songs of travel-第2章
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On wings they are carried …
After the singer is dead
And the maker buried。
Low as the singer lies
In the field of heather；
Songs of his fashion bring
The swains together。
And when the west is red
With the sunset embers；
The lover lingers and sings
And the maid remembers。
XV
IN the highlands； in the country places；
Where the old plain men have rosy faces；
And the young fair maidens
Quiet eyes；
Where essential silence cheers and blesses；
And for ever in the hill…recesses
Her more lovely music
Broods and dies。
O to mount again where erst I haunted；
Where the old red hills are bird…enchanted；
And the low green meadows
Bright with sward；
And when even dies； the million…tinted；
And the night has come； and planets glinted；
Lo； the valley hollow
Lamp…bestarred！
O to dream； O to awake and wander
There； and with delight to take and render；
Through the trance of silence；
Quiet breath；
Lo！ for there； among the flowers and grasses；
Only the mightier movement sounds and passes；
Only winds and rivers；
Life and death。
XVI （To the tune of Wandering Willie）
HOME no more home to me； whither must I wander？
Hunger my driver； I go where I must。
Cold blows the winter wind over hill and heather；
Thick drives the rain； and my roof is in the dust。
Loved of wise men was the shade of my roof…tree。
The true word of welcome was spoken in the door …
Dear days of old； with the faces in the firelight；
Kind folks of old； you come again no more。
Home was home then； my dear； full of kindly faces；
Home was home then； my dear； happy for the child。
Fire and the windows bright glittered on the moorland；
Song； tuneful song； built a palace in the wild。
Now； when day dawns on the brow of the moorland；
Lone stands the house； and the chimney…stone is cold。
Lone let it stand； now the friends are all departed；
The kind hearts； the true hearts； that loved the place of old。
Spring shall come； come again； calling up the moorfowl；
Spring shall bring the sun and rain； bring the bees and
flowers；
Red shall the heather bloom over hill and valley；
Soft flow the stream through the even…flowing hours；
Fair the day shine as it shone on my childhood …
Fair shine the day on the house with open door；
Birds come and cry there and twitter in the chimney …
But I go for ever and come again no more。
XVII … WINTER
IN rigorous hours； when down the iron lane
The redbreast looks in vain
For hips and haws；
Lo； shining flowers upon my window…pane
The silver pencil of the winter draws。
When all the snowy hill
And the bare woods are still；
When snipes are silent in the frozen bogs；
And all the garden garth is whelmed in mire；
Lo； by the hearth； the laughter of the logs …
More fair than roses； lo； the flowers of fire！
Saranac Lake。
XVIII
THE stormy evening closes now in vain；
Loud wails the wind and beats the driving rain；
While here in sheltered house
With fire…ypainted walls；
I hear the wind abroad；
I hark the calling squalls …
'Blow； blow；' I cry； 'you burst your cheeks in vain！
Blow； blow；' I cry； 'my love is home again！'
Yon ship you chase perchance but yesternight
Bore still the precious freight of my delight；
That here in sheltered house
With fire…ypainted walls；
Now hears the wind abroad；
Now harks the calling squalls。
'Blow； blow；' I cry； 'in vain you rouse the sea；
My rescued sailor shares the fire with me！'
XIX … TO DR。 HAKE （On receiving a Copy of Verses）
IN the beloved hour that ushers day；
In the pure dew； under the breaking grey；
One bird； ere yet the woodland quires awake；
With brief reveille summons all the brake：
Chirp； chirp； it goes； nor waits an answer long；
And that small signal fills the grove with song。
Thus on my pipe I breathed a strain or two；
It scarce was music； but 'twas all I knew。
It was not music； for I lacked the art；
Yet what but frozen music filled my heart？
Chirp； chirp； I went； nor hoped a nobler strain；
But Heaven decreed I should not pipe in vain；
For； lo！ not far from there； in secret dale；
All silent； sat an ancient nightingale。
My sparrow notes he heard； thereat awoke；
And with a tide of song his silence broke。
XX … TO …
I KNEW thee strong and quiet like the hills；
I knew thee apt to pity； brave to endure；
In peace or war a Roman full equipt；
And just I knew thee； like the fabled kings
Who by the loud sea…shore gave judgment forth；
From dawn to eve； bearded and few of words。
What； what； was I to honour thee？ A child；
A youth in ardour but a child in strength；
Who after virtue's golden chariot…wheels
Runs ever panting； nor attains the goal。
So thought I； and was sorrowful at heart。
Since then my steps have visited that flood
Along whose shore the numerous footfalls cease；
The voices and the tears of life expire。
Thither the prints go down； the hero's way
Trod large upon the sand； the trembling maid's：
Nimrod that wound his trumpet in the wood；
And the poor； dreaming child； hunter of flowers；
That here his hunting closes with the great：
So one and all go down； nor aught returns。
For thee； for us； the sacred river waits；
For me； the unworthy； thee； the perfect friend；
There Blame desists； there his unfaltering dogs
He from the chase recalls； and homeward rides；
Yet Praise and Love pass over and go in。
So when； beside that margin； I discard
My more than mortal weakness； and with thee
Through that still land unfearing I advance：
If then at all we keep the touch of joy
Thou shalt rejoice to find me altered … I；
O Felix； to behold thee still unchanged。
XXI
THE morning drum…call on my eager ear
Thrills unforgotten yet； the morning dew
Lies yet undried along my field of noon。
But now I pause at whiles in what I do；
And count the bell； and tremble lest I hear
（My work untrimmed） the sunset gun too soon。
XXII
I HAVE trod the upward and the downward slope；
I have endured and done in days before；
I have longed for all； and bid farewell to hope；
And I have lived and loved； and closed the door。
XXIII
HE hears with gladdened heart the thunder
Peal； and loves the falling dew；
He knows the earth above and under …
Sits and is content to view。
He sits beside the dying ember；
God for hope and man for friend；
Content to see； glad to remember；
Expectant of the certain end。
XXIV
FAREWELL； fair day and fading light！
The clay…born here； with westward sight；
Marks the huge sun now downward soar。
Farewell。 We twain shall meet no more。
Farewell。 I watch with bursting sigh
My late contemned occasion die。
I linger useless in my tent：
Farewell； fair day； so foully spent！
Farewell； fair day。 If any God
At all consider this poor clod；
He who the fair occasion sent
Prepared and placed the impediment。
Let him diviner vengeance take …
Give me to sleep； give me to wake
Girded and shod； and bid me play
The hero in the coming day！
XXV … IF THIS WERE FAITH
GOD； if this were enough；
That I see things bare to the buff
And up to the buttocks in mire；
That I ask nor hope nor hire；
Nut in the husk；
Nor dawn beyond the dusk；
Nor life beyond death：
God； if this were faith？
Having felt thy wind in my face
Spit sorrow and disgrace；
Having seen thine evil doom
In Golgotha and Khartoum；
And the brutes； the work of thine hands；
Fill with injustice lands
And stain with blood the sea：
If still in my veins the glee
Of the black night and the sun
And the lost battle； run：
If； an adept；
The iniquitous lists I still accept
With joy； and joy to endure and be withstood；
And still to battle and perish for a dream of good：
God； if that were enough？
If to feel； in the ink of the slough；
And the sink of the mire；
Veins of glory and fire
Run through and transpierce and transpire；
And a secret purpose of glory in every part；
And the answering glory of battle fill my heart；
To thrill with the joy of girded men
To go on for ever and fail and go on again；
And be mauled to the earth and arise；
And contend for the shade of a word and a thing not seen with
the eyes：
With the half of a broken hope for a pillow at night
That somehow the right is the right
And the smooth shall bloom from the rough：
Lord； if that were enough？
XXVI … MY WIFE
TRUSTY； dusky； vivid； true；
With eyes of gold and bramble…dew；
Steel…true and blade…straight；
The great artificer
Made my mate。
Honour； anger； valour； fire；
A love that life could never tire；
Death quench or evil stir；
The mighty master
Gave to her。
Teacher； tender； comrade； wife；
A fellow…farer true through life；
Heart…whole and soul…free
The august father
Gave to me。
XXVII … TO THE MUSE
RESIGN the rhapsody； the dream；
To men of larger reach；
Be ours the quest of a plain theme；
The piety of speech。
As monkish scribes from morning break
Toiled till the close of light；
Nor thought a day too long to make
One line or letter bright：
We also with an ardent mind；
Time； wealth； and fame forgot；
Our glory in our patience find
And skim； and skim the pot：
Till last； when round the house we hear
The evensong of birds；
One corner of blue heaven appear
In our clear well of words。
Leave； leave it then； muse of my heart！
Sans finish and sans frame；
Leave unadorned by needless art
The picture as it came。
XXVIII … TO AN ISLAND PRINCESS
SINCE long ago； a child at home；
I read and longed to rise and roam；
Where'er I went； whate'er I willed；
One promised land my fancy filled。
Hence the long roads my home I made；
Tossed much in ships； have often laid
Below the uncurtained sky my head；
Rain…deluged and wind…buffeted：
And many a thousand hills I crossed
And corners turned … Love's labour lost；
Till； Lady； to your isle of sun
I came； not hoping； and； like one
Snatched out of blindness； rubbed my eyes；
And hailed my promised land with cries。
Yes； Lady； here I was at last；
Here found I all I had forecast：
The long roll of the sapphire sea
That keeps the land's virginity；
The stalwart giants of the wood
Laden with toys and flowers and food；
The precious forest pouring out
To compass the whole town about；
The town itself with streets of lawn；
Loved of the moon； blessed by the dawn；
Where the brown children all the day
Keep up a ceaseless noise of play；
Play in the sun； play in the rain；
Nor ever quarrel or complain； …
And late at night； in the woods of fruit；
Hark！ do you hear the passing flute？
I threw one look to either hand；
And knew I was in Fairyland。
And
