anthology of massachusetts poets-第6章
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A child to call my own。〃
Each night I heard her softly sing
A childish lullaby；
But once； and just before she died；
I heard her cry and cry！
WINIFRED VIRGINIA JACKSON
FALLEN FENCES
THE woods grew dark； black shadows
rocked
And I could scarcely see
My way along the old tote road；
That long had seemed to me
To wind on aimlessly； but now
Came full to life； the rain
Would soon strike down； ahead I saw
A clearing； and a lane
Between gray； fallen fences and
Wide； grayer； grim stone walls；
So grim and gray I shrank from thought
Of weary； aching spalles。
On stony knoll great aspens swayed
And swung in browsing teeth
Of wind； slim； silvered yearlings shook
And shivered underneath。
Beyond； some ancient oak trees bent
And wrangled over roof
Of weatherbeaten house； and barn
Whose sag bespoke no hoof。
And ivy crawled up either end
Of house； to chimney； where
It lashed in futile anger at
The wind wolves of the air。
I thought the house abandoned； and
I ran to get inside；
When suddenly the old front door
was opened and flung wide
And she stood there； with hand on knob；
As I went swiftly in；
Then closed the door most softly on
The storm and shrieking din。
A space I stood and looked at her；
So young； 'twas passing strange
That fifty years or more had gone
And brought no new style's change。
The sweetness； daintiness of her
In starched and dotted gown
Of creamy whiteness； over hoops；
With ruffles winding down！
We had not much to say； and yet
Of words I felt no lack；
Her smiles slipped into dimples； stopped
A moment； then dropped back。
I felt her pride of race； her taste
In silken rug and chair；
And quaintly fashioned furniture
Of patterns old and rare。
On window sill a rose bush stood；
'Twas bringing rose to bud；
One full bloomed there but yesterday；
Dropped petals； red as blood。
Quite soon； she asked to be excused
For just a moment； and
Went out； returning with a tray
In either slender hand。
My glance could not but linger on
Each thin and lovely cup；
〃This came； dear thing； from home！〃 she
sighed
The while she raised it up。
And when the storm was done and I
Arose； reluctantly
To go； she too was loath to have
Me go； it seemed to me。
When I reached old Joe Webber's place；
Upon the Corner Road；
I went into the Upper Field
Where Joe； round…shouldered； hoed
Potatoes； culling them with hoe
And practised； calloused hand；
In rounded piles that brownly glowed
Upon the fresh…turned land。
〃Say； Joe；〃 I said； 〃who is that girl
With beauty's smiling charm；
That lives beyond that hemlock growth；
On that old grown…up farm？〃
Joe listened； while I told him where
I'd been that afternoon；
Then straightened from his hoe； and hummed；
Before he spoke； a tune
〃They cum ter thet old place ter live
Some sixty years ago；
Jest where they cum from； who they ware；
Wy； no one got to know。
〃An' then； one day； he hired Hen's
Red racker an' the gig；
We never heard from him nor could
We track the hoss or rig。
〃Hen waited 'bout a week； an' then
He went ter see the Wife；
He found her in thet settin' room：
She'd taken of her life。
〃An' no one's lived in thet house sence；
Some say 'tis haunted；…but
I ain't no use fer foolishness；
So all I say's tut！ tut！〃
WINIFRED VIRGINIA JACKSON
CROSS…CURRENTS
THEY wrapped my soul in eiderdown；
They placed me warm and snug
In carved chair； set me with care
Upon an old prayer rug。
They cased my feet in golden shoes
That hurt at toe and heel；
My restless feet； with youth all fleet；
Nor asked how they might feel。
And now they wonder where I am；
And search with shrill； cold cry；
But I crouch low where tall reeds grow；
And smile as they pass by！
WINIFRED VIRGINIA JACKSON
THE FAREWELL
WHAT is more beautiful
Than thought； soul…fed；
That I may be the crimson of a rose
When dead？
My soul； so light a joy
And grief will be；
That it will gently press the brown earth down
On me。
WINIFRED VIRGINIA JACKSON
SONG
LET me be great； as stars are great；
Singing of love； not of hate。
Love for sweet and simple things；
Like clouds and sea…shell whisperings；
Cool autumn winds； pale dew…kissed flowers；
Thin coils of smoke and granite towers；
Snow…capped mountain peaks that flash
High above a river's crash；
Shrill songs of birds and children's laughter；
Soft grey shadows trailing after
Sunbeam sprites that seek the woods
And lose themselves in solitudes。
All these I'll love； never hate；
And loving them； I will be great。
OLIVER JENKINS
LOVE AUTUMNAL
MY love will come in autumn…time
When leaves go spinning to the ground
And wistful stars in heaven chime
With the leaves' sound。
Then； we shall walk through dusty lanes
And pause beneath low…hanging boughs；
And there； while soft…hued beauty reigns
We'll make our vows。
Let others seek in spring for sighs
When love flames forth from every seed；
But love that blooms when nature dies
Is love indeed！
OLIVER JENKINS
ECHOS
TRAVELING at dusk the noisy city street；
I listened to the newsboys' strident cries
Of 〃Extra；〃 as with flying feet；
They strove to gain this man or that…their prize。
But one there was with neither shout nor stride；
And； having bought from him； I stood nearby；
Pondering the cruel crutches at his side；
Blaming the crowd's neglect； and wondering why…
When suddenly I heard a gruff voice greet
The cripple with 〃On time to…night？〃
Then； as he handed out the sheet；
The Youngster's answer…〃You're all right。
My other reg'lars are a little late。
They'll find I'm short one paper when they come；
You see； a strange guy bought one in the wait；
I tho't 'twould cheer him up…he looked so glum！〃
So； sheepishly I laughed； and went my way
For I had found a city's heart that day。
RUTH LAMBERT JONES
WAR PICTURES
〃GERMAN Retreat From Arras〃
〃Official Films〃…they came
After 〃Corinne and Her Minstrels〃
Had ministered to fame。
After 〃Corinne and Her Minstrels〃
Had pigeon…toed away；
We saw where bits of churches
And bits of horses lay。
We saw bleak desolation；
We saw no unscathed tree。
We shivered in our comfort
And murmured： 〃Can it be！〃
But later； walking homeward；
Repeating： 〃Is it true？〃
We brushed a khaki shoulder
And asked no more。 We knew！
RUTH LAMBERT JONES
AN OLD SONG
WHEN I was but a young lad；
And that is long ago；
I thought that luck loved every man；
And time his only foe；
And love was like a hawthorn bush
That blossomed every May；
And had but to choose his flower；
For that's the young lad's way。
Oh； youth's a thriftless squanderer；
It's easy come and spent；
And heavy is the going now
Where once the light foot went。
The hawthorn bush puts on its white；
The throstle whistles clear；
But Spring comes once for every man
Just once in all the year。
ARTHUR KETCHUM
ROADSIDE REST
SUCH quiet sleep has come to them！
The Springs and Autumns pass；
Nor do they know if it be snow
Or daisies in the grass。
All day the birches bend to hear
The river's undertone；
Across the hush a fluting thrush
Sings even…song alone。
But down their dream there drifts no sound；
The winds may sob and stir：
On the still breast of Peace they rest
And they are glad of her。
They ask not any giftthey mind
Nor any foot that fares；
Unheededly life passes by…
Such quiet sleep is theirs。
ARTHUR KETCHUM
OLD LIZETTE ON SLEEP
BED is the boon for me！
It's well to bake and sweep；
But hear the word of old Lizette：
It's better than all to sleep。
Summer and flowers are gay；
And morning light and dew；
But aged eyelids love the dark
Where never a light peeps through。
What！open…eyed； my dears？
Thinking your hearts will break。
There's nothing； nothing； nothing； I say；
That's worth the lying awake！
I learned it in my youth…
Love I was dreaming of！
I learned it from the needle…work
That took the place of love。
I learned it from the years
And what they brought about；
》From song； and from the hills of joy
Where sorrow sought me out。
It's good to dream and turn；
And turn and dream； or fall
To comfort with my pack of bones；
And know of nothing at all！
Yes； never know at all！
If prowlers mew or bark；
Nor wonder if it's three o'clock
Or four o'clock of the dark。
When the longer shades have fallen
And the last weariness
Has brought the sweetest gift of life；
The last forgetfulness。
If a sound as of old leaves
Stir the last bed I keep；
Then say； my dears： 〃It's old Lizette…
She's turning in her sleep！〃
AGNES LEE
MOTHERHOOD
MARY； the Christ long slain； passed silently。
Following the children joyously astir
Under the cedrus and the olive tree；
Pausing to let their laughter float to her。
Each voice an echo of a voice more dear；
She saw a little Christ in every face；
When lo； another woman； gliding near；
Yearned o'er the tender life that filled the place。
And Mary sought the woman's hand； and spoke：
〃I know thee not； yet know thy memory tossed
With all a thousand dreams their eyes evoke
Who bring to thee a child beloved and lost。
〃I； too； have rocked my little one；
O； He was fair！
Yea； fairer than the fairest sun；
And like its rays through amber spun
His sun…bright hair。
Still I can see it shine and shine。〃
〃Even so；〃 the woman said；〃was mine。〃
〃His ways were ever darling ways；〃…
And Mary smiled；
〃So soft； so clinging！ Glad relays
Of love were all His precious days。
My little child！
My infinite star！ My music fled！〃
〃Even so was mine；〃 the woman said。
Then whispered Mary： 〃Tell me； thou；
Of thine。〃 And she：
〃O； mine was rosy as a boug
Blooming with roses； sent； somehow；
To bloom for me！
His balmy fingers left a thrill
Within my breast that warms me still。〃
Then gazed she down some wilder； darker
hour；
And said； when Mary questioned； knowing not；
〃Who art thou； mother of so sweet a flower？〃
〃I am the mother of Iscariot。〃
AGNES LEE
ESSEX
I
THY hills are kneeling in the tardy spring；
And wait； in supplication's gentleness；
The certain resurrection that shall bring
A robe of verdure for their nakedness。
Thy perfumed valleys where the twilights dwell；
Thy fields within the sunlight's living coil
Now promise； while the veins of nature swell；
Eternal recompense to human toil。
And when the sunset's final shades depart
The aspiration to completed birth
Is sweet an
