the complete poetical works-第223节
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！
In thee； fair lady； lofty and divine；
Thus hidden lie； and so that death be mine
Art； of desired success； doth me bereave。
Love is not guilty； then； nor thy fair face；
Nor fortune； cruelty； nor great disdain；
Of my disgrace； nor chance； nor destiny；
If in thy heart both death and love find place
At the same time； and if my humble brain；
Burning； can nothing draw but death from thee。
II
FIRE
Not without fire can any workman mould
The iron to his preconceived design；
Nor can the artist without fire refine
And purify from all its dross the gold；
Nor can revive the phoenix； we are told；
Except by fire。 Hence if such death be mine
I hope to rise again with the divine；
Whom death augments； and time cannot make old。
O sweet； sweet death！ O fortunate fire that burns
Within me still to renovate my days；
Though I am almost numbered with the dead！
If by its nature unto heaven returns
This element； me； kindled in its blaze；
Will it bear upward when my life is fled。
III
YOUTH AND AGE
Oh give me back the days when loose and free
To my blind passion were the curb and rein；
Oh give me back the angelic face again；
With which all virtue buried seems to be！
Oh give my panting footsteps back to me；
That are in age so slow and fraught with pain；
And fire and moisture in the heart and brain；
If thou wouldst have me burn and weep for thee！
If it be true thou livest alone； Amor；
On the sweet…bitter tears of human hearts；
In an old man thou canst not wake desire；
Souls that have almost reached the other shore
Of a diviner love should feel the darts；
And be as tinder to a holier fire。
IV
OLD AGE
The course of my long life hath reached at last；
In fragile bark o'er a tempestuous sea；
The common harbor； where must rendered be
Account of all the actions of the past。
The impassioned phantasy； that； vague and vast；
Made art an idol and a king to me；
Was an illusion； and but vanity
Were the desires that lured me and harassed。
The dreams of love； that were so sweet of yore；
What are they now； when two deaths may be mine；
One sure； and one forecasting its alarms？
Painting and sculpture satisfy no more
The soul now turning to the Love Divine；
That oped； to embrace us； on the cross its arms。
V
TO VITTORIA COLONNA
Lady； how can it chanceyet this we see
In long experiencethat will longer last
A living image carved from quarries vast
Than its own maker； who dies presently？
Cause yieldeth to effect if this so be；
And even Nature is by Art at surpassed；
This know I； who to Art have given the past；
But see that Time is breaking faith with me。
Perhaps on both of us long life can I
Either in color or in stone bestow；
By now portraying each in look and mien；
So that a thousand years after we die；
How fair thou wast； and I how full of woe；
And wherefore I so loved thee； may be seen。
VI
TO VITTORIA COLONNA
When the prime mover of my many sighs
Heaven took through death from out her earthly place；
Nature； that never made so fair a face；
Remained ashamed； and tears were in all eyes。
O fate； unheeding my impassioned cries！
O hopes fallacious！ O thou spirit of grace；
Where art thou now？ Earth holds in its embrace
Thy lovely limbs； thy holy thoughts the skies。
Vainly did cruel death attempt to stay
The rumor of thy virtuous renown；
That Lethe's waters could not wash away！
A thousand leaves； since he hath stricken thee down；
Speak of thee； nor to thee could Heaven convey；
Except through death； a refuge and a crown。
VII
DANTE
What should be said of him cannot be said；
By too great splendor is his name attended；
To blame is easier those who him offended；
Than reach the faintest glory round him shed。
This man descended to the doomed and dead
For our instruction； then to God ascended；
Heaven opened wide to him its portals splendid；
Who from his country's； closed against him； fled。
Ungrateful land！ To its own prejudice
Nurse of his fortunes； and this showeth well；
That the most perfect most of grief shall see。
Among a thousand proofs let one suffice；
That as his exile hath no parallel；
Ne'er walked the earth a greater man than he。
VIII
CANZONE
Ah me！ ah me！ when thinking of the years；
The vanished years； alas； I do not find
Among them all one day that was my own！
Fallacious hope； desires of the unknown；
Lamenting； loving； burning； and in tears
（For human passions all have stirred my mind）；
Have held me； now I feel and know； confined
Both from the true and good still far away。
I perish day by day；
The sunshine fails； the shadows grow more dreary；
And I am near to fail； infirm and weary。
THE NATURE OF LOVE
BY GUIDO GUINIZELLI
To noble heart Love doth for shelter fly；
As seeks the bird the forest's leafy shade；
Love was not felt till noble heart beat high；
Nor before love the noble heart was made。
Soon as the sun's broad flame
Was formed； so soon the clear light filled the air；
Yet was not till he came：
So love springs up in noble breasts； and there
Has its appointed space；
As heat in the bright flames finds its allotted place。
Kindles in noble heart the fire of love；
As hidden virtue in the precious stone：
This virtue comes not from the stars above；
Till round it the ennobling sun has shone；
But when his powerful blaze
Has drawn forth what was vile； the stars impart
Strange virtue in their rays；
And thus when Nature doth create the heart
Noble and pure and high；
Like virtue from the star； love comes from woman's eye。
FROM THE PORTUGUESE
SONG
BY GIL VICENTE
If thou art sleeping； maiden；
Awake and open thy door；
'T is the break of day； and we must away；
O'er meadow； and mount； and moor。
Wait not to find thy slippers；
But come with thy naked feet；
We shall have to pass through the dewy grass；
And waters wide and fleet。
FROM EASTERN SOURCES
THE FUGITIVE
A TARTAR SONG
I
〃He is gone to the desert land
I can see the shining mane
Of his horse on the distant plain；
As he rides with his Kossak band！
〃Come back； rebellious one！
Let thy proud heart relent；
Come back to my tall； white tent；
Come back； my only son！
〃Thy hand in freedom shall
Cast thy hawks； when morning breaks；
On the swans of the Seven Lakes；
On the lakes of Karajal。
〃I will give thee leave to stray
And pasture thy hunting steeds
In the long grass and the reeds
Of the meadows of Karaday。
〃I will give thee my coat of mail；
Of softest leather made；
With choicest steel inlaid；
Will not all this prevail？〃
II
〃This hand no longer shall
Cast my hawks； when morning breaks；
On the swans of the Seven Lakes；
On the lakes of Karajal。
〃I will no longer stray
And pasture my hunting steeds
In the long grass and the reeds
Of the meadows of Karaday。
〃Though thou give me thy coat of mall；
Of softest leather made；
With choicest steel inlaid；
All this cannot prevail。
〃What right hast thou； O Khan；
To me； who am mine own；
Who am slave to God alone；
And not to any man？
〃God will appoint the day
When I again shall be
By the blue； shallow sea；
Where the steel…bright sturgeons play。
〃God； who doth care for me；
In the barren wilderness；
On unknown hills； no less
Will my companion be。
〃When I wander lonely and lost
In the wind； when I watch at night
Like a hungry wolf； and am white
And covered with hoar…frost；
〃Yea； wheresoever I be；
In the yellow desert sands；
In mountains or unknown lands；
Allah will care for me！〃
III
Then Sobra； the old； old man；
Three hundred and sixty years
Had he lived in this land of tears；
Bowed down and said； 〃O Khan！
〃If you bid me； I will speak。
There's no sap in dry grass；
No marrow in dry bones！ Alas；
The mind of old men is weak！
〃I am old； I am very old：
I have seen the primeval man；
I have seen the great Gengis Khan；
Arrayed in his robes of gold。
〃What I say to you is the truth；
And I say to you； O Khan；
Pursue not the star…white man；
Pursue not the beautiful youth。
〃Him the Almighty made；
And brought him forth of the light；
At the verge and end of the night；
When men on the mountain prayed。
〃He was born at the break of day；
When abroad the angels walk；
He hath listened to their talk；
And he knoweth what they say。
〃Gifted with Allah's grace；
Like the moon of Ramazan
When it shines in the skies； O Khan；
Is the light of his beautiful face。
〃When first on earth he trod；
The first words that he said
