按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
THEY haunt me； they tease me with hinted Withheld revelations； The
songs that I may not utter； They lead me； they flatter； they woo me。 I
follow； I follow； I snatch At the veils of their secrets in vain For lo！ they
have left me and vanished； The songs that I cannot sing。
There are visions elusive that come With a quiver and shimmer of
wings； Shapes shadows and shapes； and the murmur Of voices； Shapes；
that out of the twilight Leap； and with gesture appealing Seem to deliver a
message； And are gone 'twixt a breath and a breath； Shapes that race in
with the waves Moving silverly under the moon；
And are gone ere they break into foam on the rocks And recede；
Breathings of love from invisible Flutes； Blown somewhere out in the
tender Dusk； That die on the bosom of Silence； Formless； And fleeter
than thought； Vaguer than thought or emotion； What are these visitors？
Out of the vast and uncharted Realms that encircle the visible world；
With a glimmer of light on their pinions； They rush 。 。 。 They waver； they
vanish； Leaving me stirred with a dream of the ultimate beauty； A
sense of the ultimate music； I never shall capture；
They are Beauty； Formless and tremulous Beauty；
Beauty unborn； Beauty as yet unappareled In thought； Beauty that
hesitates； Falters； Withdraws from the verge of birth； Flutters； Retreats
from the portals of life； O Beauty for ever uncaptured！ O songs that I
never shall sing！
THE PARTING
WE have come 〃the primrose way；〃 Folly； thou and I！ Such a
glamor and a grace Ever glimmered on thy face； Ever such a witchery Lit
the laughing eyes of thee； Could a fool like me withstand Folly's feast and
49
… Page 50…
DREAMS & DUST
beckoning hand？ Drinking； how thy lips' caress Spiced the cup of
waywardness！ So we came 〃the primrose way；〃 Folly； thou and I！
But now； Folly； we must part； Folly； thou and I！ Shall one look with
mirth or tears Back on all his wasted years； Purposes dissolved in wine；
Pearls flung to the heedless swine？
Idle days and nights of mirth； Were they pleasures nothing worth？ Well；
there's no gainsaying we Squandered youth right merrily！ But now； Folly；
we must part； Folly； thou and I！
AN OPEN FIRE
THESE logs with drama and with dream are rife； For all their
golden Summers and green Springs Through leaf and root they sucked the
forest's life； Drank in its secret； deep； essential things； Its midwood
moods； its mystic runes； Its breathing hushes stirred of faery wings； Its
August nights and April noons； The garnered fervors of forgotten Junes
Flare forth again and waste away； And in the sap that leaps and sings
We hear again the chant the cricket flings Across the hawthorn…scented
dusks of May。
50
… Page 51…
DREAMS & DUST
REALITIES
REALITIES
WE are deceived by the shadow； we see not the substance of
things。 For the hills are less solid than thought； and deeds are but
vapors； and flesh Is a mist thrown off and resumed by the soul； as a
world by a god。 Back of the transient appearance dwells in inef…
fable calm The utter reality； ultimate truth； this seems and that is。
THE STRUGGLE
I HAVE been down in a dark valley； I have been groping through a
deep gorge； Far above； the lips of it were rimmed with moon… light；
And here and there the light lay on the dripping rocks So that it
seemed they dripped with moonlight； not with water； So deep it was；
that narrow gash among the hills； That those great pines which fringed its
edge Seemed to me no larger than upthrust fingers Silhouetted against the
sky； And at its top the vale was strait； And the rays were slant And reached
but part way down the sides； I could not see the moon itself； I walked
through darkness； and the valley's edge Seemed almost level with the stars；
The stars that were like fireflies in the little trees。
It was the midnight of defeat； I felt that I had failed； I was mocked of
the gods； There was no way out of that gorge； The paths led no whither
And I could not remember their beginnings； I was doomed to wander
evermore； Thirsty； with the sound of mocking waters in mine ears；
Groping； with gleams of useless light Splashed in ironic beauty on the
rocks above。 And so I whined。
And then despair flashed into rage； I leapt erect； and cried： 〃Could I
but grasp my life as sculptors grasp the clay And knead and thrust it into
shape again！ If all the scorn of Heaven were but thrown Into the focus of
some creature I could clutch！ If something tangible were but vouchsafed
me By the cold； far gods！ If they but sent a Reason for the failure of my
life I'd answer it； If they but sent a Fiend； I'd conquer it！
But I reach out； and grasp the air； I rage； and the brute rock echoes my
51
… Page 52…
DREAMS & DUST
words in mockery How can one fight the sliding moonlight on the
cliffs？ You gods； coward gods； Come down； I challenge you！ You who
set snares with roses and with passion； You who make flesh beautiful and
damn men through the flesh； You who plump the purple grape and
then put poison in the cup； You who put serpents in your Edens； You
who gave me delight of my senses and broke me for it； You who
have mingled death with beauty； You who have put into my blood the
impulses for which you cursed me； You who permitted my brain the
doubts wherefore you damn me； Behold； I doubt you； gods； no
longer； but defy！ I perish here？ Then I will be slain of a god！ You who
have wrapped me in the scorn of your silence； The divinity in this same
dust you flout
i》Flames through the dust； And dares； And flings you back your
scorn； Come； face to face； and slay me if you will； But not until you've
felt the we