登陆注册
5419700000153

第153章

Every quivering tongue of flame Seems to murmur some great name, Seems to say to me, "Aspire!"But the night-wind answers, "Hollow Are the visions that you follow, Into darkness sinks your fire!"Then the flicker of the blaze Gleams on volumes of old days, Written by masters of the art, Loud through whose majestic pages Rolls the melody of ages, Throb the harp-strings of the heart.

And again the tongues of flame Start exulting and exclaim:

"These are prophets, bards, and seers;

In the horoscope of nations, Like ascendant constellations, They control the coming years."But the night-wind cries: "Despair!

Those who walk with feet of air Leave no long-enduring marks;At God's forges incandescent Mighty hammers beat incessant, These are but the flying sparks.

"Dust are all the hands that wrought;

Books are sepulchres of thought;

The dead laurels of the dead Rustle for a moment only, Like the withered leaves in lonely Churchyards at some passing tread."Suddenly the flame sinks down;

Sink the rumors of renown;

And alone the night-wind drear Clamors louder, wilder, vaguer,--"'T is the brand of Meleager Dying on the hearth-stone here!"And I answer,--"Though it be, Why should that discomfort me?

No endeavor is in vain;

Its reward is in the doing, And the rapture of pursuing Is the prize the vanquished gain."THE BELLS OF LYNN

HEARD AT NAHANT

O curfew of the setting sun! O Bells of Lynn!

O requiem of the dying day! O Bells of Lynn!

From the dark belfries of yon cloud-cathedral wafted, Your sounds aerial seem to float, O Bells of Lynn!

Borne on the evening wind across the crimson twilight, O'er land and sea they rise and fall, O Bells of Lynn!

The fisherman in his boat, far out beyond the headland, Listens, and leisurely rows ashore, O Bells of Lynn!

Over the shining sands the wandering cattle homeward Follow each other at your call, O Bells of Lynn!

The distant lighthouse hears, and with his flaming signal Answers you, passing the watchword on, O Bells of Lynn!

And down the darkening coast run the tumultuous surges, And clap their hands, and shout to you, O Bells of Lynn!

Till from the shuddering sea, with your wild incantations, Ye summon up the spectral moon, O Bells of Lynn!

And startled at the sight like the weird woman of Endor, Ye cry aloud, and then are still, O Bells of Lynn!

KILLED AT THE FORD.

He is dead, the beautiful youth, The heart of honor, the tongue of truth, He, the life and light of us all, Whose voice was blithe as a bugle-call, Whom all eyes followed with one consent, The cheer of whose laugh, and whose pleasant word, Hushed all murmurs of discontent.

Only last night, as we rode along, Down the dark of the mountain gap, To visit the picket-guard at the ford, Little dreaming of any mishap, He was humming the words of some old song:

"Two red roses he had on his cap, And another he bore at the point of his sword."Sudden and swift a whistling ball Came out of a wood, and the voice was still;Something I heard in the darkness fall, And for a moment my blood grew chill;I spake in a whisper, as he who speaks In a room where some one is lying dead;But he made no answer to what I said.

We lifted him up to his saddle again, And through the mire and the mist and the rain Carried him back to the silent camp, And laid him as if asleep on his bed;And I saw by the light of the surgeon's lamp Two white roses upon his cheeks, And one, just over his heart, blood-red!

And I saw in a vision how far and fleet That fatal bullet went speeding forth, Till it reached a town in the distant North, Till it reached a house in a sunny street, Till it reached a heart that ceased to beat Without a murmur, without a cry;And a bell was tolled, in that far-off town, For one who had passed from cross to crown, And the neighbors wondered that she should die.

GIOTTO'S TOWER

How many lives, made beautiful and sweet By self-devotion and by self-restraint, Whose pleasure is to run without complaint On unknown errands of the Paraclete, Wanting the reverence of unshodden feet, Fail of the nimbus which the artists paint Around the shining forehead of the saint, And are in their completeness incomplete!

In the old Tuscan town stands Giotto's tower, The lily of Florence blossoming in stone,--A vision, a delight, and a desire,--

The builder's perfect and centennial flower, That in the night of ages bloomed alone, But wanting still the glory of the spire.

TO-MORROW

'T is late at night, and in the realm of sleep My little lambs are folded like the flocks;From room to room I hear the wakeful clocks Challenge the passing hour, like guards that keep Their solitary watch on tower and steep;Far off I hear the crowing of the cocks, And through the opening door that time unlocks Feel the fresh breathing of To-morrow creep.

To-morrow! the mysterious, unknown guest, Who cries to me: "Remember Barmecide, And tremble to be happy with the rest."And I make answer: "I am satisfied;

I dare not ask; I know not what is best;

God hath already said what shall betide."DIVINA COMMEDIA

I

Oft have I seen at some cathedral door A laborer, pausing in the dust and heat, Lay down his burden, and with reverent feet Enter, and cross himself, and on the floor Kneel to repeat his paternoster o'er;Far off the noises of the world retreat;

The loud vociferations of the street Become an undistinguishable roar.

So, as I enter here from day to day, And leave my burden at this minster gate, Kneeling in prayer, and not ashamed to pray, The tumult of the time disconsolate To inarticulate murmurs dies away, While the eternal ages watch and wait.

II

How strange the sculptures that adorn these towers!

This crowd of statues, in whose folded sleeves Birds build their nests; while canopied with leaves Parvis and portal bloom like trellised bowers, And the vast minster seems a cross of flowers!

But fiends and dragons on the gargoyled eaves Watch the dead Christ between the living thieves, And, underneath, the traitor Judas lowers!

同类推荐
  • 性善恶论

    性善恶论

    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。
  • 开春论

    开春论

    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。
  • 二十四诗品

    二十四诗品

    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。
  • 朱元璋御制文集

    朱元璋御制文集

    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。
  • Life of John Sterling

    Life of John Sterling

    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
  • 菊与刀(经典译林)

    菊与刀(经典译林)

    《菊与刀》是研究日本的经典性著作,被日本学术文化界誉为“现代日本学的鼻祖”,是了解日本和日本人的公认最佳读本。菊花是日本皇室的家徽,而刀则是日本武士精神的象征,《菊与刀》作者用日本最具象征意义的两种事物,来揭示日本文化和日本人性格的双重性,富有深刻的哲理性和动人的艺术性。本尼迪克特是著名美国民族学家、女诗人,是美国人类历史学派开创人博厄斯的学生,也是其学术继承人。1923年在哥伦比亚大学获博士学位,从1936年起代理哥大人类学系主任。她与美国人类学家米德一起,结合心理学的研究,形成博厄斯学派的一个支派,即“心理学派”或“民族心理学派”、“种族心理学派”。
  • 妃不爱你:爱妃哪里逃

    妃不爱你:爱妃哪里逃

    脱险后,他说:“你能不能不要这么聪明~谁有你这样的妻子都倒霉!”她毫不客气“那个人貌似是你!”她受伤,他衣不解带,“快醒醒吧,不要再睡了”“我要吃鱼!水煮鱼!”“好,你想吃什么都行。我去给你做?”他摸了摸她的头。一日“老公,你不稀罕我了”“对!”要哭“我爱你,就像老鼠爱大米,就像香烟爱火柴!”.......
  • 德伯家的苔丝(世界文学名著典藏)

    德伯家的苔丝(世界文学名著典藏)

    女主人公苔丝出生在一个贫苦的家庭中,家里靠一些小生意糊口。有一天,苔丝的父亲听说自己是古代贵族德伯的后裔,便要求女儿去一个自称也是德伯后裔的富老太婆家攀亲,希望能得到经济上的支援。但苔丝却在那里被老太婆的儿子亚历克诱奸。几年后,苔丝在她做工的奶牛场与牧师的儿子安奇尔·克莱尔相爱。新婚之夜,她把自己昔日的不幸向丈夫坦白。但是丈夫非但没有原谅她,还抛下她只身前往巴西发展事业。苔丝断了生计,加上父亲病故,她觉得自己有责任照顾家人的生活,而这时亚历克又对她百般纠缠,绝望中的苔丝只能被迫与道貌岸然的亚历克·德伯同居。
  • 无限伪穿越

    无限伪穿越

    世间真的没有鬼吗?谁敢保证?反正,夜凰无法保证。电脑桌前,少年简单的敲击着键盘,虽然简单,但却极为迅速且准确的输入着大量字符,他,是一个作者,一个网络作家。
  • 美漫之道门修士

    美漫之道门修士

    这是一个玄门修士在漫威的世界里面混的风生水起的故事,命运,金钱,英雄,尽在掌握之中。
  • 十二星座与四大神兽

    十二星座与四大神兽

    十二星座,十二位性格鲜明的人物。白羊豪爽义气;金牛华贵聪敏;双子跳脱玩闹;巨蟹柔情似水;狮子大气好强;处女理性谨慎;天秤温润如玉;天蝎痴情敏锐;射手乐观开朗;摩羯隐忍执着;水瓶神秘自由;双鱼浪漫单纯。在这里,他们将共同演义一段英雄儿女荡气回肠的故事。不管你是什么星座,在这里,都将有一段回环往复的经历,你的星座都将有一场尘世的修行。你星座的故事,都在这里你的星座与其他的星座间会有怎样的交织联系,这里,有星座的故事……有你的故事……
  • 弃女医妃

    弃女医妃

    她是21世纪医学院美女学霸,一次意外穿越成为相府嫡女。她医术超然,天资聪颖,纤纤玉手,翻天覆地。传言她是丑八怪,更是无才无德的废材,可面纱之下又是怎样一个倾国倾城,容姿绝色。一朝穿越,既然占了这身体,那就让她替她护她的亲人,欺她之人一一还回去。两次退婚,她无人敢娶,正落她意。怎料半途杀出一个精明毒舌的妖孽王爷,他冷酷邪魅腹黑霸道,天赋卓绝。传说妖孽王爷年少成名,成年后却变得慵懒纨绔。可又有谁知,他乾坤在握,风华无双。当不期而遇变成命中注定,她扮猪吃虎,他追捕宠溺,强强联手虐渣渣。权谋天下,只为你一人倾心!
  • 公主吉祥

    公主吉祥

    这个所谓的公主,是我十多年前就认识的一位同事。具体来讲,是2001年,那年十月,我从生产一线应聘到机关办公室工作,一个部门四个人,一个主任,一个秘书,一个档案员,还有一个文书,就是我。上班第一天,万主任把我带到大办公室,一个个给我介绍,这个是秘书东东包,东北大学的高才生;这个是档案员小凤,黑金山党校的毕业生。我很客气地弯腰,虽然单位不大,这两人以前也见过,也知道,但相互之间并无交往。东东包是个男的,年龄和我差不多,也就二十五六吧,高而瘦,握手表示欢迎。
  • 如果医生得了高血脂

    如果医生得了高血脂

    书中结合了作者在心内科多年的问诊经验,总结了高血脂患者提问频率最多、最关心的问题,科学地讲解了导致高血脂的危险因素、如何在生活中控制血脂、降脂过程中需要知道的注意事项、怎样避免将来患上高血脂等核心知识。此外,作者还对患者采取书中诊治意见后,复诊的情况和取得的效果加以说明,更能让读者汲取其中的经验教训,全力将本书打造成最有亲和力的高血脂治疗和预防指南。
  • 秋蝉若思

    秋蝉若思

    夸父部战胜并吞并了完颜部,原本锦衣玉食的完颜公主柳本欣茹忽然狼狈不堪。在其表哥的帮助下逃到了真颜地界。而夸父部为了斩草除根派出了出身不好的四王子归之尘剿杀。在攻伐之间,归之尘无意获悉了自己的身世之谜,恰逢夸父君主病危。归之尘班师回朝,韬光养晦,精心布置,在夸父主死后,一举夺袭,在朝堂内部中掀起了一阵血雨腥风。当仇恨有了利益的驱使,战争就无法避免了。归之尘和柳本欣茹之间的决战悄无声息地拉开了序幕。一场恶战天崩地裂,最终疮痍满目在哀嚎遍地中收场。爱她的人和她爱的人都离她而去,独留下柳本欣茹的坚强和无尽悲伤。