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The noise of boot on stone；
The noise of women bargaining their flesh；
The noise of singers in the ships；
Sounds of threat and sounds of fear；
Blasts of hammer and steel and iron；
The scream of syren； the wail of hooter；
The clangour of angry bells；
The boom of guns； the clatter of factories；
The panic of feet； and malevolent words。
All these sounds I know； and they disturb me not。
The sound that is to me most terrible；
That snatches slumber from me；
Is the sound that is most common：
The scream of a child at night。
Reproof and Approbation
Because I gave a piece of silk
To my friend of the golden curls；
One （may the dogs devour him） threw a stone at my window；
And hooted and jeered and made base noise with his mouth。
Nay； worse； this son of a sea…slug （may his line perish）
Hurled hard names at my friend；
Calling her Tart； and Flusey； and Tom； and； as we walked together；
Cried： ‘Watcher； Nancy； who's yer friend with the melon face
And the bug…eaten cabbage…leaf on his head？'
The lean and scurvy dog that slinks about Pennyfields
Flew in great fear at sight of this reprover of our doings；
And came to me； and rubbed itself against my shoe。
The Feast of Go Nien
We are now in the Pepper Month；
And soon will come the Feast of Go Nien。
Then I will pay my debts； and gather in my dues。
I will walk in the great procession；
And afterwards I will hang up my devil…chasers
And will proceed to the restaurant of Ng Tack；
And drink spring wine with him and meet my friends。
That evening I shall eat of the best：
Of chicken cream and pigeon in soy…ed；
With a brown noodle of pork and prawn；
And a curry of fish and a large Chung Goun；
Sweet onions； and black eggs and chow chow。
And when we have done；
We will have cakes and tea； and music and songs；
And call in our white friends to sit with us。
For this one day we shall be each to the other；
What the other would desire。
Perhaps it is well that this day
Occurs but once in the year's calendar；
For if we always so behaved； one to the other；
There would be no business done。
Directions for Making Tea
In making tchah for table； each man has his own way。
Some serve it dashed with lemon； and some with bamboo shoot；
And some with sugar； in the English way；
And some with spot of sam…shu。；
But when one offers tchah to distinguished visitor；
One offers the noble suey sen； and flavors it
With the dried bud of the noble chrysanthemum。
Consider these verses； little friend；
As cups of suey sen
Flavoured with the buds of the flower of all flowers。
Of Inaccessible Beauty
Ladies in elegant silks and laces
Have come at times to my insignificant shop；
For pieces of jade； or banners； or curious cuttings of ivory。
And I look with insufferable emotion
Upon their roseleaf skin；
And breathe the soft scents that flow from their garments；
And long to soothe their lily…fingered hands。
In their presence
I am seized with longings unutterable；
And am filled with a sickness of my present unkind estate。
But then I remember
That Beauty's not always a star；
Not always remote； not always in lofty places；
Chrysanthemum…clad and lily…sheathed；
But often lies in the hedges
And peeps from street…corners
And lurks shyly behind broken doorways。
And I think upon the kind and considerate beauty
Of the maid with the golden curls；
And her patched； uncoloured robes of common cloth。
And with a change of mood I charge the elegant ladies
Three times the value of the articles chosen；
And thus tear from their flowery bodies
Pieces of their billowing silk
To deck the less fervid beauty of my friend。
Night and Day
The waters of the river flow swiftly at Limehouse Hole；
Past wharves； and ugly gardens；
Past beautiful steel ships and tawny sails；
Past clamorous factories and broken boats and bells。
Throughout the day these things are one
One body of dire endeavour。
But when the evening introduces the night；
This thing is broken into a thousand delicacies；
And the warm notes of night
Make happy discord of the day's harsh harmonies。
Of a Night in War…Time
Upon a night I sat behind my shop；
In happy talk with casual company：
The upright Ho Ling； the grave Cheng Huan；
And the round…bodied and amiable Sway Too； of my own country；
Together with the maid of the golden curls；
A sad…eyed seaman from Malay；
And two pale Englishmen； Bill Hawkins and Jack Brown。
We sat beneath the lantern； and drank our tchah in fellowship；
And spoke of this and of that。
And the moon rose and mated with the soft smells of my store；
And brought forth a spirit that spoke to us
Of things forgotten or lost； or long despaired of。
Friendship bound us together； and we sat late；
Glad of the night； and each glad of his companions；
While men in another land
Wrought horrors upon their fellows beneath this moon；
Drunk with the wicked words of the wicked lords of men。
A Love Lesson
Last night I dreamed of the maid with yellow curls。
She came to me in the room above my shop；
And we two were alone； freed from the laws of day。
I held her then to myserlf。
I took from her her clothing； garment by garment；
And watched them fall about her feet；
White petals of a flower。
And I drew from her to myself her thoughts； one by one；
As often I had wished； till all of her was mine。
Then I was sad； for nothing was left to love。
And I quickly clothed her again； garment by garment；
And gave her back her thoughts； one by one；
And awoke in joy。
I was glad that the dream was a dream；
And that all of her was not mine；
For I had learned
That love released from bond； and unburdened of its fetters；
Is love no longer。
A Rebuke
Excuse me； Mister； if I enter a gentle protest
About the manner in which you comport yourself
When taking the air about the streets。
For； looking at you； one would form the opinion
That you were a man of much worth and nobility；
That you were high in officialdom；
A councillor of the king or a learned judge；
Or one whose piety and wisdom
Had marked him out to sit above his fellow。
One would think thus to see the swinging arms；
The slow protuberant belly sheathed in a vest of scarlet；
And the gold chain of Albert； the great Consort；
To see the haughty head； the portly mien；
The solemn gait； and the complacency with which you view the world。
Don't interrupt！ I only wished to tell you
That your claim to the excessive esteem of your neighbours
Is wholly without foundation。
Do please remember； Mister； that that scarlet belly
Was acquired by the labours of little children
Whom you employ to stick labels on bottles。
Upstairs
I have lifted her over my threshold to…night。
Many moons have risen and set since she received my napi；
But now she is here and has entered my upper room；
Where is a shrine for the joss of happiness；
And a soft couch and delicate hanging；
And fine things for fine fingers to handle；
And shaded lanterns and a guitar and my machine…that…sings。
There are ornaments of jade and lacquer；
And the bamboo pipe and the hap…heem that I have laid aside；
And the written leaves containing my verses。
But there are no writing tables； no ink and no brushes。
For now my verses will be written upon her brow。
Footsteps
As I lie on my pallet at night
I hear from the street the sound of passing footsteps；
And I can sort and name these passing footsteps。
There are the truculent steps of the seeker after trouble；
There are the fearful feet of those who are not at ease
In the implacable streets。
There are the fugitive feet of crime；
And the solemn reassuring tread of big policemen；
And the interrupted steps of the revellers；
And the fleet feet of those who have purchased trouble。
But those that tread most heavily on my heart
Are the light and lingering footsteps of tired young women。
Making a Feast
Ho！ Friends and enemies of Pennyfields；
A feast is spread； and you are all invited。
Many tides have risen and retired
Since I left the fervid skies of my own country
For the thin skies and leaden streets of the West。
Long have I sojourned； seeking my desire；
Keeping my shop； and looking always with long eyes
At others' guesting…tables； at whose top sat love。
》From my cold corner
I have watched their feast of fondness； and my heart has flown away；
And has beaten like a lost bird at their windows；
And none would let him in。
But now； O honourables；
My window is alight； my room is warmed；
The table is set and the places are laid； and Love waits to greet you。
The Case of Ho Ling
Truly the ways of mandarins are inscrutable。
My estimable and upright friend； Ho Ling；
Long had desired to return to his own country。
He bore himself in Limehouse without reproach；
A reputable stranger； mild of manner and gentle of address。
Against him none could bring a charge or speak a word of upbraiding。
He conformed in all ways to the laws of correct conduct。
Yet when he sought assistance to return to his own country；
Being without means；
And hung at the ear of notable men who could help him；
They refused to hear him；
And would in no way help him to go where his heart was set。
Even the charitable ones regretted
That his cas