the complete poetical works-第112节
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This crowd of statues； in whose folded sleeves
Birds build their nests； while canopied with leaves
Parvis and portal bloom like trellised bowers；
And the vast minster seems a cross of flowers！
But fiends and dragons on the gargoyled eaves
Watch the dead Christ between the living thieves；
And； underneath； the traitor Judas lowers！
Ah！ from what agonies of heart and brain；
What exultations trampling on despair；
What tenderness； what tears； what hate of wrong；
What passionate outcry of a soul in pain；
Uprose this poem of the earth and air；
This medieval miracle of song！
III
I enter； and I see thee in the gloom
Of the long aisles； O poet saturnine！
And strive to make my steps keep pace with thine。
The air is filled with some unknown perfume；
The congregation of the dead make room
For thee to pass； the votive tapers shine；
Like rooks that haunt Ravenna's groves of pine
The hovering echoes fly from tomb to tomb。
From the confessionals I hear arise
Rehearsals of forgotten tragedies；
And lamentations from the crypts below；
And then a voice celestial； that begins
With the pathetic words； 〃Although your sins
As scarlet be；〃 and ends with 〃as the snow。〃
IV
With snow…white veil and garments as of flame；
She stands before thee； who so long ago
Filled thy young heart with passion and the woe
From which thy song and all its splendors came；
And while with stern rebuke she speaks thy name；
The ice about thy heart melts as the snow
On mountain height； and in swift overflow
Comes gushing from thy lips in sobs of shame。
Thou makest full confession； and a gleam；
As of the dawn on some dark forest cast；
Seems on thy lifted forehead to increase；
Lethe and Eunoethe remembered dream
And the forgotten sorrowbring at last
That perfect pardon which is perfect peace。
V
I lift mine eyes； and all the windows blaze
With forms of saints and holy men who died；
Here martyred and hereafter glorified；
And the great Rose upon its leaves displays
Christ's Triumph； and the angelic roundelays；
With splendor upon splendor multiplied；
And Beatrice again at Dante's side
No more rebukes； but smiles her words of praise。
And then the organ sounds； and unseen choirs
Sing the old Latin hymns of peace and love；
And benedictions of the Holy Ghost；
And the melodious bells among the spires
O'er all the house…tops and through heaven above
Proclaim the elevation of the Host！
VI
O star of morning and of liberty！
O bringer of the light； whose splendor shines
Above the darkness of the Apennines；
Forerunner of the day that is to be！
The voices of the city and the sea；
The voices of the mountains and the pines；
Repeat thy song； till the familiar lines
Are footpaths for the thought of Italy！
Thy fame is blown abroad from all the heights；
Through all the nations； and a sound is heard；
As of a mighty wind； and men devout；
Strangers of Rome； and the new proselytes；
In their own language hear thy wondrous word；
And many are amazed and many doubt。
NOEL。
ENVOYE A M。 AGASSIZ； LA VEILLE DE NOEL 1864；
AVEC UN PANIER DE VINS DIVERS
L'Academie en respect；
Nonobstant l'incorrection
A la faveur du sujet；
Ture…lure；
N'y fera point de rature；
Noel！ ture…lure…lure。
Gui Barozai
Quand les astres de Noel
Brillaient； palpitaient au ciel；
Six gaillards； et chacun ivre；
Chantaient gaiment dans le givre；
〃Bons amis；
Allons donc chez Agassiz！〃
Ces illustres Pelerins
D'Outre…Mer adroits et fins；
Se donnant des airs de pretre；
A l'envi se vantaient d'etre
〃Bons amis；
De Jean Rudolphe Agassiz！〃
Oeil…de…Perdrix； grand farceur；
Sans reproche et sans pudeur；
Dans son patois de Bourgogne；
Bredouillait comme un ivrogne；
〃Bons amis；
J'ai danse chez Agassiz！〃
Verzenay le Champenois；
Bon Francais； point New…Yorquois；
Mais des environs d'Avize；
Fredonne a mainte reprise；
〃Bons amis；
J'ai chante chez Agassiz！〃
A cote marchait un vieux
Hidalgo； mais non mousseux；
Dans le temps de Charlemagne
Fut son pere Grand d'Espagne！
〃Bons amis；
J'ai dine chez Agassiz！〃
Derriere eux un Bordelais；
Gascon； s'il en fut jamais；
Parfume de poesie
Riait； chantait； plein de vie；
〃Bons amis；
J'ai soupe chez Agassiz！〃
Avec ce beau cadet roux；
Bras dessus et bras dessous；
Mine altiere et couleur terne；
Vint le Sire de Sauterne；
〃Bons amis；
J'ai couche chez Agassiz！〃
Mais le dernier de ces preux；
Etait un pauvre Chartreux；
Qui disait； d'un ton robuste；
〃Benedictions sur le Juste！
Bons amis；
Benissons Pere Agassiz！〃
Ils arrivent trois a trois；
Montent l'escalier de bois
Clopin…clopant！ quel gendarme
Peut permettre ce vacarme；
Bons amis；
A la porte d'Agassiz！
〃Ouvrer donc； mon bon Seigneur；
Ouvrez vite et n'ayez peur；
Ouvrez； ouvrez； car nous sommes
Gens de bien et gentilshommes；
Bons amis
De la famille Agassiz！〃
Chut； ganaches！ taisez…vous！
C'en est trop de vos glouglous；
Epargnez aux Philosophes
Vos abominables strophes！
Bons amis；
Respectez mon Agassiz！
**************
BIRDS OF PASSAGE
FLIGHT THE THIRD
FATA MORGANA
O sweet illusions of Song；
That tempt me everywhere；
In the lonely fields； and the throng
Of the crowded thoroughfare！
I approach； and ye vanish away；
I grasp you； and ye are gone；
But ever by nigh an day；
The melody soundeth on。
As the weary traveller sees
In desert or prairie vast；
Blue lakes； overhung with trees；
That a pleasant shadow cast；
Fair towns with turrets high；
And shining roofs of gold；
That vanish as he draws nigh；
Like mists together rolled；
So I wander and wander along；
And forever before me gleams
The shining city of song；
In the beautiful land of dreams。
But when I would enter the gate
Of that golden atmosphere；
It is gone； and I wander and wait
For the vision to reappear。
THE HAUNTED CHAMBER
Each heart has its haunted chamber；
Where the silent moonlight falls！
On the floor are mysterious footsteps；
There are whispers along the walls！
And mine at times is haunted
By phantoms of the Past
As motionless as shadows
By the silent moonlight cast。
A form sits by the window；
That is not seen by day；
For as soon as the dawn approaches
It vanishes away。
It sits there in the moonlight
Itself as pale and still；
And points with its airy finger
Across the window…sill。
Without before the window；
There stands a gloomy pine；
Whose boughs wave upward and downward
As wave these thoughts of mine。
And underneath its branches
Is the grave of a little child；
Who died upon life's threshold；
And never wept nor smiled。
What are ye； O pallid phantoms！
That haunt my troubled brain？
That vanish when day approaches；
And at night return again？
What are ye； O pallid phantoms！
But the statues without breath；
That stand on the bridge overarching
The silent river of death？
THE MEETING
After so long an absence
At last we meet again：
Does the meeting give us pleasure；
Or does it give us pain？
The tree of life has been shaken；
And but few of us linger now；
Like the Prophet's two or three berries
In the top of the uppermost bough。
We cordially greet each other
In the old； familiar tone；
And we think； though we do not say it；
How old and gray he is grown！
We speak of a Merry Christmas
And many a Happy New Year
But each in his heart is thinking
Of those that are not here。
We speak of friends and their fortunes；
And of what they did and said；
Till the dead alone seem living；
And the living alone seem dead。
And at last we hardly distinguish
Between the ghosts and the guests；
And a mist and shadow of sadness
Steals over our merriest jests。
VOX POPULI
When Mazarvan the Magician；
Journeyed westward through Cathay；
Nothing heard he but the praises
Of Badoura on his way。
But the lessening rumor ended
When he came to Khaledan；
There the folk were talking only
Of Prince Camaralzaman；
So it happens with the poets：
Every province hath its own；
Camaralzaman is famous
Where Badoura is unknown。
THE CASTLE…BUILDER
A gentle boy； with soft and silken locks
A dreamy boy； with brown and tender eyes；
A castle…builder； with his wooden blocks；
And towers that touch imaginary skies。
A fearless rider on his father's knee；
An eager listener unto stories told
At the Round Table of the nursery；
Of he
