the home book of verse-4-第8部分
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Your dry spiced dust would not value one word
Of the soft regrets that my verse could say。
Sorrow and Pleasure； and Love and Hate；
If you ever felt them； have vaporized hence
To this odor … so subtle and delicate …
Of myrrh； and cassia； and frankincense。
Of course they embalmed you！ Yet not so sweet
Were aloes and nard； as the youthful glow
Which Amenti stole when the small dark feet
Wearied of treading our world below。
Look！ it was flood…time in valley of Nile；
Or a very wet day in the Delta； dear！
When your slippers tripped lightly their latest mile …
The mud on the soles renders that fact clear。
You knew Cleopatra； no doubt！ You saw
Antony's galleys from Actium come。
But there！ if questions could answers draw
From lips so many a long age dumb；
I would not tease you with history；
Nor vex your heart for the men that were；
The one point to learn that would fascinate me
Is； where and what are you to…day； my dear！
You died； believing in Horus and Pasht；
Isis； Osiris； and priestly lore；
And found； of course； such theories smashed
By actual fact on the heavenly shore。
What next did you do？ Did you transmigrate？
Have we seen you since； all modern and fresh？
Your charming soul … so I calculate …
Mislaid its mummy； and sought new flesh。
Were you she whom I met at dinner last week；
With eyes and hair of the Ptolemy black；
Who still of this find in Fayoum would speak；
And to Pharaohs and scarabs still carry us back？
A scent of lotus about her hung；
And she had such a far…away wistful air
As of somebody born when the Earth was young；
And she wore of gilt slippers a lovely pair。
Perchance you were married？ These might have been
Part of your trousseau … the wedding shoes；
And you laid them aside with the garments green；
And painted clay Gods which a bride would use；
And； may be； to…day； by Nile's bright waters
Damsels of Egypt in gowns of blue …
Great…great…great … very great … grand…daughters
Owe their shapely insteps to you！
But vainly I beat at the bars of the Past；
Little green slippers with golden strings！
For all you can tell is that leather will last
When loves； and delightings； and beautiful things
Have vanished； forgotten … No！ not quite that！
I catch some gleam of the grace you wore
When you finished with Life's daily pit…a…pat；
And left your shoes at Death's bedroom door。
You were born in the Egypt which did not doubt；
You were never sad with our new…fashioned sorrows：
You were sure； when your play…days on Earth ran out；
Of play…times to come； as we of our morrows！
Oh； wise little Maid of the Delta！ I lay
Your shoes in your mummy…chest back again；
And wish that one game we might merrily play
At 〃Hunt the Slippers〃 … to see it all plain。
Edwin Arnold ＇1832…1904＇
WITHOUT AND WITHIN
My coachman； in the moonlight there；
Looks through the side…light of the door；
I hear him with his brethren swear；
As I could do； … but only more。
Flattening his nose against the pane；
He envies me my brilliant lot；
Breathes on his aching fists in vain；
And dooms me to a place more hot。
He sees me in to supper go；
A silken wonder by my side；
Bare arms； bare shoulders； and a row
Of flounces； for the door too wide。
He thinks how happy is my arm
'Neath its white…gloved and jewelled load；
And wishes me some dreadful harm；
Hearing the merry corks explode。
Meanwhile I inly curse the bore
Of hunting still the same old coon；
And envy him； outside the door；
In golden quiets of the moon。
The winter wind is not so cold
As the bright smile he sees me win
Nor the host's oldest wine so old
As our poor gabble sour and thin。
I envy him the ungyved prance
With which his freezing feet he warms；
And drag my lady's…chains and dance
The galley…slave of dreary forms。
Oh； could； he have my share of din；
And I his quiet！ … past a doubt
'Twould still be one man bored within；
And just another bored without。
Nay； when； once paid my mortal fee；
Some idler on my headstone grim
Traces the moss…blurred name； will he
Think me the happier； or I him？
James Russell Lowell ＇1819…1891＇
〃SHE WAS A BEAUTY〃
She was a beauty in the days
When Madison was President；
And quite coquettish in her ways； …
On conquests of the heart intent。
Grandpapa； on his right knee bent；
Wooed her in stiff； old…fashioned phrase； …
She was a beauty in the days
When Madison was President。
And when your roses where hers went
Shall go； my Rose； who date from Hayes；
I hope you'll wear her sweet content
Of whom tradition lightly says：
She was a beauty in the days
When Madison was President。
Henry Cuyler Bunner ＇1855…1896＇
NELL GWYNNE'S LOOKING…GLASS
Glass antique； 'twixt thee and Nell
Draw we here a parallel。
She； like thee； was forced to bear
All reflections； foul or fair。
Thou art deep and bright within；
Depths as bright belonged to Gwynne；
Thou art very frail as well；
Frail as flesh is； … so was Nell。
Thou； her glass； art silver…lined；
She too； had a silver mind：
Thine is fresh till this far day；
Hers till death ne'er wore away：
Thou dost to thy surface win
Wandering glances； so did Gwynne；
Eyes on thee love long to dwell；
So men's eyes would do on Nell。
Life…like forms in thee are sought；
Such the forms the actress wrought；
Truth unfailing rests in you；
Nell； whate'er she was； was true。
Clear as virtue； dull as sin；
Thou art oft； as oft was Gwynne；
Breathe on thee； and drops will swell：
Bright tears dimmed the eyes of Nell。
Thine's a frame to charm the sight；
Framed was she to give delight；
Waxen forms here truly show
Charles above and Nell below；
But between them； chin with chin；
Stuart stands as low as Gwynne； …
Paired； yet parted； … meant to tell
Charles was opposite to Nell。
Round the glass wherein her face
Smiled so soft； her 〃arms〃 we trace；
Thou； her mirror； hast the pair；
Lion here； and leopard there。
She had part in these； … akin
To the lion…heart was Gwynne；
And the leopard's beauty fell
With its spots to bounding Nell。
Oft inspected； ne'er seen through；
Thou art firm； if brittle too；
So her will； on good intent；
Might be broken； never bent。
What the glass was； when therein
Beamed the face of glad Nell Gwynne；
Was that face by beauty's spell
To the honest soul of Nell。
Laman Blanchard ＇1804…1845＇
MIMNERMUS IN CHURCH
You promise heavens free from strife；
Pure truth； and perfect change of will；
But sweet； sweet is this human life；
So sweet； I fain would breathe it still：
Your chilly stars I can forego；
This warm kind world is all I know。
You say there is no substance here；
One great reality above：
Back from that void I shrink in fear；
And child…like hide myself in love：
Show me what angels feel。 Till then
I cling； a mere weak man； to men。
You bid me lift my mean desires
From faltering lips and fitful veins
To sexless souls； ideal choirs；
Unwearied voices； wordless strains：
My mind with fonder welcome owns
One dear dead friend's remembered tones。
Forsooth the present we must give
To that which cannot pass away；
All beauteous things for which we live
By laws of time and space decay。
But oh； the very reason why
I clasp them； is because they die。
William Johnson…Cory ＇1823…1892＇
CLAY
〃We are but clay；〃 the preacher saith；
〃The heart is clay； and clay the brain；
And soon or late there cometh death
To mingle us with earth again。〃
Well； let the preacher have it so；
And clay we are； and clay shall be； …
Why iterate？ … for this I know；
That clay does very well for me。
When clay has such red mouths to kiss；
Firm hands to grasp； it is enough：
How can I take it aught amiss
We are not made of rarer stuff？
And if one tempt you to believe
His choice would be immortal gold；
Question him； Can you then conceive
A warmer heart than clay can hold？
Or richer joys than clay can feel？
And when perforce he falters nay；
Bid him renounce his wish and kneel
In thanks for this same kindly clay。
Edward Verrall Lucas ＇1868…
AUCASSIN AND NICOLETE
What magic halo rings thy head；
Dream…maiden of a minstrel dead？
What charm of faerie round thee hovers；
That all who listen are thy lovers？
What power yet makes our pulses thrill
To see thee at thy window…sill；
And by that dangerous cord down…sliding；
And through the moonlit garden gliding？
True maiden art thou in thy dread；
True maiden in thy hardihead；
True maiden when； thy fears half…over；
Thou lingerest to try thy lover。
And ah！ what heart of stone or steel
But doth some stir unwonted feel；
When to the day new brightness bringing
Thou standest at the stair…foot singing！
Thy slender limbs in boyish dress；
Thy tones half glee； half tenderness；
Thou singest； 'neath the light tale's cover；
Of thy true love to thy true lover。
O happy lover； happy maid；
Together in sweet story laid；
Forgive the hand that here is baring
Your old loves for new lovers' staring！
Yet； Nicolete； why fear'st thou fame？
No slander now can touch thy name；
Nor Scandal's self a fault discovers；
Though each new year thou hast new lovers。
Nor； Aucassin； need'st thou to fear
These lovers of too late a year；
Nor dread one jealous pang's revival；
No lover now can be thy rival。
What flower considers if its blooms
Light； haunts of men； or forest glooms？
What care ye though the world discovers
Your flowers of love； O flower of lovers！
Francis William Bourdillon ＇1852…1921＇
PROVENCAL LOVERS
Aucassin And Nicolette
Within the garden of Beaucaire
He met her by a secret stair； …
The night was centuries ago。
Said Aucassin； 〃My love
