the complete poetical works-第42节
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Pure and bright； a fountain flowing
From the hoof…marks in the sod。
From that hour； the fount unfailing
Gladdens the whole region round；
Strengthening all who drink its waters；
While it soothes them with its sound。
TEGNER'S DRAPA
I heard a voice； that cried；
〃Balder the Beautiful
Is dead； is dead！〃
And through the misty air
Passed like the mournful cry
Of sunward sailing cranes。
I saw the pallid corpse
Of the dead sun
Borne through the Northern sky。
Blasts from Niffelheim
Lifted the sheeted mists
Around him as he passed。
And the voice forever cried；
〃Balder the Beautiful
Is dead； is dead！〃
And died away
Through the dreary night；
In accents of despair。
Balder the Beautiful；
God of the summer sun；
Fairest of all the Gods！
Light from his forehead beamed；
Runes were upon his tongue；
As on the warrior's sword。
All things in earth and air
Bound were by magic spell
Never to do him harm；
Even the plants and stones；
All save the mistletoe；
The sacred mistletoe！
Hoeder； the blind old God；
Whose feet are shod with silence；
Pierced through that gentle breast
With his sharp spear； by fraud
Made of the mistletoe；
The accursed mistletoe！
They laid him in his ship；
With horse and harness；
As on a funeral pyre。
Odin placed
A ring upon his finger；
And whispered in his ear。
They launched the burning ship！
It floated far away
Over the misty sea；
Till like the sun it seemed；
Sinking beneath the waves。
Balder returned no more！
So perish the old Gods！
But out of the sea of Time
Rises a new land of song；
Fairer than the old。
Over its meadows green
Walk the young bards and sing。
Build it again；
O ye bards；
Fairer than before！
Ye fathers of the new race；
Feed upon morning dew；
Sing the new Song of Love！
The law of force is dead！
The law of love prevails！
Thor； the thunderer；
Shall rule the earth no more；
No more； with threats；
Challenge the meek Christ。
Sing no more；
O ye bards of the North；
Of Vikings and of Jarls！
Of the days of Eld
Preserve the freedom only；
Not the deeds of blood！
SONNET
ON MRS。 KEMBLE'S READINGS FROM SHAKESPEARE
O precious evenings！ all too swiftly sped！
Leaving us heirs to amplest heritages
Of all the best thoughts of the greatest sages；
And giving tongues unto the silent dead！
How our hearts glowed and trembled as she read；
Interpreting by tones the wondrous pages
Of the great poet who foreruns the ages；
Anticipating all that shall be said！
O happy Reader！ having for thy text
The magic book； whose Sibylline leaves have caught
The rarest essence of all human thought！
O happy Poet！ by no critic vext！
How must thy listening spirit now rejoice
To be interpreted by such a voice！
THE SINGERS
God sent his Singers upon earth
With songs of sadness and of mirth；
That they might touch the hearts of men；
And bring them back to heaven again。
The first； a youth； with soul of fire；
Held in his hand a golden lyre；
Through groves he wandered； and by streams；
Playing the music of our dreams。
The second； with a bearded face；
Stood singing in the market…place；
And stirred with accents deep and loud
The hearts of all the listening crowd。
A gray old man； the third and last；
Sang in cathedrals dim and vast；
While the majestic organ rolled
Contrition from its mouths of gold。
And those who heard the Singers three
Disputed which the best might be；
For still their music seemed to start
Discordant echoes in each heart；
But the great Master said； 〃I see
No best in kind； but in degree；
I gave a various gift to each；
To charm； to strengthen； and to teach。
〃These are the three great chords of might；
And he whose ear is tuned aright
Will hear no discord in the three；
But the most perfect harmony。〃
SUSPIRIA
Take them； O Death！ and bear away
Whatever thou canst call thine own！
Thine image； stamped upon this clay；
Doth give thee that； but that alone！
Take them； O Grave！ and let them lie
Folded upon thy narrow shelves；
As garments by the soul laid by；
And precious only to ourselves！
Take them； O great Eternity！
Our little life is but a gust
That bends the branches of thy tree；
And trails its blossoms in the dust！
HYMN
FOR MY BROTHER'S ORDINATION
Christ to the young man said： 〃Yet one thing more；
If thou wouldst perfect be；
Sell all thou hast and give it to the poor；
And come and follow me！〃
Within this temple Christ again； unseen；
Those sacred words hath said；
And his invisible hands to…day have been
Laid on a young man's head。
And evermore beside him on his way
The unseen Christ shall move；
That he may lean upon his arm and say；
〃Dost thou； dear Lord； approve？〃
Beside him at the marriage feast shall be；
To make the scene more fair；
Beside him in the dark Gethsemane
Of pain and midnight prayer。
O holy trust！ O endless sense of rest！
Like the beloved John
To lay his head upon the Saviour's breast；
And thus to journey on！
***************
THE SONG OF HIAWATHA
INTRODUCTION
Should you ask me； whence these stories？
Whence these legends and traditions；
With the odors of the forest
With the dew and damp of meadows；
With the curling smoke of wigwams；
With the rushing of great rivers；
With their frequent repetitions；
And their wild reverberations
As of thunder in the mountains？
I should answer； I should tell you；
〃From the forests and the prairies；
From the great lakes of the Northland；
From the land of the Ojibways；
From the land of the Dacotahs；
From the mountains； moors； and fen…lands
Where the heron； the Shuh…shuh…gah；
Feeds among the reeds and rushes。
I repeat them as I heard them
From the lips of Nawadaha；
The musician； the sweet singer。〃
Should you ask where Nawadaha
Found these songs so wild and wayward；
Found these legends and traditions；
I should answer； I should tell you；
〃In the bird's…nests of the forest；
In the lodges of the beaver；
In the hoof…prints of the bison；
In the eyry of the eagle！
〃All the wild…fowl sang them to him；
In the moorlands and the fen…lands；
In the melancholy marshes；
Chetowaik； the plover； sang them；
Mahng； the loon； the wild…goose； Wawa；
The blue heron； the Shuh…shuh…gah；
And the grouse； the Mushkodasa！〃
If still further you should ask me；
Saying； 〃Who was Nawadaha？
Tell us of this Nawadaha；〃
I should answer your inquiries
Straightway in such words as follow。
〃In the vale of Tawasentha；
In the green and silent valley；
By the pleasant water…courses；
Dwelt the singer Nawadaha。
Round about the Indian village
Spread the meadows and the corn…fields；
And beyond them stood the forest；
Stood the groves of singing pine…trees；
Green in Summer； white in Winter；
Ever sighing； ever singing。
〃And the pleasant water…courses；
You could trace them through the valley；
By the rushing in the Spring…time；
By the alders in the Summer；
By the white fog in the Autumn；
By the black line in the Winter；
And beside them dwelt the singer；
In the vale of Tawasentha；
In the green and silent valley。
〃There he sang of Hiawatha；
Sang the Song of Hiawatha；
Sang his wondrous birth and being；
How he prayed and how be fasted；
How he lived； and toiled； and suffered；
That the tribes of men might prosper；
That he might advance his people！〃
Ye who love the haunts of Nature；
Love the sunshine of the meadow；
Love the shadow of the forest；
Love the wind among the branches；
And the rain…shower and the snow…storm；
And the rushing of great rivers
Through their palisades of pine…trees；
And the thunder in the mountains；
Whose innumerable echoes
Flap like eagles in their eyries；
Listen to these wild traditions；
To this Song of Hiawatha！
Ye who love a nation's legends；
Love the ballads of a people；
That like voices from afar off
Call to us to pause and listen；
Speak in tones so plain and childlike；
Scarcely can the ear distinguish
Whether they are sung or spoken；
Listen to this Indian Legend；
To this Song of Hiawatha！
Ye whose hearts are fresh and simple；
Who have faith in God and Nature；
Who believe that in all ages
Every human heart is human；
That in even savage bosoms
There are longings； yearnings； strivings
For the good they comprehend not；
That the feeble hands and helpless；
Groping blindly in the darkness；
Touch God's right hand in that darkness
And are lifted up and strengthened；
Listen to this simple story；
To this Song of Hiawatha！
Ye； who sometimes； in your rambles
Through the green lanes of the countr
