dreams & dust(梦与尘)-第4章
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laughter filled the room。 。 。 。 Voices and faces； shapes beloved；
Babbling lips and kindly eyes； Not ghosts； but friends that lived and
moved 。 。 。 They brought the sun from other skies； They wrought the
magic that dispels The bitterer part of loneliness 。 。 。 And when they
vanished each man dreamed His dream there in the wilderness。 。 。 。 One
heard the chime of Christmas bells； And； staring down a country lane； Saw
bright against the window…pane The firelight beckon warm and red。 。 。 。
And one turned from the waterside Where Thames rolls down his slothful
tide To breast the human sea that beats Through roaring London's battered
streets
And revel in the moods of men。 。 。 。 And one saw all the April hills
Made glad with golden daffodils； And found and kissed his love again。 。 。 。
。 。 。 。 。 。
By all the troubled hearts he cheers In homely ways or by lost trails；
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DREAMS & DUST
By all light shed through all dark years When hope grows sick and
courage quails； We hail him first among his peers； Whether we sorrow；
sing； or feast； He； too； hath known and understood Master of many
moods； high priest Of mirth and lord of cleansing tears！
A POLITICIAN
LEADER no more； be judged of us！ Hailed Chief； and loved； of
yore Youth； and the faith of youth； cry out： Leader and Chief no
more！
We dreamed a Prophet； flushed with faith； Content to toil in pain If
that his sacrifice might be； Somehow； his people's gain。
We saw a vision； and our blood Beat red and hot and strong： 〃Lead
us （we cried） to war against Some foul； embattled wrong！〃
We dreamed a Warrior whose sword Was edged for sham and
shame； We dreamed a Statesman far above The vulgar lust for fame。
We were not cynics； and we dreamed A Man who made no truce
With lies nor ancient privilege Nor old； entrenched abuse。
We dreamed 。 。 。 we dreamed 。 。 。 Youth dreamed a dream！
And even you forgot Yourself； one moment； and dreamed； too Struck；
while your mood was hot！
Struck three or four good blows 。 。 。 and then Turned back to easier
things： The cheap applause； the blatant mob； The praise of underlings！
Praise 。 。 。 praise 。 。 。 was ever man so filled； So avid still； of praise？
So hungry for the crowd's acclaim； The sycophantic phrase？
O you whom Greatness beckoned to 。 。 。 O swollen Littleness Who
turned from Immortality To fawn upon Success！
O blind with love of self； who led Youth's vision to defeat； Bawling
and brawling for rewards； Loud； in the common street！
O you who were so quick to judge Leader； and loved； of yore
Hear now the judgment of our youth： Leader and Chief no more！
THE BAYONET
（1914）
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DREAMS & DUST
THE great guns slay from a league away； the death… bolts fly
unseen； And bellowing hill replies to hill； machine to brute machine；
But still in the end when the long lines bend and the battle hangs in
doubt They take to the steel in the same old way that their fathers
fought it out It is man to man and breast to breast and eye to
bloodshot eye And the reach and twist of the thrusting wrist； as it
was in the days gone by！
Along the shaken hills the guns their drumming thunder roll
But the keen blades thrill with the lust to kill that leaps from the
slayer's soul！
For hand and heart and living steel； one pulse of hate they feel。 Is
your clan afraid of the naked blade？ Does it flinch from the bitter
steel？ Perish your dreams of conquest then； your swollen hopes and
bold； For empire dwells with the stabbing blade； as it did in the days
of old！
THE BUTCHERS AT PRAYER
（1914）
EACH nation as it draws the sword And flings its standard to the
air Petitions piously the Lord Vexing the void abyss with prayer。
O irony too deep for mirth！ O posturing apes that rant； and dare
This antic attitude！ O Earth； With your wild jest of wicked prayer！
I dare not laugh 。 。 。 a rising swell Of laughter breaks in shrieks
somewhere No doubt they relish it in Hell； This cosmic jest of Earth
at prayer！
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DREAMS & DUST
SHADOWS
HAUNTED
（THE GHOST SPEAKS）
A GHOST is the freak of a sick man's brain？ Then why do ye start
and shiver so？ That's the sob and drip of a leaky drain？ But it sounds
like another noise we know！ The heavy drops drummed red and slow；
The drops ran down as slow as fate Do ye hear them still？it was
long ago！ But here in the shadows I wait； I wait！
Spirits there be that pass in peace； Mine passed in a whorl of wrath
and dole； And the hour that your choking breath shall cease I will get
my grip on your naked soul Nor pity may stay nor prayer cajole I
would drag ye whining from Hell's own gate： To me； to me； ye must
pay the toll！ And here in the shadows I wait； I wait！
The dead they are dead； they are out of the way？ And a ghost is the
whim of an ailing mind？ Then why did ye whiten with fear to…day
When ye heard a voice in the calling wind？ Why did ye falter and look
behind At the creeping mists when the hour grew late？ Ye would see
my face were ye stricken blind！ And here in the shadows I wait； I wait！
Drink and forget； make merry and boast； But the boast rings false
and the jest is thin In the hour that I meet ye ghost to ghost； Stripped
of the flesh that ye skulk within； Stripped to the coward soul 'ware of
its sin； Ye shall learn； ye shall learn； whether dead men hate！
Ah； a weary time has the waiting been； But here in the shadows I wait； I
wait！
A NIGHTMARE
LEAGUES before me； leagues behind； Clamor warring wastes of
flood； All the streams of all the worlds Flung together； mad of mood；
Through the canon beats a sound； Regular of interval； Distant；
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DREAMS & DUST
drumming； muffled； dull； Thunderously rhythmical；
Crafts slip by my startled soul Soul that cowers； a thing apart
They are corpuscles of blood！ That's the throbbing of a heart！ God of
terrors！am I mad？ Through my body； mine own soul； Shrunken to
an atom's size； Voyages toward an unguessed goal！
THE MOTHER
THE mother by the gallows…tree； The gallows…tree； the gall
