sword blades & poppy seed-第5节
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To them his smoke is sightless； black；
His votive vessels but a pack
Of old discarded shards； his fire
A peddler's； still to him the pyre
Is incensed； an enduring goal！
He sighs and grubs another coal。
Storm…Racked
How should I sing when buffeting salt waves
And stung with bitter surges； in whose might
I toss； a cockleshell？ The dreadful night
Marshals its undefeated dark and raves
In brutal madness； reeling over graves
Of vanquished men； long…sunken out of sight；
Sent wailing down to glut the ghoulish sprite
Who haunts foul seaweed forests and their caves。
No parting cloud reveals a watery star；
My cries are washed away upon the wind；
My cramped and blistering hands can find no spar；
My eyes with hope o'erstrained； are growing blind。
But painted on the sky great visions burn；
My voice； oblation from a shattered urn！
Convalescence
From out the dragging vastness of the sea；
Wave…fettered； bound in sinuous； seaweed strands；
He toils toward the rounding beach； and stands
One moment； white and dripping； silently；
Cut like a cameo in lazuli；
Then falls； betrayed by shifting shells； and lands
Prone in the jeering water； and his hands
Clutch for support where no support can be。
So up； and down； and forward； inch by inch；
He gains upon the shore； where poppies glow
And sandflies dance their little lives away。
The sucking waves retard； and tighter clinch
The weeds about him； but the land…winds blow；
And in the sky there blooms the sun of May。
Patience
Be patient with you？
When the stooping sky
Leans down upon the hills
And tenderly； as one who soothing stills
An anguish； gathers earth to lie
Embraced and girdled。 Do the sun…filled men
Feel patience then？
Be patient with you？
When the snow…girt earth
Cracks to let through a spurt
Of sudden green； and from the muddy dirt
A snowdrop leaps； how mark its worth
To eyes frost…hardened； and do weary men
Feel patience then？
Be patient with you？
When pain's iron bars
Their rivets tighten； stern
To bend and break their victims； as they turn；
Hopeless； there stand the purple jars
Of night to spill oblivion。 Do these men
Feel patience then？
Be patient with you？
You！ My sun and moon！
My basketful of flowers！
My money…bag of shining dreams！ My hours；
Windless and still； of afternoon！
You are my world and I your citizen。
What meaning can have patience then？
Apology
Be not angry with me that I bear
Your colours everywhere；
All through each crowded street；
And meet
The wonder…light in every eye；
As I go by。
Each plodding wayfarer looks up to gaze；
Blinded by rainbow haze；
The stuff of happiness；
No less；
Which wraps me in its glad…hued folds
Of peacock golds。
Before my feet the dusty； rough…paved way
Flushes beneath its gray。
My steps fall ringed with light；
So bright；
It seems a myriad suns are strown
About the town。
Around me is the sound of steepled bells；
And rich perfumed smells
Hang like a wind…forgotten cloud；
And shroud
Me from close contact with the world。
I dwell impearled。
You blazon me with jewelled insignia。
A flaming nebula
Rims in my life。 And yet
You set
The word upon me； unconfessed
To go unguessed。
A Petition
I pray to be the tool which to your hand
Long use has shaped and moulded till it be
Apt for your need； and； unconsideringly；
You take it for its service。 I demand
To be forgotten in the woven strand
Which grows the multi…coloured tapestry
Of your bright life； and through its tissues lie
A hidden； strong； sustaining； grey…toned band。
I wish to dwell around your daylight dreams；
The railing to the stairway of the clouds；
To guard your steps securely up； where streams
A faery moonshine washing pale the crowds
Of pointed stars。 Remember not whereby
You mount； protected； to the far…flung sky。
A Blockhead
Before me lies a mass of shapeless days；
Unseparated atoms； and I must
Sort them apart and live them。 Sifted dust
Covers the formless heap。 Reprieves； delays；
There are none； ever。 As a monk who prays
The sliding beads asunder； so I thrust
Each tasteless particle aside； and just
Begin again the task which never stays。
And I have known a glory of great suns；
When days flashed by； pulsing with joy and fire！
Drunk bubbled wine in goblets of desire；
And felt the whipped blood laughing as it runs！
Spilt is that liquor； my too hasty hand
Threw down the cup； and did not understand。
Stupidity
Dearest； forgive that with my clumsy touch
I broke and bruised your rose。
I hardly could suppose
It were a thing so fragile that my clutch
Could kill it； thus。
It stood so proudly up upon its stem；
I knew no thought of fear；
And coming very near
Fell； overbalanced； to your garment's hem；
Tearing it down。
Now； stooping； I upgather； one by one；
The crimson petals； all
Outspread about my fall。
They hold their fragrance still； a blood…red cone
Of memory。
And with my words I carve a little jar
To keep their scented dust；
Which； opening； you must
Breathe to your soul； and； breathing； know me far
More grieved than you。
Irony
An arid daylight shines along the beach
Dried to a grey monotony of tone；
And stranded jelly…fish melt soft upon
The sun…baked pebbles； far beyond their reach
Sparkles a wet； reviving sea。 Here bleach
The skeletons of fishes； every bone
Polished and stark； like traceries of stone；
The joints and knuckles hardened each to each。
And they are dead while waiting for the sea；
The moon…pursuing sea； to come again。
Their hearts are blown away on the hot breeze。
Only the shells and stones can wait to be
Washed bright。 For living things； who suffer pain；
May not endure till time can bring them ease。
Happiness
Happiness； to some； elation；
Is； to others； mere stagnation。
Days of passive somnolence；
At its wildest； indolence。
Hours of empty quietness；
No delight； and no distress。
Happiness to me is wine；
Effervescent； superfine。
Full of tang and fiery pleasure；
Far too hot to leave me leisure
For a single thought beyond it。
Drunk！ Forgetful！ This the bond： it
Means to give one's soul to gain
Life's quintessence。 Even pain
Pricks to livelier living； then
Wakes the nerves to laugh again；
Rapture's self is three parts sorrow。
Although we must die to…morrow；
Losing every thought but this；
Torn； triumphant； drowned in bliss。
Happiness： We rarely feel it。
I would buy it； beg it； steal it；
Pay in coins of dripping blood
For this one transcendent good。
The Last Quarter of the Moon
How long shall I tarnish the mirror of life；
A spatter of rust on its polished steel！
The seasons reel
Like a goaded wheel。
Half…numb； half…maddened； my days are strife。
The night is sliding towards the dawn；
And upturned hills crouch at autumn's knees。
A torn moon flees
Through the hemlock trees；
The hours have gnawed it to feed their spawn。
Pursuing and jeering the misshapen thing
A rabble of clouds flares out of the east。
Like dogs unleashed
After a beast；
They stream on the sky； an outflung string。
A desolate wind； through the unpeopled dark；
Shakes the bushes and whistles through empty nests；
And the fierce unrests
I keep as guests
Crowd my brain with corpses； pallid and stark。
Leave me in peace； O Spectres； who haunt
My labouring mind； I have fought and failed。
I have not quailed；
I was all unmailed
And naked I strove； 'tis my only vaunt。
The moon drops into the silver day
As waking out of her swoon she comes。
I hear the drums
Of millenniums
Beating the mornings I still must stay。
The years I must watch go in and out；
While I build with water； and dig in air；
And the trumpets blare
Hollow despair；
The shuddering trumpets of utter rout。
An atom tossed in a chaos made
Of yeasting worlds； which bubble and foam。
Whence have I come？
What would be home？
I hear no answer。 I am afraid！
I crave to be lost like a wind…blown flame。
Pushed into nothingness by a breath；
And quench in a wreath
Of engulfing death
This fight for a God； or this devil's game。
A Tale of Starvation
There once was a man whom the gods didn't love；
And a disagreeable man was he。
He loathed his neighbours； and his neighbours hated him；
And he cursed eternally。
He damned the sun； and he damned the stars；
And he blasted the winds in the sky。
He s
