首页 >出版文学> M119>第64章

第64章

  Shefeelsherblood-treethrobbinginhergrain,Yetskywardbranched,withloftiermarkandrange。
  Nomiraclethesproutofwheatfromclod,Sheknows,norgrowthofmaningrislybrute;
  Buthe,thefloweratheadandsoilatroot,Ismiracle,guideshethebrutetoGod。
  Andthatwayseemshebound;thatwaytheroad,Withhisdark-lanternmind,unled,alone,Wearifullythroughforest-tractsunsown,Hetravels,urgedbysomeinternalgoad。
  Dareshebeholdthethingheis,whatthingHewouldbecomeisinhisminditschild;
  Astir,demandingbirthtolightandwing;
  Forbattleprompt,bypleasureunbeguiled。
  Somovesheforthinfaith,ifhehasmadeHismindGod’stemple,dedicatetotruth。
  Earth’snourishingdelights,nomoregainsaid,Hetastes,asdoththebridegroomrichinyouth。
  ThenknowsheLove,thatbeckonsandcontrols;
  Thestarofskyuponhisfootwaycast;
  Thenmatchinhimwhoholdshistemptersfast,Thebody’sloveandmind’s,whereofthesoul’s。
  ThenEarthhermanforwomanfindsatlast,Tospeedthepairuntohergoalofgoals。
  Oris’tthewidowed’sdreamofhernewmate?
  Seenhassherulentdaysofheatinflood;
  TheslyPersuadersnakyinhisblood;
  WithherthebarrenHuntressalternate;
  HisroughrefractoryoffonkickingheelsTorear;themandraggedrearward,shamed,amazed;
  Andasatorrentstreamwherecattlegrazed,Histumbledworld。What,then,thefaithshefeels?
  Maynothisaspect,likeherownsofairReflexely,thecentralforcebelie,Andhe,theoncewildoceanstormingsky,Berebelatthecore?Whathopeisthere?
  ’Tisthatineachrecoveryhepreserves,Betweenhisupperandhisnetherwit,Senseofhismarchahead,morebrightlylit;
  Helesstheshakenthingoflustsandnerves;
  WithsuchagraspuponhisbruteastellsOfwisdomfromthatlerelapsingspun。
  ASungoesdowninwastedfire,aSunResplendentsprings,tofaithrefreshedcompels。
  THEHUELESSLOVE
  Untothatlovemustwethroughfireattain,Whichthosetwoheldasbreathofcommonair;
  Thehandsofwhomweregeninbondelsewhere;
  WhomHonourwasuntroubledtorestrain。
  Midwaytheroadofourlife’stermtheymet,Andoneanotherknewwithoutsurprise;
  Norcaredthatbeautystoodinmutualeyes;
  Norattheirtardymeetingnursedregret。
  TothemitwasrevealedhowtheyhadfoundThekindrednatureandtheneededmind;
  Thematebylongconspiracydesigned;
  Theflowertoplantinsanctuaryground。
  AvowedingilantsolicitudeForeither,whatmostledwithineachbreastTheyletbeseen:yeteveryhumantestDemandingrighteousnessapprovedthemgood。
  Sheleanedonastrongarm,andlittlefearedAbandonmenttohelpifheavedorsankHerheartatintervalswhileLovelookedblank,Liferosierwereshebutlessrevered。
  AnarmthatnevershookdidnotobscureHerwoman’sintuitionofthebliss-
  Theirtempter’smomento’ertheblackabyss,Acrossthenarrowplank——hecouldabjure。
  Thencameadaythatclippedforhimthethread,Andtheirfirsttouchoflips,ashelaycold,Wasallofearthlyintheirloveuntold,Beyondallearthlyknowntothemwhowed。
  SohastherecomethegustatSouth-westflungBysuddenvoltonevesoffreezingmist,Whensistersnowflakesistersnowdropkissed,Andonepassedout,andonethebell-headhung。
  UNIONINDISSEVERANCE
  Sunsetworntoitslastvermilionhe;
  Shethatstaroverheadinslowdescent:
  Thatwhitestarwiththefrontofangelshe;
  HeundoneinhisraysofgloryspentHalo,fairasthebow-shotathisrise,Hecastsroundher,andknowshishourofrestIncomplete,werethelightforwhichhedies,Lesslikejoyofthedovethatwingstonest。
  Lustrousmomently,nearonearthshesinks;
  Life’sfullthroboverbreathlessandabased:
  Yetstandthey,thoughimpalpablethelinks,One,moreonethanthebridallyembraced。
  Theyhavenosong,thesedgesdry,Andstilltheysing。
  Itiswithinmybreasttheysing,AsIpassby。
  Withinmybreasttheytouchastring,Theywakeasigh。
  Thereisbutsoundofsedgesdry;
  Inmetheysing。
  Ifthatthouhastthegiftofstrength,thenknowThypartistoupliftthetroddenlow;
  Elseinagiant’sgraspuntiltheendAhopelesswrestlershallthysoulcontend。
  [WrittenfortheCharingCrossAlbum]
  Seen,tooclearandhistoricwithinus,oursinsofomissionFrownwhentheAutumndaysstrikeusallruthlesslybare。
  Theyofourmortaldiseasesfindneverhealingphysician;
  Errorstheyofthesoul,pasttheonehopetorepair。
  Sunshinemightwehavebeenuntoseedundersoil,orhavescatteredSeedtoascendantsunsbrighterthananythatshone。
  Eventhelimp-leggedbeggarasickdesperadohasflatteredBacktoahalf-sloughedlifecheeredbythemerehumantone。
  BetweenthefountainandtherillIpassed,andsawthemightywillToleapatsky;thecarelessrun,Asearthwouldleadherlittleson。
  Beneaththemthrobsanurgentwell,Thathereisplay,andthereiswar。
  IknownotwhichhadmosttotellOfwhencewespringandwhatweare。
  Beneaththevansofdoomdidmenpassin。
  Heroicwhocameout;forroundthemhungAwaveringphantom’sredvolcanotongue,Withleague-longlizardtailandfishyfin:
  OldEarth’soriginalDragon;thereretiredTohislastfastness;overthrownbyfew。
  Himalaboriousthrustofroadwayslew。
  Thenmantoplaydevorantstraightwasfired。
  MoreintimatebecametheforestfearWhilepillareddarknesshatchedmaliciouslifeAteitherelbow,wolforgnomeorknifeAndwaryslidtheglancefromeartoear。
  Inchillness,likeacloudedlantern-ray,Theforest’sheartoffogonmossedmorass,Onpurplepoolandsilkycotton-grass,Revealedwhereluredtheswallowerbyway。
  Deadoutlook,flattenedbackwithhardreboundOffwallsofdistance,lefteachmountedheight。
  Itseemedagianthag-fiend,churningspiteOfhumblehumanbeing,heldtheground。
  Throughfriendlesswastes,throughtreacherouswoodland,slowThefeetsustainedbytrackoffeetpursuedPainedsteps,andfoundthecommonbrotherhoodBysignofHeavenindifferent,Naturefoe。
  Anonamason’sworkamazedthesight,Andlong-frockedmen,calledBrothers,thereabode。
  Theypointedup,bowedhead,anddugandsowed;
  Whereofwasshelter,loaf,andwarmfirelight。
  I
  Whatwordstheytaughtwerenailstoscratchthehead。
  Benignantworksexplainedthechantingbrood。
  Theirmonasterylitblacksolitude,Asonemightthinkastarthatheavenwardled。
  Uproseafairernestforwearyfeet,Likesomegoldflowernightlyinwardcurled,Wheregentlemaidensfledaroaringworld,Orplayedwithit,andhadtheirwhiteretreat。
  Intobigbooksofmetalclaspstheypored。
  Theygoverned,evenasmen;theywelcomedlays。
  Thetreasureswomenarewhoseaimispraise,Wasshowninthem:theGardenhalfrestored。
  Adelugebillowscouredthelandoffseas,Withwidenedjaws,andslaughterwasitsfoam。
  Forfood,forclothing,ambush,refuge,home,Thelessersavageofferedbogsandtrees。
  Whencereverenceroundgrey-hairedstorygrew:
  AndinmostspotsofancienthorrorshoneAstemplesunderbeamsoftrialsbygone;
  ForinthemsangbravetimeswithGodinew。
  Tillnowtrimhomesteadsborderedspacesgreen,Likenight’sfirstlittlestarsthroughclearingshowers。
  Wasrumouredhowacastle’sfalcontowersThewildernesscommandedwithfiercemien。
  ThereinaseriousBaronstuckhislance;
  ForminstrelsongsabeauteousDamewouldpout。
  Gayknightsandsombre,felonordevout,Prickedonward,boundfortheirunsungromance。
  ItmightbethattwoerrantlordsacrossTheblockofeachcameedged,andatsharpcryTheychargedforthwith,thebettermantotry。
  Onerodehisway,onecouchedonquietmoss。
  Perchancealadysweet,whoselordlayslain,Therobbersintogruesomedurancedrew。
  Swiftshouldherherocome,likelightning’sblue!
  Sheprayedforhim,ascracklingdroughtforrain。
  Aswe,thateretheworstherherohaps,OfAngelsguided,nighthatloathlyden:
  Atoadycavebesideanaguefen,Wherelongforlornthelonedogwhinesandyaps。
  BydaylightnowtheforestfearcouldreadItself,andatnewwonderschucklingwent。
  Straightfortheroebuck’sneckthebowmanspentAdartthatlaughedatdistanceandatspeed。
  Rightloudthebugle’shallalielateRangforthofmerrydinglesroundthetors;
  Anddeftesthandwashefromforeignwars,Butsoonhehailedthehome-bredyeomanmate。
  Beforetheblackbirdpeckedtheturftheywoke;
  Atdawnthedeer’swetnostrilsblewtheirlast。
  Toforest,hauntofrunsandprimerepast,Withpayingblows,theyokelstrainedhisyoke。
  Thecityurchinmoonedonforestair,Ongrassysweepsandflyingarrows,thickAsswallowso’ersmoothstreams,andsighedhimsickForthinkingthathisdearerhomewasthere。
  Familiar,stillunseized,theforestsprangAnold-worldecho,likenomortalthing。
  Thehunter’shornmightwindajocundring,Butheldinearithadachillyclang。
  Someshadowlurkedaloofofancienttime;
  Somewarninghauntedanysoundprolonged,AsthoughtheleaguesofwoodlandheldthemwrongedTohearanaxeandseeatownshipclimb。
  Theforest’serewhileemperorateveHadvoicewhenloweredheavensdrummedforgales。
  Atmidnightasmallpeopledancedthedales,SothinthattheymightdwindlethroughasieveX