an anthology of australian verse-第26节
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The sea； my mother； with billowy swell；
Is telling her tale to the wave…washed shell。
The sea； my mother； is singing to me；
With the starry gleam in her wave；
A dirge of the dead； of the sad； sad sea；
A requiem song of the brave；
Tenderly； sadly； the surges tell
Their tale of death to the wave…washed shell。
The sea； my mother； confides to me；
As she turns to the soft； round moon；
The secrets that lie where the spirits be；
That hide from the garish noon：
The sea； my mother； who loves me well；
Is telling their woe to the wave…washed shell。
O mother o' mine； with the foam…flecked hair；
O mother； I love and know
The heart that is sad and the soul that is bare
To your daughter of ebb and flow；
And I hold your whispers of Heaven and Hell
In the loving heart of a wave…washed shell。
The Silent Tide
I heard Old Ocean raise her voice and cry；
In that still hour between the night and day；
I saw the answering tides； green robed and gray；
Turn to her with a low contented sigh；
Marching with silent feet they passed me by；
For the white moon had taught them to obey；
And scarce a wavelet broke in fretful spray；
As they went forth to kiss the stooping sky。
So； to my heart； when the last sunray sleeps；
And the wan night； impatient for the moon；
Throws her gray mantle over land and sea；
There comes a call from out Life's nether deeps；
And tides； like some old ocean in a swoon；
Flow out； in soundless majesty； to thee。
The Watch on Deck
Becalmed upon the equatorial seas；
A ship of gold lay on a sea of fire；
Each sail and rope and spar； as in desire；
Mutely besought the kisses of a breeze；
Low laughter told the mariners at ease；
Sweet sea…songs hymned the red sun's fun'ral pyre：
Yet One； with eyes that never seemed to tire；
Watched for the storm； nursed on the thunder's knees。
Thou watcher of the spirit's inner keep；
Scanning Death's lone； illimitable deep；
Spread outward to the far immortal shore！
While the vault sleeps； from the upheaving deck；
Thou see'st the adamantine reefs that wreck；
And Life's low shoals； where lusting billows roar。
Autumn
When； with low moanings on the distant shore；
Like vain regrets； the ocean…tide is rolled：
When； thro' bare boughs； the tale of death is told
By breezes sighing； 〃Summer days are o'er〃；
When all the days we loved the days of yore
Lie in their vaults； dead Kings who ruled of old
Unrobed and sceptreless； uncrowned with gold；
Conquered； and to be crowned； ah！ never more。
If o'er the bare fields； cold and whitening
With the first snow…flakes； I should see thy form；
And meet and kiss thee； that were enough of Spring；
Enough of sunshine； could I feel the warm
Glad beating of thy heart 'neath Winter's wing；
Tho' Earth were full of whirlwind and of storm。
Mary Gilmore。
A Little Ghost
The moonlight flutters from the sky
To meet her at the door；
A little ghost； whose steps have passed
Across the creaking floor。
And rustling vines that lightly tap
Against the window…pane；
Throw shadows on the white…washed walls
To blot them out again。
The moonlight leads her as she goes
Across a narrow plain；
By all the old； familiar ways
That know her steps again。
And through the scrub it leads her on
And brings her to the creek；
But by the broken dam she stops
And seems as she would speak。
She moves her lips； but not a sound
Ripples the silent air；
She wrings her little hands； ah； me！
The sadness of despair！
While overhead the black…duck's wing
Cuts like a flash upon
The startled air； that scarcely shrinks
Ere he afar is gone。
And curlews wake； and wailing cry
Cur…lew！ cur…lew！ cur…lew！
Till all the Bush； with nameless dread
Is pulsing through and through。
The moonlight leads her back again
And leaves her at the door；
A little ghost whose steps have passed
Across the creaking floor。
Good…Night
Good…night！ 。 。 。 my darling sleeps so sound
She cannot hear me where she lies；
White lilies watch the closed eyes；
Red roses guard the folded hands。
Good…night！ O woman who once lay
Upon my breast； so still； so sweet
That all my pulses； throbbing； beat
And flamed I cannot touch you now。
Good…night； my own！ God knows we loved
So well； that all things else seemed slight
We part forever in the night；
We two poor souls who loved so well。
Bernard O'Dowd。
Love's Substitute
This love； that dares not warm before its flame
Our yearning hands； or from its tempting tree
Yield fruit we may consume； or let us claim
In Hymen's scroll of happy heraldry
The twining glyphs of perfect you and me
May kindle social fires whence curls no blame；
Find gardens where no fruits forbidden be；
And mottoes weave； unsullied by a shame。
For； love； unmothered Childhood wanly waits
For such as you to cherish it to Youth：
Raw social soils untilled need Love's own verve
That Peace a…flower may oust their weedy hates：
And where Distress would faint from wolfish sleuth
The perfect lovers' symbol is 〃We serve！〃
Our Duty
Yet what were Love if man remains unfree；
And woman's sunshine sordid merchandise：
If children's Hope is blasted ere they see
Its shoots of youth from out the branchlets rise：
If thought is chained； and gagged is Speech； and Lies
Enthroned as Law befoul posterity；
And haggard Sin's ubiquitous disguise
Insults the face of God where'er men be？
Ay； what were Love； my love； did we not love
Our stricken brothers so； as to resign
For Its own sake； the foison of Its dower：
That； so； we two may help them mount above
These layers of charnel air in which they pine；
To seek with us the Presence and the Power？
Edwin James Brady。
The Wardens of the Seas
Like star points in the ether to guide a homing soul
Towards God's Eternal Haven； above the wash and roll；
Across and o'er the oceans； on all the coasts they stand
Tall seneschals of commerce； High Wardens of the Strand
The white lights slowly turning
Their kind eyes far and wide；
The red and green lights burning
Along the waterside。
When Night with breath of aloes； magnolia； spice； and balm
Creeps down the darkened jungles and mantles reef and palm；
By velvet waters making soft music as they surge
The shore lights of dark Asia will one by one emerge
Oh； Ras Marshig by Aden
Shows dull on hazy nights；
And Bombay Channel's laid in
Its 〃In〃 and 〃Outer〃 lights。
When Night； in rain…wet garments comes sobbing cold and grey
Across the German Ocean and South from Stornoway；
Thro' snarling darkness slowly； some fixed and some a…turn；
The bright shore…lights of Europe like welcome tapers burn；
From fierce Fruholmen streaming
O'er Northern ice and snow；
To Cape St。 Vincent gleaming；
These lamps of danger glow。
The dark Etruscan tending his watchfires by the shore；
On sacred altars burning； the world shall know no more；
His temple's column standing against the ancient stars
Is gone； Now bright catoptrics flash out electric bars；
Slow swung his stately Argos
Unto the Tiber's mouth；
But now the Tuscan cargoes
Screw…driven； stagger South。
The lantern of Genoa guides home no Eastern fleets
As when the boy Columbus played in its narrow streets：
No more the Keltic ‘dolmens' their fitful warnings throw
Across the lone Atlantic； so long； so long ago
No more the beaked prows dashing
Shall dare a shoreward foam；
No more will great oars threshing
Sweep Dorian galleys home。
No more the Vikings roaring their sagas wild and weird
Proclaim that Rome has fallen； no more a consul feared
Shall quench the Roman pharos lest Northern pirates free
Be pointed to their plunder on coasts of Italy
Nor shall unwilling lovers；
From Lethean pleasures torn；
Fare nor'ward with those rovers；
To frozen lands forlorn。
The bale…fires and the watch…fires； the wrecker's foul false lure
No more shall vex the shipmen； and on their course secure
Past Pharos in the starlight the tow'ring hulls of Trade
Race in and out from Suez in iron cavalcade；
So rode one sunset olden
Across the dark'ning sea；
With banners silk and golden；
The Barge of Antony！
They loom along the foreshores； they gleam across the Straits；
They guide the feet of Commerce unto the harbor gates。
In nights of storm and thunder； thro' fog and sleet and rain；
Like stars on angels' foreheads； they give man heart again；
Oh； hear the high waves smashing
On Patagonia's shore！
Oh； hear the black waves thresh
