登陆注册
4720100000010

第10章 Fifth Edition(2)

And Lip to Lip it murmur'd--"While you live, "Drink!--for, once dead, you never shall return."XXXVI.

I think the Vessel, that with fugitive Articulation answer'd, once did live, And drink; and Ah! the passive Lip I kiss'd, How many Kisses might it take--and give!

XXXVII.

For I remember stopping by the way To watch a Potter thumping his wet Clay:

And with its all-obliterated Tongue It murmur'd--"Gently, Brother, gently, pray!"XXXVIII.

And has not such a Story from of Old Down Man's successive generations roll'd Of such a clod of saturated Earth Cast by the Maker into Human mold?

XXXIX.

And not a drop that from our Cups we throw For Earth to drink of, but may steal below To quench the fire of Anguish in some Eye There hidden--far beneath, and long ago.

XL.

As then the Tulip for her morning sup Of Heav'nly Vintage from the soil looks up, Do you devoutly do the like, till Heav'n To Earth invert you--like an empty Cup.

XLI.

Perplext no more with Human or Divine, To-morrow's tangle to the winds resign, And lose your fingers in the tresses of The Cypress-slender Minister of Wine.

XLII.

And if the Wine you drink, the Lip you press, End in what All begins and ends in--Yes;Think then you are TO-DAY what YESTERDAY

You were--TO-MORROW you shall not be less.

XLIII.

So when that Angel of the darker Drink At last shall find you by the river-brink, And, offering his Cup, invite your Soul Forth to your Lips to quaff--you shall not shrink.

XLIV.

Why, if the Soul can fling the Dust aside, And naked on the Air of Heaven ride, Were't not a Shame--were't not a Shame for him In this clay carcass crippled to abide?

XLV.

'Tis but a Tent where takes his one day's rest A Sultan to the realm of Death addrest;The Sultan rises, and the dark Ferrash Strikes, and prepares it for another Guest.

XLVI.

And fear not lest Existence closing your Account, and mine, should know the like no more;The Eternal Saki from that Bowl has pour'd Millions of Bubbles like us, and will pour.

XLVII.

When You and I behind the Veil are past, Oh, but the long, long while the World shall last, Which of our Coming and Departure heeds As the Sea's self should heed a pebble-cast.

XLVIII.

A Moment's Halt--a momentary taste Of BEING from the Well amid the Waste--And Lo!--the phantom Caravan has reach'd The NOTHING it set out from--Oh, make haste!

XLIX.

Would you that spangle of Existence spend About THE SECRET--quick about it, Friend!

A Hair perhaps divides the False from True--And upon what, prithee, may life depend?

L.

A Hair perhaps divides the False and True;Yes; and a single Alif were the clue--

Could you but find it--to the Treasure-house, And peradventure to THE MASTER too;LI.

Whose secret Presence through Creation's veins Running Quicksilver-like eludes your pains;Taking all shapes from Mah to Mahi and They change and perish all--but He remains;LII.

A moment guessed--then back behind the Fold Immerst of Darkness round the Drama roll'd Which, for the Pastime of Eternity, He doth Himself contrive, enact, behold.

LIII.

But if in vain, down on the stubborn floor Of Earth, and up to Heav'n's unopening Door, You gaze TO-DAY, while You are You--how then TO-MORROW, when You shall be You no more?

LIV.

Waste not your Hour, nor in the vain pursuit Of This and That endeavor and dispute;Better be jocund with the fruitful Grape Than sadden after none, or bitter, Fruit.

LV.

You know, my Friends, with what a brave Carouse I made a Second Marriage in my house;Divorced old barren Reason from my Bed, And took the Daughter of the Vine to Spouse.

LVI.

For "Is" and "Is-not" though with Rule and Line And "UP-AND-DOWN" by Logic I define, Of all that one should care to fathom, Iwas never deep in anything but--Wine.

LVII.

Ah, by my Computations, People say, Reduce the Year to better reckoning?--Nay, 'Twas only striking from the Calendar Unborn To-morrow and dead Yesterday.

LVIII.

And lately, by the Tavern Door agape, Came shining through the Dusk an Angel Shape Bearing a Vessel on his Shoulder; and He bid me taste of it; and 'twas--the Grape!

LIX.

The Grape that can with Logic absolute The Two-and-Seventy jarring Sects confute:

The sovereign Alchemist that in a trice Life's leaden metal into Gold transmute;LX.

The mighty Mahmud, Allah-breathing Lord, That all the misbelieving and black Horde Of Fears and Sorrows that infest the Soul Scatters before him with his whirlwind Sword.

LXI.

Why, be this Juice the growth of God, who dare Blaspheme the twisted tendril as a Snare?

A Blessing, we should use it, should we not?

And if a Curse--why, then, Who set it there?

LXII.

I must abjure the Balm of Life, I must, Scared by some After-reckoning ta'en on trust, Or lured with Hope of some Diviner Drink, To fill the Cup--when crumbled into Dust!

LXIII.

Of threats of Hell and Hopes of Paradise!

One thing at least is certain--This Life flies;One thing is certain and the rest is Lies;The Flower that once has blown for ever dies.

LXIV.

Strange, is it not? that of the myriads who Before us pass'd the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us of the Road, Which to discover we must travel too.

LXV.

The Revelations of Devout and Learn'd Who rose before us, and as Prophets burn'd, Are all but Stories, which, awoke from Sleep They told their comrades, and to Sleep return'd.

LXVI.

I sent my Soul through the Invisible, Some letter of that After-life to spell:

And by and by my Soul return'd to me, And answer'd "I Myself am Heav'n and Hell:"LXVII.

Heav'n but the Vision of fulfill'd Desire, And Hell the Shadow from a Soul on fire, Cast on the Darkness into which Ourselves, So late emerged from, shall so soon expire.

LXVIII.

同类推荐
  • 东溟奏稿

    东溟奏稿

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Thoughts on the Present Discontents

    Thoughts on the Present Discontents

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Against Apion

    Against Apion

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 乙未日记摘录

    乙未日记摘录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 华严一乘教义分齐章义苑疏

    华严一乘教义分齐章义苑疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • Glaucus

    Glaucus

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 穿幕行动

    穿幕行动

    20世纪50年代后期,台湾国民党空军加紧了对大陆纵深的高空侦察,美国从“全球战略”出发,开始向台湾提供U-2型高空侦察机。台湾空军由此组建了“第三十五中队”,隶属国民党空军总部情报署。U-2型机最大飞行速度800公里/小时,最大航程7000公里,续航时间可高达9个小时,实用升限22870米。机上装备侦察、夜航、电子对抗、电磁波探测等先进系统。可在20000米高空拍摄照片,可供判读的横向范围达150里。国民党空军将U-2机的纵深飞行,称为“穿幕”行动。下面是40年前发生在当年祖国腹地的一幕幕惊心动魄的故事。
  • 楠木向北

    楠木向北

    初遇,审讯室内,他看着她,“南警官还单身?可以考虑我。”再遇,疑犯坠楼身亡,她惊恐症发作,被他拥入怀中,“南慕,深呼吸。” 那一刻,她所有的慌乱和不安,归于平静。四年前,他是俊美冷漠的传奇神探,意气风发的专案组组长,而她还是个未毕业的警校学生。他是她的信仰,也是最令她仰望的男人。一朝变故,他褪下警服,躲进大学成为潦倒颓废的心理学讲师,任何有关犯罪的领域,再不触碰。四年后,连环凶杀案再现,重重疑云、步步杀机。他和她因命运之轮,再度纠缠。她处处针锋相对,他冷静自持、淡然处之。
  • 七生七死

    七生七死

    医院保安室里的巨幅神秘壁画,每当一个灵魂消逝,“灵异台阶”就会新增一个阶梯。2471,2472,2473……每一个临终者都连着特殊的数字,那座极寒之山下,是谁的灵魂被冰封?又是谁在召唤千百年后必受七度生死的“阴阳混体”?
  • 骚动之秋

    骚动之秋

    本书既是描写一个“农民改革家”岳鹏程在改革家乡面貌中激起的种种骚动:从省市县委领导的关注到全国和省级报婚的社会舆论的宣传,从李龙山的古老传说到李王庙后殿的碑碣上刻下岳鹏程和大桑园的名字……但同时,也着重写了岳鹏程内心的种种骚动,他和儿子羸官在改革中不同的见解的矛盾引起的父子冲突;他和秋玲的感情导致与妻子的冲突和家庭矛盾的尖锐化;他在改革中处理问题的大胆、果断、魄力、远见等等,的确使乡镇企业有了较大发展,然而又的确在商品经济的冲击下,受到不正的社会风气的影响,采用了一些非法的手段进行了倒卖紧缺物资的活动……
  • 司马天下

    司马天下

    古代中国改朝换代的根本性内幕、情由,也许可以被浓缩到晋朝这一百多年里。从公元260年司马昭弑杀魏主“受禅”,到420年刘裕逼东晋恭帝“禅位”,从曹魏到两晋,从司马到刘宋,160年的弑篡轮回,折射了封建中国2000余年的踽踽蚁行。王族与皇族、奸佞与贤良、权谋与血腥、诡异与清朗,司马家族统御天下的历史遗痕及其文化逻辑,被这部精彩纷呈的小说生动可感、淋漓尽致地展现出来……
  • 刘君祖完全破解易经密码(第5辑)

    刘君祖完全破解易经密码(第5辑)

    《刘君祖完全破解易经密码》系列书是海内外公认的易学大家刘君祖先生历时四年多,对《易经》六十四卦作透彻详尽的解读,以深入浅出的方式洞悉决策模式,把《易经》智慧延伸在现代生活中,更进一步通过依经解经的方式,以易理和其他学术相印证,如儒家、道家、佛家、兵家,以及中医养生与企业管理等,在在圆融无碍,使得我们对《易经》六十四卦爻符号的无字天书不再陌生,进而欲罢不能、意犹未尽。
  • 神秘的鳏夫

    神秘的鳏夫

    人们对我说的第一件事就是他杀死了他的妻子,第二件事就是他还不到四十岁就捞到了一大笔家产,第三件事就是他要以一百万英镑的高价出卖克拉蒙德城堡,以便移居到加勒比海的一个小岛上,在那里驾驶着自己的私人喷气机与女秘书们、情妇们无忧无虑地生活。“亲爱的,您千万不要听信这些鬼话。”乡村医生的妻子凯蒂·克莱德说:“查理不过是个32岁的鳏夫,一心想在佛罗里达买一块土地罢了。”“但他确实有很大的家业啊!”我反驳道,因为大家都把他说成是一个十足的资本家。
  • 你是我的原石岸

    你是我的原石岸

    这是一部从网络走向现实的小说,小说描写了政府工作人员虞青与网络中相识的桑阳的故事。小说跨越网络,回到现实。现实里有絮絮叨叨的生活琐碎,也有虞青一如既往的痴爱;有纯纯朴朴的农村生活也有灯红酒绿的城市繁华;有细心扑捉的误会也有浪漫如许告白;有看似风平浪静,却也暗藏阴谋
  • 快穿之男神你过来

    快穿之男神你过来

    结婚前夕白薇薇被自己的白莲花妹妹害死,死前不甘心的怨念引发了虐渣攻略男神系统。“哔——宿主想要完成心愿虐渣逆袭复活,从此走向攻略的人生巅峰吗?请绑定本系统替你虐渣替你寻找人生真爱!”为了活着回去打脸,白薇薇从此过上了会卖萌会卖惨会卖可怜会卖身的狗血生活。男神强势袭来,等等,你说男神都是一个人?本文1v1,男主从头到尾一个人,女主不知情。