the home book of verse-4-第13部分
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Had swept it all away。
The lighthouse glasses twinkled；
The white gulls screamed and flew；
The merry sheep…bells tinkled；
The merry breezes blew。
The bayberry aromatic；
The papery immortelle；
（That give our grandma's attic
That sentimental smell；
Tied up in little brush…brooms）
Were sweet as new…mown hay；
While we went hunting mushrooms
That blue September day。
Henry Augustin Beers ＇1847…1926＇
EVOLUTION
When you were a Tadpole and I was a Fish；
In the Paleozoic time；
And side by side on the ebbing tide；
We sprawled through the ooze and slime；
Or skittered with many a caudal flip
Through the depths of the Cambrian fen …
My heart was rife with the joy of life；
For I loved you even then。
Mindless we lived； mindless we loved；
And mindless at last we died；
And deep in the rift of a Caradoc drift
We slumbered side by side。
The world turned on in the lathe of time；
The hot sands heaved amain；
Till we caught our breath from the womb of death；
And crept into life again。
We were Amphibians； scaled and tailed；
And drab as a dead man's hand。
We coiled at ease 'neath the dripping trees
Or trailed through the mud and sand；
Croaking and blind； with our three…clawed feet；
Writing a language dumb；
With never a spark in the empty dark
To hint at a life to come。
Yet happy we lived； and happy we loved；
And happy we died once more。
Our forms were rolled in the clinging mold
Of a Neocomian shore。
The aeons came and the aeons fled；
And the sleep that wrapped us fast
Was riven away in a newer day；
And the night of death was past。
Then light and swift through the jungle trees
We swung in our airy flights；
Or breathed the balms of the fronded palms
In the hush of the moonless nights。
And oh； what beautiful years were these
When our hearts clung each to each；
When life was filled and our senses thrilled
In the first faint dawn of speech！
Thus life by life； and love by love；
We passed through the cycles strange；
And breath by breath； and death by death；
We followed the chain of change。
Till there came a time in the law of life
When over the nursing sod
The shadows broke； and the soul awoke
In a strange； dim dream of God。
I was thewed like an Aurocks bull
And tusked like the great Cave…Bear；
And you； my sweet； from head to feet；
Were gowned in your glorious hair。
Deep in the gloom of a fireless cave；
When the night fell o'er the plain；
And the moon hung red o'er the river bed；
We mumbled the bones of the slain。
I flaked a flint to a cutting edge；
And shaped it with brutish craft；
I broke a shank from the woodland dank；
And fitted it； head to haft。
Then I hid me close in the reedy tarn；
Where the Mammoth came to drink …
Through brawn and bone I drave the stone；
And slew him upon the brink。
Loud I howled through the moonlit wastes；
Loud answered our kith and kin；
From west and east to the crimson feast
The clan came trooping in。
O'er joint and gristle and padded hoof；
We fought and clawed and tore；
And cheek by jowl； with many a growl；
We talked the marvel o'er。
I carved that fight on a reindeer bone
With rude and hairy hand；
I pictured his fall on the cavern wall
That men might understand。
For we lived by blood and the right of might；
Ere human laws were drawn；
And the Age of Sin did not begin
Till our brutal tusks were gone。
And that was a million years ago；
In a time that no man knows；
Yet here to…night in the mellow light；
We sit at Delmonico's。
Your eyes are deep as the Devon springs；
Your hair is as dark as jet；
Your years are few； your life is new；
Your soul untried； and yet …
Our trail is on the Kimmeridge clay；
And the scarp of the Purbeck flags；
We have left our bones in the Bagshot stones；
And deep in the Coralline crags。
Our love is old； and our lives are old；
And death shall come amain。
Should it come to…day； what man may say
We shall not live again？
God wrought our souls from the Tremadoc beds
And furnished them wings to fly；
He sowed our spawn in the world's dim dawn；
And I know that it shall not die；
Though cities have sprung above the graves
Where the crook…boned men made war；
And the ox…wain creaks o'er the buried caves
Where the mummied mammoths are。
Then； as we linger at luncheon here；
O'er many a dainty dish；
Let us drink anew to the time when you
Were a Tadpole and I was a Fish。
Langdon Smith ＇1858…1908＇
A REASONABLE AFFLICTION
On his death…bed poor Lubin lies：
His spouse is in despair；
With frequent cries； and mutual sighs；
They both express their care。
〃A different cause；〃 says Parson Sly；
〃The same effect may give：
Poor Lubin fears that he may die；
His wife； that he may live。〃
Matthew Prior ＇1664…1721＇
A MORAL IN SEVRES
Upon my mantel…piece they stand；
While all its length between them lies；
He throws a kiss with graceful hand；
She glances back with bashful eyes。
The china Shepherdess is fair；
The Shepherd's face denotes a heart
Burning with ardor and despair。
Alas； they stand so far apart！
And yet； perhaps； if they were moved；
And stood together day by day；
Their love had not so constant proved；
Nor would they still have smiled so gay。
His hand the Shepherd might have kissed
The match…box Angel's heart to win；
The Shepherdess； his love have missed；
And flirted with the Mandarin。
But on my mantel…piece they stand；
While all its length between them lies；
He throws a kiss with graceful hand；
She glances back with bashful eyes。
Mildred Howells ＇1872…
ON THE FLY…LEAF OF A BOOK OF OLD PLAYS
At Cato's Head in Russell Street
These leaves she sat a…stitching；
I fancy she was trim and neat；
Blue…eyed and quite bewitching。
Before her on the street below；
All powder； ruffs； and laces；
There strutted idle London beaux
To ogle pretty faces；
While； filling many a Sedan chair
With monstrous hoop and feather；
In paint and powder London's fair
Went trooping past together。
Swift； Addison； and Pope； mayhap
They sauntered slowly past her；
Or printer's boy； with gown and cap；
For Steele； went trotting faster。
For beau nor wit had she a look；
Nor lord nor lady minding；
She bent her head above this book；
Attentive to her binding。
And one stray thread of golden hair；
Caught on her nimble fingers；
Was stitched within this volume； where
Until to…day it lingers。
Past and forgotten； beaux and fair；
Wigs； powder； all outdated；
A queer antique； the Sedan chair；
Pope； stiff and antiquated。
Yet as I turn these odd； old plays；
This single stray lock finding；
I'm back in those forgotten days；
And watch her at her binding。
Walter Learned ＇1847…1915＇
THE TALENTED MAN
Letter From A Lady In London To A Lady At Lausanne
Dear Alice！ you'll laugh when you know it； …
Last week； at the Duchess's ball；
I danced with the clever new poet； …
You've heard of him； … Tully St。 Paul。
Miss Jonquil was perfectly frantic；
I wish you had seen Lady Anne！
It really was very romantic；
He is such a talented man！
He came up from Brazen Nose College；
Just caught； as they call it； this spring；
And his head； love； is stuffed full of knowledge
Of every conceivable thing。
Of science and logic he chatters；
As fine and as fast as he can；
Though I am no judge of such matters；
I'm sure he's a talented man。
His stories and jests are delightful； …
Not stories or jests； dear； for you；
The jests are exceedingly spiteful；
The stories not always quite true。
Perhaps to be kind and veracious
May do pretty well at Lausanne；
But it never would answer； … good gracious！
Chez nous … in a talented man。
He sneers； … how my Alice would scold him！ …
At the bliss of a sigh or a tear；
He laughed … only think！ … when I told him
How we cried o'er Trevelyan last year；
I vow I was quite in a passion；
I broke all the sticks of my fan；
But sentiment's quite out of fashion；
It seems； in a talented man。
Lady Bab； who is terribly moral；
Has told me that Tully is vain；
And apt … which is silly … to quarrel；
And fond … which is sad … of champagne。
I listened； and doubted； dear Alice；
For I saw； when my Lady began；
It was only the Dowager's malice； …
She does hate a talented man！
He's hideous； I own it。 But fame； love；
Is all that these eyes can adore；
He's lame； … but Lord Byron was lame； love；
And dumpy； … but so is Tom Moore。
Then his voice； … such a voice！ my sweet creature；
It's like your Aunt Lucy's toucan：
But oh！ what's a tone or a feature；
When once one's a talented man？
My mother； you know； all the season；
Has talked of Sir Geoffrey's estate；
And truly； to do the fool reason；
He has been less horrid of late。
But to…day； when we drive in the carriage；
I'll tell her to lay down her plan； …
If ever I venture on marriage；
It must be a talented man！
P。S。 … I have found； on reflection；
One fault in my friend； … entre nous；
Without it； he'd just be perfection； …
Poor fellow； he has not a sou！
And so； when he comes in September
To shoot with my uncle； Sir Dan；
I've promised mamma to remember
He's only a talented man！
Winthrop Mackworth Praed ＇1802…1839＇
A LETTER OF ADVICE
From Miss Medora Trevilian； At Padua；
To Miss Araminta Vavasour； In London
〃Enfin； Monsieur； homme aimable；
Voila pourquoi je ne saurais l'aimer。〃 … Scribe
You tell me you're promised a lover；
My own Araminta； next week；
Why cannot my fancy discover
The hue of his coat； and his cheek？
Alas！ if he look like another；
A vicar； a banker； a beau；
Be deaf to your father and mother；
My own Araminta； say 〃No！〃
Miss Lane； at her Temple of Fashion；
Taug
