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！
Earth raised up her head
From the darkness dread and drear；
Her light fled；
Stony； dread；
And her locks covered with grey despair。
〃Prisoned on watery shore；
Starry jealousy does keep my den
Cold and hoar；
Weeping o're；
I hear the father of the ancient men。
〃Selfish father of men！
Cruel； jealous； selfish fear！
Can delight；
Chained in night；
The virgins of youth and morning bear？
〃Does spring hide its joy；
When buds and blossoms grow？
Does the sower
Sow by night；
Or the plowman in darkness plough？
〃Break this heavy chain；
That does freeze my bones around！
Selfish； vain；
Eternal bane；
That free love with bondage bound。〃
THE CLOD AND THE PEBBLE
〃Love seeketh not itself to please；
Nor for itself hath any care；
But for another gives it ease；
And builds a heaven in hell's despair。〃
So sang a little clod of clay；
Trodden with the cattle's feet；
But a pebble of the brook
Warbled out these metres meet：
〃Love seeketh only Self to please；
To bind another to its delight；
Joys in another's loss of ease；
And builds a hell in heaven's despite。〃
HOLY THURSDAY
Is this a holy thing to see
In a rich and fruitful land；
Babes reduced to misery；
Fed with cold and usurous hand？
Is that trembling cry a song？
Can it be a song of joy？
And so many children poor？
It is a land of poverty！
And their son does never shine；
And their fields are bleak and bare；
And their ways are filled with thorns：
It is eternal winter there。
For where'er the sun does shine；
And where'er the rain does fall；
Babes should never hunger there；
Nor poverty the mind appall。
THE LITTLE GIRL LOST
In futurity
I prophetic see
That the earth from sleep
（Grave the sentence deep）
Shall arise； and seek
for her Maker meek；
And the desert wild
Become a garden mild。
In the southern clime；
Where the summer's prime
Never fades away；
Lovely Lyca lay。
Seven summers old
Lovely Lyca told。
She had wandered long；
Hearing wild birds' song。
〃Sweet sleep； come to me
Underneath this tree；
Do father； mother； weep？
Where can Lyca sleep？
〃Lost in desert wild
Is your little child。
How can Lyca sleep
If her mother weep？
〃If her heart does ache；
Then let Lyca wake；
If my mother sleep；
Lyca shall not weep。
〃Frowning； frowning night；
O'er this desert bright
Let thy moon arise；
While I close my eyes。〃
Sleeping Lyca lay
While the beasts of prey；
Come from caverns deep；
Viewed the maid asleep。
The kingly lion stood；
And the virgin viewed：
Then he gambolled round
O'er the hallowed ground。
Leopards； tigers； play
Round her as she lay；
While the lion old
Bowed his mane of gold；
And her breast did lick
And upon her neck；
From his eyes of flame；
Ruby tears there came；
While the lioness
Loosed her slender dress；
And naked they conveyed
To caves the sleeping maid。
THE LITTLE GIRL FOUND
All the night in woe
Lyca's parents go
Over valleys deep；
While the deserts weep。
Tired and woe…begone；
Hoarse with making moan；
Arm in arm； seven days
They traced the desert ways。
Seven nights they sleep
Among shadows deep；
And dream they see their child
Starved in desert wild。
Pale through pathless ways
The fancied image strays；
Famished； weeping； weak；
With hollow piteous shriek。
Rising from unrest；
The trembling woman presse
With feet of weary woe；
She could no further go。
In his arms he bore
Her； armed with sorrow sore；
Till before their way
A couching lion lay。
Turning back was vain：
Soon his heavy mane
Bore them to the ground；
Then he stalked around；
Smelling to his prey；
But their fears allay
When he licks their hands；
And silent by them stands。
They look upon his eyes；
Filled with deep surprise；
And wondering behold
A spirit armed in gold。
On his head a crown；
On his shoulders down
Flowed his golden hair。
Gone was all their care。
〃Follow me；〃 he said；
〃Weep not for the maid；
In my palace deep；
Lyca lies asleep。〃
Then they followed
Where the vision led；
And saw their sleeping child
Among tigers wild。
To this day they dwell
In a lonely dell；
Nor fear the wolvish howl
Nor the lion's growl。
THE CHIMNEY SWEEPER
A little black thing in the snow；
Crying 〃weep！ weep！〃 in notes of woe！
〃Where are thy father and mother？ Say！〃
〃They are both gone up to the church to pray。
〃Because I was happy upon the heath；
And smiled among the winter's snow；
They clothed me in the clothes of death；
And taught me to sing the notes of woe。
〃And because I am happy and dance and sing；
They think they have done me no injury；
And are gone to praise God and his priest and king；
Who make up a heaven of our misery。〃
NURSE'S SONG
When voices of children are heard on the green；
And whisperings are in the dale；
The days of my youth rise fresh in my mind；
My face turns green and pale。
Then come home； my children； the sun is gone down；
And the dews of night arise；
Your spring and your day are wasted in play；
And your winter and night in disguise。
THE SICK ROSE
O rose； thou art sick！
The invisible worm；
That flies in the night；
In the howling storm；
Has found out thy bed
Of crimson joy；
And his dark secret love
Does thy life destroy。
THE FLY
Little Fly；
Thy summer's play
My thoughtless hand
Has brushed away。
Am not I
A fly like thee？
Or art not thou
A man like me？
For I dance
And drink； and sing；
Till some blind hand
Shall brush my wing。
If thought is life
And strength and breath
And the want
Of thought is death；
Then am I
A happy fly；
If I live；
Or if I die。
THE ANGEL
I dreamt a dream！ What can it mean？
And that I was a maiden Queen
Guarded by an Angel mild：
Witless woe was ne'er beguiled！
And I wept both night and day；
And he wiped my tears away；
And I wept both day and night；
And hid from him my heart's delight。
So he took his wings； and fled；
Then the morn blushed rosy red。
I dried my tears； and armed my fears
With ten…thousand shields and spears。
Soon my Angel came again；
I was armed； he came in vain；
For the time of youth was fled；
And grey hairs were on my head。
THE TIGER
Tiger； tiger； burning bright
In the forest of the night；
What immortal hand or eye
Could Frame thy fearful symmetry？
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes？
On what wings dare he aspire？
What the hand dare seize the fire？
And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart？
And； when thy heart began to beat；
What dread hand and what dread feet？
What the hammer？ what the chain？
In what furnace was thy brain？
What the anvil？ what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp？
When the stars threw down their spears；
And watered heaven with their tears；
Did he smile his work to see？
Did he who made the lamb make thee？
Tiger； tiger； burning bright
In