anthology of massachusetts poets-第2章
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And seen from the hill。
II。
AGE
Why did I build my cottage on a hill
Facing the sea？
Why did I plan each terraced lawn to slope
Down to the deep blue billowy breast of hope；
Surging and sweeping；
laughing and leaping；
Tumbling its garments of foam upon the shore；
Rustling the sands that know my step no more；
I should have found a valley； deep and still；
To shelter me。
There flows the river； and it seems asleep
So far away；
Yet I remember whip of wave and roar
Of wind that rose and smote against the oar；
Smote and retreated；
Proud but defeated；
While I rejoiced and rowed into the brine；
Drawing on wet and heavy …straining line
The great cod quivering from the deep
As counterplay。
What is the solace of these hills and vales
That rise and fall？
What is there glorious in the greenwood glen；
Or twittering thrush or wing of darting wren？
Give me the gusty；
Raucous and rusty
Call of the sea gull in the echoing sky；
The wild shriek of the winds that cannot die；
Give me the life that follows the bending sails；
Or none at all！
ERNEST BENSHIMOL
A BANQUET
ONE MEMORY FROM SOCRATES
AFTER the song the love； and after the love the play；
Flute girl and pretty boy blowing
Bubbles of sparkling
Wine into darkling
Beards of a former austerity； stern even now； but
Fast growing
Foolish； with less of a stately
Reserve that held them sedately。
Oh Zeus； what a sight！ With the wine dripping off it；
The grin of an ass on a bald…pated prophet。
After the feast the night； and after the night the day；
Fool and philosopher stirring
With the day dawning；
Stretching and yawning；
While in each wine…throbbing； desolated brain is the
Wheeling and whirring
Of thousands of bats； that the slaking
Of throats will not hinder from aching；
No wine for the brow that is beating to bursting；
But water at morning is quench for the thirsting！
ERNEST BENSHIMOL
SONG
OUT of one heart the birds and I together；
Earth hushed in twilight；
Low through the live…oaks hung heavy with silver；
Gemmed with the sky…light；
Under the great wet star
Shaking with light； we jar
Lute…voiced the silence with intervaled music。
While under the margined world the slow sun
lingers；
Flaming earth's portal；
Over the lilac dusk spreads his great fingers…
Earth is immortal！
While the frail beauty dies。
Dream in the dreamer's eyes；
All the good gladness turns praise for the singers。
Hark； 'tis the breath of life！ Hush！ and I need it；
Northern； gigantic；…
Questing the silences； herding the sudden foam
Down the Atlantic；
Leaves from the autumn's store
Shrill at my desert door；
They and I out of one heart that is grieving。
GEORGE CABOT LODGE
THE WORLDS
I SAW an idler on a summer day
Piping with Iris by a dancing brook；
And all his world was rife with Pleasures gay；
And languid Follies smiled from every nook。
I saw an artist in a world of dreams；
His rainbow rising from his radiant task；
To throw its magic prism beams
O'er Fancy's changeful masque and counter…
masque。
I saw Toilstooping underneath a world
Whereon his foster…brothers lighter tread；
His skyward pinions ever closer furled
Before the grim necessity of bread！
I saw a sinner working hard to be
Worthy his death…wage from the mint of time；
I saw a sailor； unto whom the sea
Was hearth and hope and love and wedding…
chime。
I saw a mother living in her child
I saw a saint among his fellow men
Brave soldiery before my eyes defiled
And solemn…hearted scholarsSudden then
I cried： 〃The stars are no less neighborly
In their ethereal remoteness swung；
Than these near human orbits wherein we
Live out our lives and speak our chosen tongue！
〃Love seek through allless there be one
Least soul unlit within the night
And over all； the selfsame sun
Give each creation light！〃
MARTHA GILBERT DICKINSON BIANCHI
THE RIOT
YOU may think my life is quiet。
I find it full of change；
An ever…varied diet；
As piquant as 'tis strange。
Wild thoughts are always flying；
Like sparks across my brain；
Now flashing out； now dying；
To kindle soon again。
Fine fancies set me thrilling；
And subtle monsters creep
Before my sight unwilling：
They even haunt my sleep。
One broad； perpetual riot
Enfolds me night and day。
You think my life is quiet？
You don't know what you say。
GAMALIEL BRADFORD
HUNGER
I'VE been a hopeless sinner； but I understand a
saint；
Their bend of weary knees and their con…
tortions long and faint；
And the endless pricks of conscience； like a hundred
thousand pins；
A real perpetual penance for imaginary sins。
I love to wander widely； but I understand a cell；
Where you tell and tell your beads because you've
nothing else to tell；
Where the crimson joy of flesh； with all its wild
fantastic tricks；
Is forgotten in the blinding glory of the crucifix。
I cannot speak for others； but my inmost soul is
torn
With a battle of desires making all my life forlorn。
There are moments when I would untread the paths
that I have trod。
I'm a haunter of the devil； but I hunger after God。
GAMALIEL BRADFORD
EXIT GOD
Of old our father's God was real；
Something they almost saw；
Which kept them to a stern ideal
And scourged them into awe。
They walked the narrow path of right
Most vigilantly well；
Because they feared eternal night
And boiling depths of Hell。
Now Hell has wholly boiled away
And God become a shade。
There is no place for him to stay
In all the world He made。
The followers of William James
Still let the Lord exist；
And call Him by imposing names；
A venerable list。
But nerve and muscle only count；
Gray matter of the brain；
And an astonishing amount
Of inconvenient pain。
I sometimes wish that God were back
In this dark world and wide；
For though sonic virtues He might lack；
He had his pleasant side。
GAMALIEL BRADFORD
ROUSSEAU
THAT odd； fantastic ass； Rousseau；
Declared himself unique。
How men persist in doing so；
Puzzles me more than Greek。
The sins that tarnish whore and thief
Beset me every day。
My most ethereal belief
Inhabits common clay。
GAMALIEL BRADFORD
JOHN MASEFIELD
I
MASEFIELD （HIMSELF）
GOD said； and frowned； as He looked on
Shropshire clay：
〃Alone； 'twont do； composite； would I make
This man…child rare； 'twere well； methinks； to take
A handful from the Stratford tomb； and weigh
A few of Shelley's ashes； Bunyan may
Contribute； too； and； for my sweet Son's sake；
I'll visit Avalon； then； let me slake
The whole with Wyclif…water from the Bay。
A sailor； he！ Too godly； though； I fear；
Offset it with tobacco！ Next； I'll find
Hedge…roses； star…dust； and a vagrant's mind；
His mother's heart now let me breathe upon；
When west winds blow； I'll whisper in her ear：
〃Apocalypse awaits him； call him John！〃
II
HIS PORTRAIT
A Man of Sorrows！ with such haunted eyes；
I trow； the Master looked across the lake；
Looked from the Judas…heart； so soon to make
Of Him the world's historic sacrifice；
Moreover； as I gaze； do more arise；
Great souls； great pallid ghosts of pain； who wake
And wander yet； all； weary men who brake
Their hearts； all hemlock…drunk； with growing
wise：
Hudson adrift； Defoe； the Wandering Jew；
Tannhauser； Faust； Andrea； phantoms； all；
In Masefield's eyes you lodge； and to the wall
I turn you；hand a…tremble；lest you make
Of mine own stricken eyes a mirror； too。
Wherein the sad world's sadder for your sake。
III
HIS 〃DAUBER〃
O Masefield's 〃Dauber！〃 You； who being dead；
Yet speak： heroic； dauntless； flaming soul；
Too suddenly snuffed out！ Here take fresh toll
Of cognizance； and； in your ocean bed；
Serenely rest； assured that who has read
What you would fain have pictured of the Pole
Would gladly match your part against the whole
Of many a modern artist； Paris…bred。
And more than this： if you； indeed； are his；
Then； by a dual truth； he； too； is yours；
For； marked and credited by what endures；
Were it the only thing； which bears his name；
（O deathless Soul； I speak you true in this！）
〃The Dauber〃 has brought Masefield to his fame。
IV
HIS 〃GALLIPOLI〃
〃Small wonder；〃 speaks my pensive self； 〃that he
Whose passion 'tis to sing of men who fail；
（Belabored； broken by The Unseen Flail）
Small wonder that be makes Gallipoli
His fervent text； for could there be
A costlier failure in Earth's shuddering tale？
Think of heroic Sulva's bloody swale；
Of Anzac's tortured thirst and agony！〃
But as I read； protesting voices cry： 〃Not we；
Not we； who fell among the daffodils；
Who conquered Death among those blistered hills；
And found our glory after mortal pain；
Not we； who failed and lost Gallipoli；
The sad； strange failure theirs who mourn in vain！〃
V
HIS MEAD
So； Masefield； have your royal words once more
Called forth the praise of men； where praise is due；
Your great elegiac； tragically true；
Must leave all Britain prouder than before；
And； in spite of all that breaking hearts deplore；
And all that anguished consciences must rue；
One arrowed gladness surely pierces through
》From London's centre to Canadian shore：
When England； sobbing； mourns Gallipoli；
When warm tears flow for Rupert Brooke
And all the splendid Youth her error took
As hostage from the fields of daffodils；
Let this a present； living solace be：
You are not sleeping in those cruel hills！
AMY BRIDGEMAN
1620…1920
BEFORE him rolls the dark； relentless ocean；
Behind him stretch the cold and barren sands；
Wrapt in the mantle of his deep devotion
The Pilgrim kneels； and clasps his lifted hands；
〃God of our fathers； who hast safely brought us
Through seas and sorrows； famine； fire； and
sword；
Who； in Thy mercies manifold hast taught us
To trust in Thee； our leader and our Lord；
〃God； who hast send Thy truth to shine before us；
A fiery pillar； beaconing on the sea；
God； who hast spread thy wings of mercy o'er us；
God； who hast set our children's children free；
〃Freedom Thy new…born nation here shall cherish；
Grant us Thy covenant； changing； sure：
Earth shall decay； the firmament shall perish；
Freedom and Truth； immortal shall endure。〃
Face to the Indian arrows。
Face to the Prussian guns；
》From then till now the Pilgrim's vow
Has held the Pilgrim's sons。
He braved the red man's ambush；
He loosed the black man's chain；
His spirit broke King George's yoke
And the battleships of Spain。
He crossed the seething ocean；
He dared the death…strewn
