an anthology of australian verse-第11章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
Oh; grim Perturber of our works and ways
Oh; potent Dread; unseen; yet ever nigh us;
Disquieting all the tenor of our days
Oh; Dark Companion; Death; whose wide embraces
O'ertake remotest change of clime and skies
Oh; Dark Companion; Death; whose grievous traces
Are scattered shreds of riven enterprise
Thou; too; in this wise; when; our eyes unsealing;
The clearer day shall change our faith to sight;
Shalt show thyself; in that supreme revealing;
No Dark Companion; but a thing of light。
No ruthless wrecker of harmonious order;
No alien heart of discord and caprice;
A beckoning light upon the Blissful Border;
A kindred element of law and peace。
So; too; our strange unrest in this our dwelling;
The trembling that thou joinest with our mirth;
Are but thy magnet…communings compelling
Our spirits farther from the scope of earth。
So; doubtless; when beneath thy potence swerving;
'Tis that thou lead'st us by a path unknown;
Our seeming deviations all subserving
The perfect orbit round the central throne。
。 。 。 。 。
The night wind moans。 The Austral wilds are round me。
The loved who live ah; God! how few they are!
I looked above; and heaven in mercy found me
This parable of comfort in a star。
Day
Linger; oh Sun; for a little; nor close yet this day of a million!
Is there not glory enough in the rose…curtained halls of the West?
Hast thou no joy in the passion…hued folds of thy kingly pavilion?
Why shouldst thou only pass through it? Oh rest thee a little while; rest!
Why should the Night come and take it; the wan Night that cannot enjoy it;
Bringing pale argent for golden; and changing vermilion to grey?
Why should the Night come and shadow it; entering but to destroy it?
Rest 'mid thy ruby…trailed splendours! Oh stay thee a little while; stay!
Rest thee at least a brief hour in it! 'Tis a right royal pavilion。
Lo; there are thrones for high dalliance all gloriously canopied o'er!
Lo; there are hangings of purple; and hangings of blue and vermilion;
And there are fleeces of gold for thy feet on the diapered floor!
Linger; a little while linger。 To…morrow my heart may not sing to thee:
This shall be Yesterday; numbered with memories; folded away。
Now should my flesh…fettered soul be set free! I would soar to thee;
cling to thee;
And be thy rere…ward Aurora; pursuing the skirts of To…day!
Night
Hark how the tremulous night…wind is passing in joy…laden sighs;
Soft through my window it comes; like the fanning of pinions angelic;
Whispering to cease from myself; and look out on the infinite skies。
Out on the orb…studded night; and the crescent effulgence of Dian;
Out on the far…gleaming star…dust that marks where the angels have trod;
Out on the gem…pointed Cross; and the glittering pomp of Orion;
Flaming in measureless azure; the coronal jewels of God;
Luminous streams of delight in the silent immensity flowing;
Journeying surgelessly on through impalpable ethers of peace。
How can I think of myself when infinitude o'er me is glowing;
Glowing with tokens of love from the land where my sorrows shall cease?
Oh; summer…night of the South! Oh; sweet languor of zephyrs love…sighing!
Oh; mighty circuit of shadowy solitude; holy and still!
Music scarce audible; echo…less harmony joyously dying;
Dying in faint suspirations o'er meadow; and forest; and hill!
I must go forth and be part of it; part of the night and its gladness。
But a few steps; and I pause on the marge of the shining lagoon。
Here then; at length; I have rest; and I lay down my burden of sadness;
Kneeling alone 'neath the stars and the silvery arc of the moon。
Thomas Bracken。
Not Understood
Not understood; we move along asunder;
Our paths grow wider as the seasons creep
Along the years; we marvel and we wonder
Why life is life; and then we fall asleep
Not understood。
Not understood; we gather false impressions
And hug them closer as the years go by;
Till virtues often seem to us transgressions;
And thus men rise and fall; and live and die
Not understood。
Not understood! Poor souls with stunted vision
Oft measure giants with their narrow gauge;
The poisoned shafts of falsehood and derision
Are oft impelled 'gainst those who mould the age;
Not understood。
Not understood! The secret springs of action
Which lie beneath the surface and the show;
Are disregarded; with self…satisfaction
We judge our neighbours; and they often go
Not understood。
Not understood! How trifles often change us!
The thoughtless sentence and the fancied slight
Destroy long years of friendship; and estrange us;
And on our souls there falls a freezing blight;
Not understood。
Not understood! How many breasts are aching
For lack of sympathy! Ah! day by day
How many cheerless; lonely hearts are breaking!
How many noble spirits pass away;
Not understood。
O God! that men would see a little clearer;
Or judge less harshly where they cannot see!
O God! that men would draw a little nearer
To one another; they'd be nearer Thee;
And understood。
Spirit of Song
Where is thy dwelling…place? Echo of sweetness;
Seraph of tenderness; where is thy home?
Angel of happiness; herald of fleetness;
Thou hast the key of the star…blazon'd dome。
Where lays that never end
Up to God's throne ascend;
And our fond heart…wishes lovingly throng;
Soaring with thee above;
Bearer of truth and love;
Teacher of heaven's tongue Spirit of Song!
Euphony; born in the realms of the tearless;
Mingling thy notes with the voices of Earth;
Wanting thee; all would be dreary and cheerless;
Weaver of harmony; giver of mirth。
Comfort of child and sage;
With us in youth and age;
Soothing the weak and inspiring the strong;
Illuming the blackest night;
Making the day more bright;
Oh! thou art dear to us; Spirit of Song!
Oft in the springtime; sweet words of affection
Are whispered by thee in thy tenderest tone;
And in the winter dark clouds of dejection
By thee are dispelled till all sorrow has flown。
Thou'rt with the zephyrs low;
And with the brooklet's flow;
And with the feathered choir all the year long;
Happy each child of thine;
Blest with thy gifts divine;
Charming our senses; sweet Spirit of Song!
Ada Cambridge。
What of the Night?
To you; who look below;
Where little candles glow
Who listen in a narrow street;
Confused with noise of passing feet
To you 'tis wild and dark;
No light; no guide; no ark;
For travellers lost on moor and lea;
And ship…wrecked mariners at sea。
But they who stand apart;
With hushed but wakeful heart
They hear the lulling of the gale;
And see the dawn…rise faint and pale。
A dawn whereto they grope
In trembling faith and hope;
If haply; brightening; it may cast
A gleam on path and goal at last。
Good…bye
Good…bye! 'tis like a churchyard bell good…bye!
Poor weeping eyes! Poor head; bowed down with woe!
Kiss me again; dear love; before you go。
Ah; me; how fast the precious moments fly!
Good…bye! Good…bye!
We are like mourners when they stand and cry
At open grave in wintry wind and rain。
Yes; it is death。 But you shall rise again
Your sun return to this benighted sky。
Good…bye! Good…bye!
The great physician; Time; shall pacify
This parting anguish with another friend。
Your heart is broken now; but it will mend。
Though it is death; yet still you will not die。
Good…bye! Good…bye!
Dear heart! dear eyes! dear tongue; that cannot lie!
Yo