LONGPLIGHTED
Isitworthwhile,dear,now,Tocallforbells,andsallyfortharrayedFormarriage—rites—discussed,decried,delayedSomanyyears?
Isitworthwhile,dear,now,Tostirdesireforoldfondpurposings,ByfeintsthatTimestillservesfordallyings,Thoughquittancenears?
Isitworthwhile,dear,whenThedaybeingsofarspent,solowthesun,Theundonethingwillsoonbeasthedone,Andsmilesastears?
Isitworthwhile,dear,whenOurcheeksareworn,ourearlybrownisgray;
When,meetorpartwe,nonesaysyeaornay,Orheeds,orcares?
Isitworthwhile,dear,sinceWestillcanclimboldYell'ham'swoodedmoundsTogether,aseachseasonstealsitsroundsAnddisappears?
Isitworthwhile,dear,sinceAsmatesinMellstockchurchyardwecanlie,TillthelastcrashofallthingslowandhighShallendthespheres?
THEWIDOW
ByMellstockLodgeandAvenueTowardsherdoorIwent,Andsunsetonherwindow—panesReflectedourintent。
ThecreeperonthegablenighWasfiredtomorethanredAndwhenIcametohaltthereby"Brightasmyjoy!"Isaid。
OflatedaysithadbeenheraimTomeetmeinthehall;
Nowatmyfootstepsnoonecame;
Andnoonetomycall。
AgainIknocked;andtardilyAninnerstepwasheard,AndIwasshownherpresencethenWithscarceanansweringword。
Shemetme,andbutbarelytookMyprofferedwarmembrace;
Preoccupationweighedherlook,Andhardenedhersweetface。
"To—morrow—couldyou—wouldyoucall?
Makebriefyourpresentstay?
Mychildisill—myone,myall!
Andcan'tbeleftto—day。"
Andthensheturns,andgivescommandsAsIwereoutofsound,OrwerenomoretoherandhersThananyneighbourround
—AsmaidIwooedher;butonecameAndcoaxedherheartaway,AndwhenintimeheweddedherIdeemedhergoneforaye。
Hewon,Ilosther;andmylossIboreIknownothow;
ButIdothinkIsufferedthenLesswretchednessthannow。
ForTime,intakinghim,hadopedAnunexpecteddoorOfblissforme,whichgrewtoseemFarsurerthanbefore
Herwordissteadfast,andIknowThatplightedfirmarewe:
Butshehascaughtnewlove—callssinceShesmiledasmaidonme!
ATAHASTYWEDDING
(TRIOLET)
Ifhoursbeyearsthetwainareblest,FornowtheysolaceswiftdesireBybondsofeverybondthebest,Ifhoursbeyears。ThetwainareblestDoeasternstarsslopeneverwest,Norpallidashesfollowfire:
Ifhoursbeyearsthetwainareblest,Fornowtheysolaceswiftdesire。
THEDREAM—FOLLOWER
AdreamofmineflewoverthemeadTothehallswheremyoldLovereigns;
Anditdrewmeontofollowitslead:
AndIstoodatherwindow—panes;
AndIsawbutathingoffleshandboneSpeedingontoitscleftintheclay;
Andmydreamwasscared,andexpiredonamoan,AndIwhitelyhastenedaway。
HISIMMORTALITY
I
Isawadeadman'sfinerpartShiningwithineachfaithfulheartOfthosebereft。ThensaidI:"ThismustbeHisimmortality。"
II
Ilookedthereastheseasonswore,AndstillhissoulcontinuouslyupboreItslifeintheirs。ButlessitsshineexcelledThanwhenIfirstbeheld。
III
Hisfellow—yearsmenpassed,andthenInlaterheartsIlookedforhimagain;
Andfoundhim—shrunk,alas!intoathinAndspectralmannikin。
IV
LastlyIask—nowoldandchill
Ifaughtofhimremainunperishedstill;
Andfind,inmealone,afeeblespark,Dyingamidthedark。
February1899。
THETO—BE—FORGOTTEN
I
Iheardasmallsadsound,Andstoodawhileamidthetombsaround:
"Wherefore,oldfriends,"saidI,"areyedistrest,Now,screenedfromlife'sunrest?"
II
—"Onotatbeinghere;
Butthatourfutureseconddeathisdrear;
When,withtheliving,memoryofusnumbs,Andblankoblivioncomes!
III
"ThosewhoourgrandsiresbeLiehereembracedbydeeperdeaththanwe;
NorshapenorthoughtoftheirscanstthoudescryWithkeenestbackwardeye。
IV
"Theybideasquiteforgot;
Theyareasmenwhohaveexistednot;
Theirsisalosspastlossoffitfulbreath;
Itistheseconddeath。
V
"Wehere,asyet,eachdayAreblestwithdearrecall;asyet,alwayInsomesoulholdalovedcontinuanceOfshapeandvoiceandglance。
VI
"Butwhathasbeenwillbe
Firstmemory,thenoblivion'sturbidsea;
Likemenforegone,shallwemergeintothoseWhosestorynooneknows。
VII
"ForwhichofuscouldhopeToshowinlifethatworld—awakeningscopeGrantedthefewwhosememorynoneletsdie,Butallmenmagnify?
VIII
"WewerebutFortune'ssport;
Thingstrue,thingslovely,thingsofgoodreportWeneithershunnednorsoughtWeseeourbourne,Andseeingitwemourn。"
WIVESINTHESERE
I
Neveracarewornwifebutshows,Ifajoysuffuseher,SomethingbeautifultothosePatienttoperuseher,SomeonecharmtheworldunknowsPrecioustoamuser,Haplywhat,ereyearswerefoes,Movedhermatetochooseher。
II
But,beitahintofroseThataninstanthuesher,OrsomeearlylightorposeWherewiththoughtrenewsher
Seenbyhimatfull,erewoesPractisedtoabuseher
Sparelycomesit,swiftlygoes,Timeagainsubduesher。
THESUPERSEDED
I
Asnewercomerscrowdthefore,Wedropbehind。
—WewhohavelabouredlongandsoreTimesoutofmind,Andkeenareyet,mustnotregretTodropbehind。
II
YetthereareofussomewhogrieveTogobehind;
Staunch,strenuoussoulswhoscarcebelieveTheirfiresdeclined,Andknownonecares,remembers,sparesWhogobehind。
III
'TisnotthatwehaveunforetoldThedropbehind;
WefeelthenewmustousttheoldIneverykind;
Butyetwethink,mustwe,mustWE,Too,dropbehind?
ANAUGUSTMIDNIGHT
I
Ashadedlampandawavingblind,Andthebeatofaclockfromadistantfloor:
Onthissceneenter—winged,horned,andspined
Alonglegs,amoth,andadumbledore;
While'midmypagethereidlystandsAsleepyfly,thatrubsitshands
II
Thusmeetwefive,inthisstillplace,Atthispointoftime,atthispointinspace。
—Myguestsparademynew—pennedink,Orbangatthelamp—glass,whirl,andsink。
"God'shumblest,they!"Imuse。Yetwhy?
TheyknowEarth—secretsthatknownotI。
MAXGATE,1899。
THECAGEDTHRUSHFREEDANDHOMEAGAIN
(VILLANELLE)
"Menknowbutlittlemorethanwe,Whocountusleastofthingsterrene,Howhappydaysaremadetobe!
"Ofsuchstrangetidingswhatthinkye,Obirdsinbrownthatpeckandpreen?
Menknowbutlittlemorethanwe!
"WhenIwasbornefromyondertreeInbondstothem,IhopedtogleanHowhappydaysaremadetobe,"Andwantandwailingturnedtoglee;
Alas,despitetheirmightymienMenknowbutlittlemorethanwe!
"TheycannotchangetheFrost'sdecree,Theycannotkeeptheskiesserene;
Howhappydaysaremadetobe"EludesgreatMan'ssagacityNolessthanours,Otribesintreen!
MenknowbutlittlemorethanweHowhappydaysaremadetobe。"
BIRDSATWINTERNIGHTFALL
(TRIOLET)
第9章