
Like a veil the curly head；
Seem to fondle and caress
Every little silken tress；
Then she smooths the eyelids down
Over those two eyes of brown …
In such soothing； tender wise
Cometh Lady Button…Eyes。
Dearest； feel upon your brow
That caressing magic now；
For the crickets in the glen
Chirp and chirp and chirp again；
While upon the haunted green
Fairies dance around their queen；
And the moonbeams hover o'er
Playthings sleeping on the floor …
Hush； my sweet！ from yonder skies
Cometh Lady Button…Eyes！
THE RIDE TO BUMPVILLE
Play that my knee was a calico mare
Saddled and bridled for Bumpville；
Leap to the back of this steed； if you dare；
And gallop away to Bumpville！
I hope you'll be sure to sit fast in your seat；
For this calico mare is prodigiously fleet；
And many adventures you're likely to meet
As you journey along to Bumpville。
This calico mare both gallops and trots
While whisking you off to Bumpville；
She paces； she shies； and she stumbles； in spots；
In the tortuous road to Bumpville；
And sometimes this strangely mercurial steed
Will suddenly stop and refuse to proceed；
Which； all will admit； is vexatious indeed；
When one is en route to Bumpville！
She's scared of the cars when the engine goes 〃Toot！〃
Down by the crossing at Bumpville；
You'd better look out for that treacherous brute
Bearing you off to Bumpville！
With a snort she rears up on her hindermost heels；
And executes jigs and Virginia reels …
Words fail to explain how embarrassed one feels
Dancing so wildly to Bumpville！
It's bumpytybump and it's jiggytyjog；
Journeying on to Bumpville
It's over the hilltop and down through the bog
You ride on your way to Bumpville；
It's rattletybang over boulder and stump；
There are rivers to ford； there are fences to jump；
And the corduroy road it goes bumpytybump；
Mile after mile to bumpville！
Perhaps you'll observe it's no easy thing
Making the journey to Bumpville；
So I think； on the whole； it were prudent to bring
An end to this ride to Bumpville；
For； though she has uttered no protest or plaint；
The calico mare must be blowing and faint …
What's more to the point； I'm blowed if I ain't！
So play we have got to Bumpville！
THE BROOK
I looked in the brook and saw a face …
Heigh…ho； but a child was I！
There were rushes and willows in that place；
And they clutched at the brook as the brook ran by；
And the brook it ran its own sweet way；
As a child doth run in heedless play；
And as it ran I heard it say：
〃Hasten with me
To the roistering sea
That is wroth with the flame of the morning sky！〃
I look in the brook and see a face …
Heigh…ho； but the years go by！
The rushes are dead in the old…time place；
And the willows I knew when a child was I。
And the brook it seemeth to me to say；
As ever it stealeth on its way …
Solemnly now； and not in play：
〃Oh； come with me
To the slumbrous sea
That is gray with the peace of the evening sky！〃
Heigh…ho； but the years go by …
I would to God that a child were I！
PICNIC…TIME
It's June ag'in； an' in my soul I feel the fillin' joy
That's sure to come this time o' year to every little boy；
For； every June； the Sunday…schools at picnics may be seen；
Where 〃fields beyont the swellin' floods stand dressed in livin' green〃；
Where little girls are skeered to death with spiders； bugs； and ants；
An' little boys get grass…stains on their go…to meetin' pants。
It's June ag'in； an' with it all what happiness is mine …
There's goin' to be a picnic； an' I'm goin' to jine！
One year I jined the Baptists； an' goodness！ how it rained！
（But grampa says that that's the way 〃baptizo〃 is explained。）
And once I jined the 'Piscopils an' had a heap o' fun …
But the boss of all the picnics was the Presbyteriun！
They had so many puddin's； sallids； sandwidges； an' pies；
That a feller wisht his stummick was as hungry as his eyes！
Oh； yes； the eatin' Presbyteriuns give yer is so fine
That when they have a picnic； you bet I'm goin' to jine！
But at this time the Methodists have special claims on me；
For they're goin' to give a picnic on the 21st； D。 V。；
Why should a liberal universalist like me object
To share the joys of fellowship with every friendly sect？
However het'rodox their articles of faith elsewise may be；
Their doctrine of fried chick'n is a savin' grace to me！
So on the 21st of June； the weather bein' fine；
They're goin' to give a picnic； and I'm goin' to jine！
SHUFFLE…SHOON AND AMBER…LOCKS
Shuffle…shoon and Amber…Locks
Sit together； building blocks；
Shuffle…Shoon is old and gray；
Amber…Locks a little child；
But together at their play
Age and Youth are reconciled；
And with sympathetic glee
Build their castles fair to see。
〃When I grow to be a man〃
（So the wee one's prattle ran）；
〃I shall build a castle so …
With a gateway broad and grand；
Here a pretty vine shall grow；
There a soldier guard shall stand；
And the tower shall be so high；
Folks will wonder； by and by！〃
Shuffle…Shoon quoth： 〃Yes； I know；
Thus I builded long ago！
Here a gate and there a wall；
Here a window； there a door；
Here a steeple wondrous tall
Riseth ever more and more！
But the years have leveled low
What I builded long ago！〃
So they gossip at their play；
Heedless of the fleeting day；
One speaks of the Long Ago
Where his dead hopes buried lie；
One with chubby cheeks aglow
Prattleth of the By and By；
Side by side； they build their blocks …
Shuffle…Shoon and Amber…Locks。
THE SHUT…EYE TRAIN
Come； my little one； with me！
There are wondrous sights to see
As the evening shadows fall；
In your pretty cap and gown；
Don't detain
The Shut…Eye train …
〃Ting…a…ling！〃 the bell it goeth；
〃Toot…toot！〃 the whistle bloweth；
And we hear the warning call：
〃All aboard for Shut…Eye Town！〃
Over hill and over plain
Soon will speed the Shut…Eye train！
Through the blue where bloom the stars
And the Mother Moon looks down
We'll away
To land of Fay …
Oh； the sights that we shall see there！
Come； my little one； with me there …
'T is a goodly train of cars …
All aboard for Shut…Eye Town！
Swifter than a wild bird's flight；
Through the realms of fleecy light
We shall speed and speed away！
Let the Night in envy frown …
What care we
How wroth she be！
To the Balow…land above us；
To the Balow…folk who love us；
Let us hasten while we may …
All aboard for Shut…Eye Town！
Shut…Eye Town is passing fair …
Golden dreams await us there；
We shall dream those dreams； my dear；
Till the Mother Moon goes down …
See unfold
Delights untold！
And in those mysterious places
We shall see beloved faces
And beloved voices hear
In the grace of Shut…Eye Town。
Heavy are your eyes； my sweet；
Weary are your little feet …
Nestle closer up to me
In your pretty cap and gown；
Don't detain
The Shut…Eye train！
〃Ting…a…ling！〃 the bell it goeth；
〃Toot…toot！〃 the whistle bloweth
Oh； the sights that we shall see！
All aboard for Shut…Eye Town！
LITTLE…OH DEAR
See； what a wonderful garden is here；
Planted and trimmed for my Little…Oh…Dear！
Posies so gaudy and grass of such brown …
Search ye the country and hunt ye the town
And never ye'll meet with a garden so queer
As this one I've made for my Little…Oh…Dear！
Marigolds white and buttercups blue；
Lilies all dabbled with honey and dew；
The cactus that trails over trellis and wall；
Roses and pansies and violets … all
Make proper obeisance and reverent cheer
When into her garden steps Little…Oh…Dear。
And up at the top of that lavender…tree
A silver…bird singeth as only can she；
For； ever and only； she singeth the song
〃I love you … I love you！〃 the happy day long； …
Then the echo … the echo that smiteth me here！
〃I love you； I love you；〃 my Little…Oh…Dear！
The garden may wither； the silver…bird fly …
But what careth my little precious； or I？
From her pathway of flowers that in spring time upstart
She walketh the tenderer way in my heart
And； oh； it is always the summer…time here
With that song of 〃I love you；〃 my Little…Oh…Dear！
THE FLY…AWAY HORSE
Oh； a wonderful horse is the Fly…Away Horse …
Perhaps you have seen him before；
Perhaps； while you slept； his shadow has swept
Through the moonlight that floats on the floor。
For it's only at night；
