the three taverns(三家酒店)-第12部分
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him as I can； At his bewildered and unfruitful task Of being what he was
born to be a man。
Better forget that I said anything Of what your tortured memory may
disclose； I know him； and your worst remembering Would count as much
as nothing； I suppose。
Meanwhile； I trust him； and I know his way Of trusting me； as always
in his youth。 I'm painting here a better man； you say； Than I； the painter；
and you say the truth。
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Peace on Earth
He took a frayed hat from his head； And 〃Peace on Earth〃 was what he
said。 〃A morsel out of what you're worth； And there we have it： Peace on
Earth。 Not much； although a little more Than what there was on earth
before。 I'm as you see； I'm Ichabod； But never mind the ways I've trod；
I'm sober now； so help me God。〃
I could not pass the fellow by。 〃Do you believe in God？〃 said I； 〃And
is there to be Peace on Earth？〃
〃Tonight we celebrate the birth；〃 He said； 〃of One who died for men；
The Son of God； we say。 What then？ Your God； or mine？ I'd make you
laugh Were I to tell you even half That I have learned of mine today
Where yours would hardly seem to stay。 Could He but follow in and out
Some anthropoids I know about； The God to whom you may have prayed
Might see a world He never made。〃
〃Your words are flowing full；〃 said I； 〃But yet they give me no reply；
Your fountain might as well be dry。〃
〃A wiser One than you； my friend； Would wait and hear me to the end；
And for His eyes a light would shine Through this unpleasant shell of
mine That in your fancy makes of me A Christmas curiosity。 All right； I
might be worse than that； And you might now be lying flat； I might have
done it from behind； And taken what there was to find。 Don't worry； for
I'm not that kind。 ‘Do I believe in God？' Is that The price tonight of a new
hat？ Has He commanded that His name Be written everywhere the same？
Have all who live in every place Identified His hidden face？ Who knows
but He may like as well My story as one you may tell？ And if He show me
there be Peace On Earth； as there be fields and trees Outside a jail…yard；
am I wrong If now I sing Him a new song？ Your world is in yourself； my
friend； For your endurance to the end； And all the Peace there is on Earth
Is faith in what your world is worth； And saying； without any lies； Your
world could not be otherwise。〃
〃One might say that and then be shot；〃 I told him； and he said： 〃Why
not？〃 I ceased； and gave him rather more Than he was counting of my
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store。 〃And since I have it； thanks to you； Don't ask me what I mean to
do；〃 Said he。 〃Believe that even I Would rather tell the truth than lie On
Christmas Eve。 No matter why。〃
His unshaved； educated face； His inextinguishable grace； And his hard
smile； are with me still； Deplore the vision as I will； For whatsoever he be
at； So droll a derelict as that Should have at least another hat。
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Late Summer
（Alcaics）
Confused； he found her lavishing feminine Gold upon clay； and found
her inscrutable； And yet she smiled。 Why； then； should horrors Be as they
were； without end； her playthings？
And why were dead years hungrily telling her Lies of the dead； who
told them again to her？ If now she knew； there might be kindness
Clamoring yet where a faith lay stifled。
A little faith in him； and the ruinous Past would be for time to
annihilate； And wash out； like a tide that washes Out of the sand what a
child has drawn there。
God； what a shining handful of happiness； Made out of days and out of
eternities； Were now the pulsing end of patience Could he but have what
a ghost had stolen！
What was a man before him； or ten of them； While he was here alive
who could answer them； And in their teeth fling confirmations Harder than
agates against an egg…shell？
But now the man was dead； and would come again Never； though she
might honor ineffably The flimsy wraith of him she conjured Out of a
dream with his wand of absence。
And if the truth were now but a mummery； Meriting pride's implacable
irony； So much the worse for pride。 Moreover； Save her or fail； there was
conscience always。
Meanwhile； a few misgivings of innocence； Imploring to be sheltered
and credited； Were not amiss when she revealed them。 Whether she
struggled or not； he saw them。
Also； he saw that while she was hearing him Her eyes had more and
more of the past in them； And while he told what cautious honor Told him
was all he had best be sure of；
He wondered once or twice； inadvertently； Where shifting winds were
driving his argosies； Long anchored and as long unladen； Over the foam
for the golden chances。
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〃If men were not for killing so carelessly； And women were for wiser
endurances；〃 He said； 〃we might have yet a world here Fitter for Truth to
be seen abroad in；
〃If Truth were not so strange in her nakedness； And we were less
forbidden to look at it； We might not have to look。〃 He stared then Down
at the sand where the tide threw forward
Its cold； unconquered lines； that unceasingly Foamed against hope；
and fell。 He was calm enough； Although he knew he might be silenced Out
of all calm； and the night was coming。
〃I climb for you the peak of his infamy That you may choose your fall
if you cling to it。 No more for me unless you say more。 All you have left
of a dream defends you：
〃The truth may be as evil an augury As it was needful now for the two
of us。 We cannot have the dead between us。 Tell me to go； and I go。〃
She pondered： 〃What you believe is right for the two of us Makes it as
right that you are not one of us。 If this be needful truth you tell me； Spare
me； and let me have lies hereafter。〃
She gazed away where shadows were covering The whole cold ocean's
healing indifference。 No ship was coming。 When the darkness Fell； she
was there； and alone； still gazing。
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An Evangelist's Wife
〃Why am I not myself these many days； You ask？ And have you
nothing more to ask？ I do you wrong？ I do not hear your praise To God for
giving you me to share your task？
〃Jealous of Her？ Because her cheeks are pink； And she has eyes？ No；
not if she had seven。 If you should only steal an hour to think； Sometime；
there might be less to be forgiven。
〃No； you are never cruel。 If once or twice I found you so； I could
applaud and sing。 Jealous of What？ You are not very wise。 Does not the
good Book tell you anything？
〃In David's time poor Michal had to go。 Jealous of God？ Well； if you
like it so。〃
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he Old King's New Jester
You that in vain would front the coming order With eyes that meet
forlornly what they must； And only with a furtive recognition See dust
where there is dust； Be sure you like it always in your faces； Obscuring
your best graces； Blinding your speech and sight； Before you seek again
your dusty places Where the old wrong seems right。
Longer ago than cave…men had their changes Our fathers may have
slain a son or two； Discouraging a further dialectic Regarding what was
new； And after their unstudied admonition Occasional contrition For their
old…fashioned ways May have reduced their doubts； and in addition
Softened their final days。
Farther away than feet shall ever travel Are the vague towers of our
unbuilded State； But there are mightier things than we to lead us； That will
not let us wait。 And we go on with none to tell us whether Or not we've
each a tether Determining how fast or far we go； And it is well； since we
must go together； That we are not to know。
If the old wrong and all its injured glamour Haunts you by day and
gives your night no peace； You may as well； agreeably and serenely； Give
the new wrong its lease； For should you nourish a too fervid yearning For
what is not returning； The vicious and unfused ingredient May give you
qualms and one or two concerning The last of your content。
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Lazarus
〃No； Mary； there was nothing not a word。 Nothing； and always
nothing。 Go again Yourself； and he may listen or at least Look up at you；
and let you see his eyes。 I might as well have been the sound of rain； A
wind among the c
