首页 >出版文学> Forty—Two Poems>第7章
  IROSEFROMDREAMLESSHOURS
  IrosefromdreamlesshoursandsoughtthemornThatbeatuponmywindow:fromthesillIwatchedsweetlands,whereAutumnlightnewbornSwayedthroughthetreesandlingeredonthehill。
  Ifthingssolovelyare,whylabourstillTodreamofsomethingmorethanthisIsee?
  DoIremembertalesofGalilee,Iwhohaveslainmyfaithandfreedmywill?
  Letmeforgetdeadfaith,deadmystery,DeadthoughtsofthingsIcannotcomprehend。
  Enoughthelightmysteriousinthetree,Enoughthefriendshipofmychosenfriend。
  PRAYER
  LetmenotknowhowsinsandsorrowsglideAlongthesombrecityofourrage,Orwhythesonsofmenareheavyeyed。
  Letmenotknow,exceptfromprintedpage,Thepainoflitterlove,ofbaffledpride,Orsicknessshadowingwithalongpresage。
  Letmenotknow,sincehappysomehavediedQuicklyinyouthorquietlyinage,Howfaint,howloudthebravestheartshavecried。
  AMIRACLEOFBETHLEHEM
  SCENE:Astreetofthatvillage。
  Threemenwithropes,accostedbyastranger。
  THESTRANGER
  Iprayyou,tellmewhereyougoWithheadsavertedfromtheskies,Andlongropestrailinginthesnow,Andresolutioninyoureyes。
  THEFIRSTMAN
  Iamaloversickoflove,Forscornrewardsmyconstancy;
  AndnowIhatethestarsabove,Becausemydearwillnaughtofme。
  THESECONDMAN
  Iamabeggarman,andplaySongswithasplendidswinginthem,ButIhaveseennofoodtoday。
  TheywantnosonginBethlehem。
  THETHIRDMAN
  Iamanoldman,Sir,andblind,Achildofdarknesssincemybirth。
  IcannotevencalltomindThebeautyoftheschemeofearth。
  ThereforeIsoughttounderstandAsecrethidfrommortaleyes,SoinafarandfragrantlandItalkedwithmenaccountedwise,AndIimploredtheIndianpriestForwisdomfromhisholysnake,Yetamnowiserintheleast,Andhavenotseenthedarknessbreak。
  STRANGER
  Andwhithergoyenow,unhappythree?
  THETHREEMENWITHROPES
  Sir,inourstrangeandspecialmiseryWemetthisnight,andsworeinbitterprideTosingonesongtogether,friendwithfriend,Andthen,proceedingtothecountryside,Tobindthiscordagetoabarrentree,Andfacetofacetogiveourlivesanend,Andonlythusshallwebesatisfied。
  (Theymaketocontinuetheirroad)
  THESTRANGER
  Stayforamoment。Greatisyourdespair,ButGodiskind。Whatvoicefromoverthere?
  AWOMAN(fromalattice)
  Mylover,Omylover,cometome!
  FIRSTMAN
  Godwithyou。(herunstothewindow)
  STRANGER
  Ah,howswiftlygoneishe!
  MANYVOICES,(heardsinginginacottage)
  ThereisasoftnessinthenightAwonderinthatsplendidstarThatfillsuswithdelight,Poorfoolishworkingpeoplethatweare,AndonlyfittokeepAlittlegardenoradozensheep。
  OldbrokenwomenatthefireHavemanyancienttalestheysing,Howthewholeworld'sdesireShouldblossomhere,andhowachildshouldbringNewglorytohisraceThoughborninsocontemptibleaplace。
  Letallcomein,ifanybrothergoInshameorhunger,coldorfear,Throughallthiswasteofsnow。
  TonighttheStar,theRose,theSongarenear,AndstillinsidethedoorIsfullprovisionforanotherscore。
  (TheBeggarrunstothem)
  THESTRANGER(totheBlindMan)
  Doyounotmeantosharethesejoys?
  THEBLINDMAN
  AwearyofthisearthlynoiseIpacemysilentway。
  Comeyouandhelpmetiethisrope:
  Iwouldnotlosemyonlyhope。
  AlreadyclearthebirdsIhear,Alreadybreakstheday。
  STRANGER
  Ofoolishandmostblindoldman,Wherearethoseothertwo?
  THEBLINDMAN
  Why,oneiswedandt'otherfed:
  Smallthankstheygavetoyou。
  STRANGER
  Tomenothanksaredue。
  YetsinceIhavesomelittlepowerBequeathedmeatthisholyhour,Itellyou,friend,thatGodshallgrantThisnighttoyouyourdearestwant。
  THEBLINDMAN
  Whythissweetodour?Whythisflame?
  Iamafraid。Whatisyourname?
  THESTRANGER
  Askyourdesire,forthisgreatnightIspassing。
  THEBLINDMAN
  Sir,Iaskmysight。
  THESTRANGER
  Toseethisearth?OrwouldyouseeThathiddenworldwhichsentyoume?