anthology of massachusetts poets-第3章
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And the battleships of Spain。
He crossed the seething ocean；
He dared the death…strewn track；
He charged in the hell of Saint Mihiel
And hurled the tyrant back。
For the voice of the lonely Pilgram
Who knelt upon the strand
A people hears three hundred years
In the conscience of the land。
Daughter of Truth and mother of Courage；
Conscience； all hail！
Heart of New England； strength of the Pilgrims；
Thou shalt prevail。
Look how the empires rise and fall！
Athens robed in her learning and beauty；
Rome in her royal lust for power…
Each has flourished for her little hour；
Risen and fallen and ceased to be。
What of her by the Western Sea；
Born and bred as the child of Duty；
Sternest of them all？
She it is and she alone
Who built on faith as her corner stone；
Of all the nations none but she
Knew that the truth shall make us free。
Daughter of Courage； mother of heros；
Freedom divine。
Light of New England； Star of the Pilgrim；
Still shalt thou shine。
Yet even as we in our pride rejoice；
Hark to the prophet's warning voice：
〃The Pilgrim's thrift is vanished
And the Pilgrim's faith is dead；
And the Pilgrim's God is banished；
And Mammon reigns in his stead；
And work is damned as an evil；
And men and women cry；
In their restless haste； 'Let us spend and waste；
And live； for to…morrow we die。'
〃And law is trampled under；
And the nations stand aghast；
As they hear the distant thunder
Of the storm that marches fast；
And we；whose ocean borders
Shut off the sound and the sight；
We will wait for marching orders；
The world has seen us fight；
We have earned our days of revel；
'On with the dance'！ we cry。
It is pain to think； we will eat and drink！
And live； for to…morrow we die。〃
〃We have laughed in the eyes of danger；
We have given our bravest and best；
We have succored the starving stranger；
Others shall heed the rest。'
And the revel never ceases；
And the nations hold their breath；
And our laughter peals； and the mad world reels；
To a carnival of death。
〃Slaves of sloth and the senses；
Clippers of Freedom's wings；
Come back to the Pilgrim's Army
And fight for the King of Kings；
Come back to the Pilgrim's conscience；
Be born in the nation's birth；
And strive again as simple men
For the freedom of the earth。
Freedom a free…born nation still shall cherish；
Be this our covenant； unchanging； sure：
Earth shall decay； the firmament shall perish；
Freedom and Truth immortal shall endure。〃
Land of our fathers； when the tempest rages；
When the wide earth is racked with war and crime；
Founded forever on the Rock of Ages；
Beaten in vain by surging seas of time；
Even as the shallop on the breakers riding；
Even as the Pilgrim kneeling on the shore；
Firm in thy faith and fortitude abiding；
Hold thou thy children free forever more。
And when we sail as Pilgrims' sons and daughters
The spirit's Mayflower into seas unknown；
Driving across the waste of wintry waters
The voyage every soul shall make alone；
The Pilgrim's faith； the Pilgrim's courage grant us；
Still shines the truth that for the Pilgrim shone。
We are his seed； nor life nor death shall daunt us。
The port is Freedom！ Pilgrim heart； sail on！
LE BARON RUSSELL BRIGGS
THE CROSS…CURRENT
THROUGH twelve stout generations
New England blood I boast；
The stubborn pastures bred them；
The grim； uncordial coast；
Sedate and proud old cities；
Loved well enough by me；
Then how should I be yearning
To scour the earth and sea。
Each of my Yankee forbears
Wed a New England mate：
They dwelt and did and died here；
Nor glimpsed a rosier fate。
My clan endured their kindred；
But foreigners they loathed；
And wandering folk； and minstrels；
And gypsies motley…clothed。
Then why do patches please me；
Fantastic； wild array？
Why have I vagrant fancies
For lads from far away。
My folk were godly Churchmen；
Or paced in Elders' weeds；
But all were grave and pious
And hated heathen creeds。
Then why are Thor and Wotan
To dread forces still？
Why does my heart go questing
For Pan beyond the hill？
My people clutched at freedom。
Though others' wills they chained；
But made the Law and kept it；
And Beauty； they restrained。
Then why am I a rebel
To laws of rule and square？
Why would I dream and dally；
Or； reckless； do and dare？
O righteous； solemn Grandsires；
O dames； correct and mild；
Who bred me of your virtues！
Whence comes this changing child？
The thirteenth generation；
Unlucky number this！
My grandma loved a Pirate；
And all my faults are his！
A gallant； ruffled rover；
With beauty…loving eye；
He swept Colonial waters
Of coarser； bloodier fry。
He waved his hat to danger；
At Law he shook his fist。
Ah； merrily he plundered；
He sang and fought and kissed！
Though none have found his treasure；
And none his part would take；
I bless that thirteenth lady
Who chose him for my sake！
ABBIE FARWELL BROWN
CANDLEMAS
O HEARKEN； all ye little weeds
That lie beneath the snow；
（So low； dear hearts； in poverty so low！）
The sun hath risen for royal deeds；
A valiant wind the vanguard leads；
Now quicken ye； lest unborn seeds
Before ye rise and blow。
O furry living things； adream
On winter's drowsy breast；
（How rest ye there； how softly； safely rest！）
Arise and follow where a gleam
Of wizard gold unbinds the stream；
And all the woodland windings seem
With sweet expectance blest。
My birds； come back！ the hollow sky
Is weary for your note。
（Sweet…throat； come back！ O liquid； mellow
throat！）
Ere May's soft minions hereward fly；
Shame on ye； Laggards； to deny
The brooding breast； the sun…bright eye；
The tawny； shining coat！
ALICE BROWN
SUNRISE ON MANSFIELD MOUNTAIN
O SWIFT forerunners； rosy with the race！
Spirits of dawn； divinely manifest
Behind your blushing banners in the sky；
Daring invaders of Night's tenting…ground；
How do ye strain on forward…bending foot；
Each to be first in heralding of joy！
With silence sandalled； so they weave their way；
And so they stand； with silence panoplied；
Chanting； through mystic symbollings of flame；
Their solemn invocation to the light。
O changeless guardians！ 0 ye wizard first！
What strenuous philter feeds your potency。
That thus ye rest； in sweet wood…hardiness；
Ready to learn of all and utter naught？
What breath may move ye； or what breeze invite
To odorous hot lendings of the heart？
What wind…but all the winds are yet afar；
And e'en the little tricksy zephyr sprites；
That fleet before them； like their elfin locks；
Have lagged in sleep； nor stir nor waken yet
To pluck the robe of patient majesty。
Too still for dreaming； too divine for sleep；
So range the firs； the constant； fearless ones。
Warders of mountain secrets； there they wait；
Each with his cloak about him； breathless； calm。
And yet expectant； as who knows the dawn；
And all night thrills with memory and desire；
Searching in what has been for what shall be：
The marvel of the ne'er familiar day；
Sacred investiture of life renewed；
The chrism of dew； the coronal of flame。
Low in the valley lies the conquered rout
Of man's poor； trivial turmoil； lost and drowned
Under the mist； in gleaming rivers rolled；
Where oozy marsh contends with frothing main。
And rounding all； springs one full； ambient arch；
One great good limpid worldso still； so still！
For no sound echoes from its crystal curve
Save four clear notes； the song of that lone bird
Who； brave but trembling； tries his morning hymn；
And has no heart to finish； for the awe
And wonder of this pearling globe of dawn。
Light； light eternal！ veiling…place of stars！
Light； the revealer of dread beauty's face！
Weaving whereof the hills are lambent clad！
Mighty libation to the Unknown God！
Cup whereat pine…trees slake their giant thirst
And little leaves drink sweet delirium！
Being and breath and potion！ living soul
And all…informing heart of all that lives！
How can we magnify thine awful name
Save by its chanting： Light！ and Light！ and Light！
An exhalation from far sky retreats；
It grows in silence； as 'twere self…create；
Suffusing all the dusky web of night。
But one lone corner it invades not yet；
Where low above a black and rimy crag
Hangs the old moon； thin as a battered shield；
The holy； useless shield of long…past wars；
Dinted and frosty； on the crystal dark。
But lo！ the east；let none forget the east；
Pathway ordained of old where He should tread。
Through some sweet magic common in the skies；
The rosy banners are with saffron tinct；
The saffron grows to gold； the gold is fire；
And led by silence more majestical
Than clash of conquering arms； He comes！ He comes！
He holds His spear benignant； sceptrewise；
And strikes out flame from the adoring hills。
ALICE BROWN
BURNT ARE THE PETALS OF LIFE
BURNT are the petals of life as a rose fallen and
crumbled to dust。
Blackened the heart of the past is； ashes that must
Forever be sifted； more precious than sunbeams that
open the budding to…morrow。
Once was a passion completed；…too perfect； the
Gods have not broken to borrow…
Blackened the heart of the past is； ashes that must
Forever be sifted。 O； loving to…morrow
The rose of the past is； Life…Eternity's dust。
ELSIE PUMPELLY CABOT
FOUR FOUNTAINS AFTER RESPIGHI
FRESH mists of Roman dawn；
For water search the cattle；
Faintlv on damp air sounds the shepherd's horn
Above fountain Giulia's prattle。
Triton； joyous and loud
Of Naiads summons troops；
A frenziedly leaping and mingling crowd；
Dancing； pursuing groups。
At high noon the trumpets peal；
Neptune's chariot passes by；
Trains of sirens； tritons； Trevi's jets heat
Then trumpets' echoes sigh。
Tolling bell and sunset；
Twittering birds and calm；
Medici's fountain； shimmering net；
Into the night brings balm。
JESSICA CARR
CRETONNE TROPICS
THE cretonne in your willow chair
Shows through a zone of rosy air；
A tree of parrots； agate…eyed；
With blue…green crests and plumes of pride
And beaks most formidably curved。
I hear the river； silver…nerved；
To their shrill protests make reply；
And the palm forest stir and sigh。
Curious； the spell that colors cast；
Binding the fancy coweb…fast；
And you would smile if you could know
I like your cretonne parrots so！
But I have seen them sail toward night
Superbly homeward； the last light
Lifting them like a purple sea
Scorned and made use of arrogantly；
And I have heard them cry aloud
》From out a tall palm's emerald cloud；
And I brought home a brilliant feather；
Lost li
