r. f. murray-第11章

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A　SONG　OF　TRUCE



Till　the　tread　of　marching　feet　Through　the　quiet　grass…grown　street　Of　the　little　town　shall　come；　Soldier；　rest　awhile　at　home。

While　the　banners　idly　hang；　While　the　bugles　do　not　clang；　While　is　hushed　the　clamorous　drum；　Soldier；　rest　awhile　at　home。

In　the　breathing…time　of　Death；　While　the　sword　is　in　its　sheath；　While　the　cannon's　mouth　is　dumb；　Soldier；　rest　awhile　at　home。

Not　too　long　the　rest　shall　be。　Soon　enough；　to　Death　and　thee；　The　assembly　call　shall　come。　Soldier；　rest　awhile　at　home。



ONE　TEAR



Last　night；　when　at　parting　Awhile　we　did　stand；　Suddenly　starting；　There　fell　on　my　hand

Something　that　burned　it；　Something　that　shone　In　the　moon　as　I　turned　it；　And　then　it　was　gone。

One　bright　stray　jewel　…　What　made　it　stray？　Was　I　cold　or　cruel；　At　the　close　of　day？

Oh；　do　not　cry；　lass！　What　is　crying　worth？　There　is　no　lass　like　my　lass　In　the　whole　wide　earth。



A　LOVER'S　CONFESSION



When　people　tell　me　they　have　loved　But　once　in　youth；　I　wonder；　are　they　always　moved　To　speak　the　truth？

Not　that　they　wilfully　deceive：　They　fondly　cherish　A　constancy　which　they　would　grieve　To　think　might　perish。

They　cherish　it　until　they　think　‘Twas　always　theirs。　So；　if　the　truth　they　sometimes　blink；　‘Tis　unawares。

Yet　unawares；　I　must　profess；　They　do　deceive　Themselves；　and　those　who　questionless　Their　tale　believe。

For　I　have　loved；　I　freely　own；　A　score　of　times；　And　woven；　out　of　love　alone；　A　hundred　rhymes。

Boys　will　be　fickle。　　Yet；　when　all　Is　said　and　done；　I　was　not　one　whom　you　could　call　A　flirtnot　one

Of　those　who　into　three　or　four　Their　hearts　divide。　My　queens　came　singly　to　the　door；　Not　side　by　side。

Each；　while　she　reigned；　possessed　alone　My　spirit　loyal；　Then　left　an　undisputed　throne　To　one　more　royal；

To　one　more　fair　in　form　and　face　Sweeter　and　stronger；　Who　filled　the　throne　with　truer　grace；　And　filled　it　longer。

So；　love　by　love；　they　came　and　passed；　These　loves　of　mine；　And　each　one　brighter　than　the　last　Their　lights　did　shine。

Untilbut　am　I　not　too　free；　Most　courteous　stranger；　With　secrets　which　belong　to　me？　There　is　a　danger。

Until；　I　say；　the　perfect　love；　The　last；　the　best；　Like　flame　descending　from　above；　Kindled　my　breast；

Kindled　my　breast　like　ardent　flame；　With　quenchless　glow。　I　knew　not　love　until　it　came；　But　now　I　know。

You　smile。　　The　twenty　loves　before　Were　each　in　turn；　You　say；　the　final　flame　that　o'er　My　soul　should　burn。

Smile　on；　my　friend。　　I　will　not　say　You　have　no　reason；　But　if　the　love　I　feel　to…day　Depart；　‘tis　treason！

If　this　depart；　not　once　again　Will　I　on　paper　Declare　the　loves　that　waste　and　wane；　Like　some　poor　taper。

No；　no！　　This　flame；　I　cannot　doubt；　Despite　your　laughter；　Will　burn　till　Death　shall　put　it　out；　And　may　be　after。



TRAFALGAR　SQUARE



These　verses　have　I　pilfered　like　a　bee　Out　of　a　letter　from　my　C。　C。　C。　In　London；　showing　what　befell　him　there；　With　other　things；　of　interest　to　me。

One　page　described　a　night　in　open　air　He　spent　last　summer　in　Trafalgar　Square；　With　men　and　women　who　by　want　are　driven　Thither　for　lodging；　when　the　nights　are　fair。

No　roof　there　is　between　their　heads　and　heaven；　No　warmth　but　what　by　ragged　clothes　is　given；　No　comfort　but　the　company　of　those　Who　with　despair；　like　them；　have　vainly　striven。

On　benches　there　uneasily　they　doze；　Snatching　brief　morsels　of　a　poor　repose；　And　if　through　weariness　they　might　sleep　sound；　Their　eyes　must　open　almost　ere　they　close。

With　even　tramp　upon　the　paven　ground；　Twice　every　hour　the　night　patrol　comes　round　To　clear　these　wretches　off；　who　may　not　keep　The　miserable　couches　they　have　found。

Yet　the　stern　shepherds　of　the　poor　black　sheep　Will　soften　when　they　see　a　woman　weep。　There　was　a　mother　there　who　strove　in　vain；　With　sobs；　to　hush　a　starving　child　to　sleep。

And　through　the　night　which　took　so　long　to　wane；　He　saw　sad　sufferers　relieving　pain；　And　daughters　of　iniquity　and　scorn　Performing　deeds　which　God　will　not　disdain。

There　was　a　girl；　forlorn　of　the　forlorn；　Whose　dress　was　white；　but　draggled；　soiled；　and　torn；　Who　wandered　like　a　ghost　without　a　home。　She　spoke　to　him　before　the　day　was　born。

She；　who　all　night；　when　spoken　to；　was　dumb；　Earning　dislike　from　most；　abuse　from　some；　Now　asked　the　hour；　and　when　he　told　her　‘Two；'　Wailed；　‘O　my　God；　will　daylight　never　come？'

Yes；　it　will　come；　and　change　the　sky　anew　From　star…besprinkled　black　to　sunlit　blue；　And　bring　sweet　thoughts　and　innocent　desires　To　countless　girls。　　What　will　it　bring　to　you？



A　SUMMER　MORNING



Never　was　sun　so　bright　before；　No　matin　of　the　lark　so　sweet；　No　grass　so　green　beneath　my　feet；　Nor　with　such　dewdrops　jewelled　o'er。

I　stand　with　thee　outside　the　door；　The　air　not　yet　is　close　with　heat；　And　far　across　the　yellowing　wheat　The　waves　are　breaking　on　the　shore。

A　lovely　day！　　Yet　many　such；　Each　like　to　each；　this　month　have　passed；　And　none　did　so　supremely　shine。　One　thing　they　lacked：　　the　perfect　touch　Of　theeand　thou　art　come　at　last；　And　half　this　loveliness　is　thine。



WELCOME　HOME



The　fire　burns　bright　And　the　hearth　is　clean　swept；　As　she　likes　it　kept；　And　the　lamp　is　alight。　She　is　coming　to…night。

The　wind's　east　of　late。　When　she　comes；　she'll　be　cold；　So　the　big　chair　is　rolled　Close　up　to　the　grate；　And　I　listen　and　wait。

The　shutters　are　fast；　And　the　red　curtains　hide　Every　hint　of　outside。　But　hark；　how　the　blast　Whistled　then　as　it　passed！

Or　was　it　the　train？　How　long　shall　I　stand；　With　my　watch　in　my　hand；　And　listen　in　vain　For　the　wheels　in　the　lane？

Hark！　　A　rumble　I　hear　（Will　the　wind　not　be　still？）；　And　it　comes　down　the　hill；　And　it　grows　on　the　ear；　And　now　it　is　near。

Quick；　a　fresh　log　to　burn！　Run　and　open　the　door；　Hold　a　lamp　out　before　To　light　up　the　turn；　And　bring　in　the　urn。

You　are　come；　then；　at　last！　O　my　dear；　is　it　you？　I　can　scarce　think　it　true　I　am　holding　you　fast；　And　sorrow　is　past。



AN　INVITATION



Dear　Ritchie；　I　am　waiting　for　the　signal　word　to　fly；　And　tell　me　that　the　visit　which　has　suffered　such　belating　Is　to　be　a　thing　of　now；　and　no　more　of　by…and…by。　Dear　Ritchie；　I　am　waiting。

The　sea　is　at　its　bluest；　and　the　Spring　is　new　creating　The　woods　and　dens　we　know　of；　and　the　fields　rejoicing　lie；　And　the　air　is　soft　as　summer；　and　the　hedge…birds　all　are　mating。

The　Links　are　full　of　larks'　nests；　and　the　larks　possess　the　sky；　Like　a　choir　of　happy　spirits；　melodiously　debating；　All　is　ready　for　your　coming；　dear　Ritchieyes；　and　I；　Dear　Ritchie；　I　am　waiting。



FICKLE　SUMMER



Fickle　Summer's　fled　away；　Shall　we　see　her　face　again？　Hearken　to　the　weeping　rain；　Never　sunbeam　greets　the　day。

More　inconstant　than　the　May；　She　cares　nothing　for　our　pain；　Nor　will　hear　the　birds　complain　In　their　bowers　that　once　were　gay。

Summer；　Summer；　come　once　more；　Drive　the　shadows　from　the　field；　All　thy　radiance　round　thee　fling；　Be　our　lady　as　of　yore；　Then　the　earth　her　fruits　shall　yield；　Then　the　morning　stars　shall　sing。



SORROW'S　TREACHERY



I　made　a　truce　last　night　with　Sorrow；　The　queen　of　tears；　the　foe　of　sleep；　To　keep　her　tents　until　the　morrow；　Nor　send　such　dreams　to　make　me　weep。

Before　the　lusty　day　was　springing；　Before　the　tired　moon　was　set；　I　dreamed　I　heard　my　dead　love　singing；　And　when　I　woke　my　eyes　were　wet。



THE　CROWN　OF　YEARS



Years　grow　and　gathereach　a　gem　Lustrous　with　laughter　and　with　tears；　And　cunning　Time　a　crown　of　years　Contrives　for　her　who　weareth　them。

No　chance　can　snatch　this　diadem；　It　trembles　not　with　hopes　or　fears；　It　shines　before　the　rose　appears；　And　when　the　leaves　forsake　her　stem。

Time　sets　his　jewels　one　by　one。　Then　wherefore　mourn　the　wreaths　that　lie　In　attic　chambers　of　the　past？　They　withered　ere　the　day　was　done。　This　coronal　will　never　die；　Nor　shall　you　lose　it　at　the　last。



HOPE　DEFERRED



When　the　weary　night　is　fled；　And　the　morning　sky　is　red；　Then　my　heart　doth　rise　and　say；　‘Surely　she　will　come　to…day。'

In　the　golden　blaze　of　noon；　‘Surely　she　is　coming　soon。'　In　the　tw