the home book of verse-4-第11部分
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！
Justin Huntly McCarthy ＇1860…1936＇
IF I WERE KING
After Villon
From 〃If I Were King〃
All French folk； whereso'er ye be；
Who love your country； sail and sand；
From Paris to the Breton sea；
And back again to Norman strand；
Forsooth ye seem a silly band；
Sheep without shepherd； left to chance …
Far otherwise our Fatherland；
If Villon were the King of France！
The figure on the throne you see
Is nothing but a puppet； planned
To wear the regal bravery
Of silken coat and gilded wand。
Not so we Frenchmen understand
The Lord of lion's heart and glance；
And such a one would take command
If Villon were the King of France！
His counsellors are rogues； Perdie！
While men of honest mind are banned
To creak upon the Gallows Tree；
Or squeal in prisons over…manned
We want a chief to bear the brand；
And bid the damned Burgundians dance。
God！ Where the Oriflamme should stand
If Villon were the King of France！
ENVOY
Louis the Little； play the grand；
Buffet the foe with sword and lance；
'Tis what would happen； by this hand；
If Villon were the King of France！
Justin Huntly McCarthy ＇1860…1936＇
A BALLADE OF SUICIDE
The gallows in my garden； people say；
Is new and neat and adequately tall。
I tie the noose on in a knowing way
As one that knots his necktie for a ball；
But just as all the neighbors … on the wall …
Are drawing a long breath to shout 〃Hurray！〃
The strangest whim has seized me 。 。 。 After all
I think I will not hang myself to…day。
To…morrow is the time I get my pay …
My uncle's sword is hanging in the hall …
I see a little cloud all pink and gray …
Perhaps the rector's mother will not call …
I fancy that I heard from Mr。 Gall
That mushrooms could be cooked another way …
I never read the works of Juvenal …
I think I will not hang myself to…day。
The world will have another washing day；
The decadents decay； the pedants pall；
And H。 G。 Wells has found that children play；
And Bernard Shaw discovered that they squall；
Rationalists are growing rational …
And through thick woods one finds a stream astray；
So secret that the very sky seems small …
I think I will not hang myself to…day。
ENVOI
Prince； I can hear the trumpet of Germinal；
The tumbrils toiling up the terrible way；
Even to…day your royal head may fall …
I think I will not hang myself to…day。
Gilbert Keith Chesterton ＇1874…1936＇
CHIFFONS！
Through this our city of delight；
This Paris of our joy and play；
This Paris perfumed； jeweled； bright；
Rouged； powdered； amorous； … ennuye：
Across our gilded Quartier；
So fair to see； so frail au fond；
Echoes … mon Dieu！ … the Ragman's bray：
〃Mar … chand d'ha … bits！ Chif … fons！〃
Foul； hunched； a plague to dainty sight；
He limps infect by park and quai；
Voicing （for those that hear aright）
His hunger…world； the dark Marais。
Sexton of all we waste and fray；
He bags at last pour tout de bon
Our trappings rare； our braveries gay；
〃Mar … chand d'ha … bits！ Chif … fons！〃
Their lot is ours！ A grislier wight；
The Ragman Time； takes day by day
Our beauty's bloom； our manly might；
Our joie de vivre； our gods of clay；
Till torn and worn and soiled and gray
Hot life rejects us … nom de nom！ …
Rags！ and our only requiem lay；
〃Mar … chand d'ha … bits！ Chif … fons！〃
ENVOY
Princes take heed！ … for where are they；
Valois； Navarre and Orleans？ 。 。 。
Death drones the answer； far away；
〃Mar … chand d'ha … bits！ Chif … fons！〃
William Samuel Johnson ＇1859…
THE COURT HISTORIAN
Lower Empire。 Circa A。 D。 700
The Monk Arnulphus uncorked his ink
That shone with a blood…red light
Just now as the sun began to sink；
His vellum was pumiced a silvery white；
〃The Basileus〃 … for so he began …
〃Is a royal sagacious Mars of a man；
Than the very lion bolder；
He has married the stately widow of Thrace …〃
〃Hush！〃 cried a voice at his shoulder。
His palette gleamed with a burnished green；
Bright as a dragon…fly's skin：
His gold…leaf shone like the robe of a queen；
His azure glowed as a cloud worn thin；
Deep as the blue of the king…whale's lair：
〃The Porphyrogenita Zoe the fair
Is about to wed with a Prince much older；
Of an unpropitious mien and look …〃
〃Hush！〃 cried a voice at his shoulder。
The red flowers trellised the parchment page；
The birds leaped up on the spray；
The yellow fruit swayed and drooped and swung；
It was Autumn mixed up with May。
（O； but his cheek was shrivelled and shrunk！）
〃The child of the Basileus；〃 wrote the Monk；
〃Is golden…haired … tender the Queen's arms fold her。
Her step…mother Zoe doth love her so …〃
〃Hush！〃 cried a voice at his shoulder。
The Kings and Martyrs and Saints and Priests
All gathered to guard the text：
There was Daniel snug in the lions' den
Singing no whit perplexed …
Brazen Samson with spear and helm …
〃The Queen；〃 wrote the Monk； 〃rules firm this realm；
For the King gets older and older。
The Norseman Thorkill is brave and fair …〃
〃Hush！〃 cried a voice at his shoulder。
Walter Thornbury ＇1828…1876＇
MISS LOU
When thin…strewn memory I look through；
I see most clearly poor Miss Loo；
Her tabby cat； her cage of birds；
Her nose； her hair … her muffled words；
And how she would open her green eyes；
As if in some immense surprise；
Whenever as we sat at tea；
She made some small remark to me。
'Tis always drowsy summer when
From out the past she comes again；
The westering sunshine in a pool
Floats in her parlor still and cool；
While the slim bird its lean wires shakes；
As into piercing song it breaks；
Till Peter's pale…green eyes ajar
Dream； wake； wake； dream； in one brief bar；
And I am sitting； dull and shy；
And she with gaze of vacancy；
And large hands folded on the tray；
Musing the afternoon away；
Her satin bosom heaving slow
With sighs that softly ebb and flow；
And her plain face in such dismay；
It seems unkind to look her way；
Until all cheerful back will come
Her gentle gleaming spirit home：
And one would think that poor Miss Loo
Asked nothing else； if she had you。
Walter De la Mare ＇1873…
THE POET AND THE WOOD…LOUSE
A portly Wood…louse； full of cares；
Transacted eminent affairs
Along a parapet where pears
Unripened fell
And vines embellished the sweet airs
With muscatel。
Day after day beheld him run
His scales a…twinkle in the sun
About his business never done；
Night's slender span he
Spent in the home his wealth had won …
A red…brick cranny。
Thus； as his Sense of Right directed；
He lived both honored and respected；
Cherished his children and protected
His duteous wife；
And naught of diffidence deflected
His useful life。
One mid…day； hastening to his Club；
He spied beside a water…tub
The owner of each plant and shrub
A humble Bard …
Who turned upon the conscious grub
A mild regard。
〃Eh？〃 quoth the Wood…louse； 〃Can it be
A Higher Power looks down to see
My praiseworthy activity
And notes me plying
My Daily Task？ … Nor strange； dear me；
But gratifying！〃
To whom the Bard： I still divest
My orchard of the Insect Pest；
That you are such is manifest；
Prepare to die。 …
And yet； how sweetly does your crest
Reflect the sky！
〃Go then forgiven； （for what ails
Your naughty life this fact avails
Tu pardon） mirror in your scales
Celestial blue；
Till the sun sets and the light fails
The skies and you。〃
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
May all we proud and bustling parties
Whose lot in forum； street and mart is
Stand in conspectu Deitatis
And save our face；
Reflecting where our scaly heart is
Some skyey grace。
Helen Parry Eden ＇18
STUDENTS
John Brown and Jeanne at Fontainebleau …
'Twas Toussaint； just a year ago；
Crimson and copper was the glow
Of all the woods at Fontainebleau。
They peered into that ancient well；
And watched the slow torch as it fell。
John gave the keeper two whole sous；
And Jeanne that smile with which she woos
John Brown to folly。 So they lose
The Paris train。 But never mind！ …
All…Saints are rustling in the wind；
And there's an inn； a crackling fire …
It's deux…cinquante； but Jeanne's desire）；
There's dinner； candles； country wine；
Jeanne's lips … philosophy divine！
There was a bosquet at Saint Cloud
Wherein John's picture of her grew
To be a Salon masterpiece …
Till the rain fell that would not cease。
Through one long alley how they raced！ …
'Twas gold and brown； and all a waste
Of matted leaves； moss…interlaced。
Shades of mad queens and hunter…kings
And thorn…sharp feet of dryad…things
Were company to their wanderings；
Then rain and darkness on them drew。
The rich folks' motors honked and flew。
They hailed an old cab； heaven for two；
The bright Champs…Elysees at last …
Though the cab crawled it sped too fast。
Paris； upspringing white and gold：
Flamboyant arch and high…enscrolled
War…sculpture； big； Napoleonic …
Fierce chargers； angels histrionic；
The royal sweep of gardened spaces；
The pomp and whirl of columned Places；
The Rive Gauche； age…old； gay and gray；
The impasse and the loved cafe；
The tempting tidy little shops；
The convent walls； the glimpsed tree…tops；
Book…stalls； old men like dwarfs in plays；
Talk； work； and Latin Quarter ways。
May … Robinson's； the chestnut trees …
Were ever crowds as gay as these？
The quick pale waiters on a run；
The round green tables； one by one；
Hidden away in amorous bowers …
Lilac； laburnum's golden showers。
Kiss； clink of glasses； laughter heard；
And nightingales quite undeterred。
And then that last extravagance …
O Jeanne； a single amber glance
Will pay him！ … 〃Let's play millionaire
For just two hours … on princely far
