helen of troy and other poems-第3节
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I should kneel down and kiss the blades of grass；
And I should call the birds with such a voice；
With such a longing； tremulous and keen；
That they would fly to me and on the breast
Bear evermore to tree…tops and to fields
The kiss I gave them。 Sappho； tell me this；
Was I not sometimes fair？ My eyes； my mouth；
My hair that loved the wind； were they not worth
The breath of love upon them？ Yet he passed；
And he will pass to…night when all the air
Is blue with twilight； but I shall not see。
I shall have gone forever。 Hold my hands；
Hold fast that Death may never come between；
Swear by the gods you will not let me go；
Make songs for Death as you would sing to Love
But you will not assuage him。 He alone
Of all the gods will take no gifts from men。
I am afraid； afraid。
Sappho； lean down。
Last night the fever gave a dream to me；
It takes my life and gives a little dream。
I thought I saw him stand； the man I love；
Here in my quiet chamber； with his eyes
Fixed on me as I entered； while he drew
Silently toward me he who night by night
Goes by my door without a thought of me
Neared me and put his hand behind my head；
And leaning toward me； kissed me on the mouth。
That was a little dream for Death to give；
Too short to take the whole of life for； yet
I woke with lips made quiet by a kiss。
The dream is worth the dying。 Do not smile
So sadly on me with your shining eyes；
You who can set your sorrow to a song
And ease your hurt by singing。 But to me
My songs are less than sea…sand that the wind
Drives stinging over me and bears away。
I have no care what place the grains may fall；
Nor of my songs； if Time shall blow them back；
As land…wind breaks the lines of dying foam
Along the bright wet beaches； scattering
The flakes once more against the laboring sea；
Into oblivion。 What care have I
To please Apollo since Love hearkens not？
Your words will live forever； men will say
〃She was the perfect lover〃 I shall die；
I loved too much to live。 Go Sappho； go
I hate your hands that beat so full of life；
Go； lest my hatred hurt you。 I shall die；
But you will live to love and love again。
He might have loved some other spring than this；
I should have kept my life I let it go。
He would not love me now tho' Cypris bound
Her girdle round me。 I am Death's； not Love's。
Go from me； Sappho； back to find the sun。
I am alone； alone。 O Cyprian 。 。 。
Love Songs
Song
You bound strong sandals on my feet；
You gave me bread and wine；
And bade me out； 'neath sun and stars；
For all the world was mine。
Oh take the sandals off my feet；
You know not what you do；
For all my world is in your arms；
My sun and stars are you。
The Rose and the Bee
If I were a bee and you were a rose；
Would you let me in when the gray wind blows？
Would you hold your petals wide apart；
Would you let me in to find your heart；
If you were a rose？
〃If I were a rose and you were a bee；
You should never go when you came to me；
I should hold my love on my heart at last；
I should close my leaves and keep you fast；
If you were a bee。〃
The Song Maker
I made a hundred little songs
That told the joy and pain of love；
And sang them blithely； tho' I knew
No whit thereof。
I was a weaver deaf and blind；
A miracle was wrought for me；
But I have lost my skill to weave
Since I can see。
For while I sang ah swift and strange！
Love passed and touched me on the brow；
And I who made so many songs
Am silent now。
Wild Asters
In the spring I asked the daisies
If his words were true；
And the clever little daisies
Always knew。
Now the fields are brown and barren；
Bitter autumn blows；
And of all the stupid asters
Not one knows。
When Love Goes
I
O mother； I am sick of love；
I cannot laugh nor lift my head；
My bitter dreams have broken me；
I would my love were dead。
〃Drink of the draught I brew for thee；
Thou shalt have quiet in its stead。〃
II
Where is the silver in the rain；
Where is the music in the sea；
Where is the bird that sang all day
To break my heart with melody？
〃The night thou badst Love fly away；
He hid them all from thee。〃
The Wayfarer
Love entered in my heart one day；
A sad； unwelcome guest；
But when he begged that he might stay；
I let him wait and rest。
He broke my sleep with sorrowing；
And shook my dreams with tears；
And when my heart was fain to sing；
He stilled its joy with fears。
But now that he has gone his way；
I miss the old sweet pain；
And sometimes in the night I pray
That he may come again。
The Princess in the Tower
I
The Princess sings：
I am the princess up in the tower
And I dream the whole day thro'
Of a knight who shall come with a silver spear
And a waving plume of blue。
I am the princess up in the tower；
And I dream my dreams by day；
But sometimes I wake； and my eyes are wet；
When the dusk is deep and gray。
For the peasant lovers go by beneath；
I hear them laugh and kiss；
And I forget my day…dream knight；
And long for a love like this。
II
The Minstrel sings：
I lie beside the princess' tower；
So close she cannot see my face；
And watch her dreaming all day long；
And bending with a lily's grace。
Her cheeks are paler than the moon
That sails along a sunny sky；
And yet her silent mouth is red
Where tender words and kisses lie。
I am a minstrel with a harp；
For love of her my songs are sweet；
And yet I dare not lift the voice
That lies so far beneath her feet。
III
The Knight sings：
O princess cease your dreams awhile
And look adown your tower's gray side
The princess gazes far away；
Nor hears nor heeds the words I cried。
Perchance my heart was overbold；
God made her dreams too pure to break；
She sees the angels in the air
Fly to and fro for Mary's sake。
Farewell； I mount and go my way；
But oh her hair the sun sifts thro'
The tilts and tourneys wait my spear；
I am the Knight of the Plume of Blue。
When Love Was Born
When Love was born I think he lay
Right warm on Venus' breast；
And whiles he smiled and whiles would play
And whiles would take his rest。
But always； folded out of sight；
The wings were growing strong
That were to bear him off in flight
Erelong； erelong。
The Shrine
There is no lord within my heart；
Left silent as an empty shrine
Where rose and myrtle intertwine；
Within a place apart。
No god is there of carven stone
To watch with still approving eyes
My thoughts like steady incense rise；
I dream and weep alone。
But if I keep my altar fair；
Some morning I shall lift my head
From roses deftly garlanded
To find the god is there。
The Blind
The birds are all a…building；
They say the world's a…flower；
And still I linger lonely
Within a barren bower。
I weave a web of fancies
Of tears and darkness spun。
How shall I sing of sunlight
Who never saw the sun？
I hear the pipes a…blowing；
But yet I may not dance；
I know that Love is passing；
I cannot catch his glance。
And if his voice should call me
And I with groping dim
Should reach his place of calling
And stretch my arms to him；
The wind would blow between my hands
For Joy that I shall miss；
The rain would fall upon my mouth
That his will never kiss。
Love Me
Brown…thrush singing all day long
In the leaves above me；
Take my love this little song；
〃Love me； love me； love me！〃
When he harkens what you say；
Bid him； lest he miss me；
Leave his work or leave his play；
And kiss me； kiss me； kiss me！
The Song for Colin
I sang a song at dusking time
Beneath the evening star；
And Terence left his latest rhyme
To answer from afar。
Pierrot laid down his lute to weep；
And sighed； 〃She sings for me；〃
But Colin slept a careless sleep
Beneath an apple tree。
Four Winds
〃Four winds blowing thro' the sky；
You have seen poor maidens die；
Tell me then what I shall do
That my lover may be true。〃
Said the wind from out the south；
〃Lay no kiss upon his mouth；〃
And the wind from out the west；
〃Wound the heart within his breast；〃
And the wind from out the east；
〃Send him empty from the feast；〃
