第 9 节
作者:大热      更新:2022-11-23 12:13      字数:9321
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICS … SECOND SERIES
  VERSE:                    SENT TO HEAVEN
  I had a Message to send her; To her whom my soul loved best; But I
  had my task to finish。 And she was gone home to rest。
  To rest in the far bright heaven: Oh; so far away from here; It was vain
  to speak to my darling; For I knew she could not hear!
  I had a message to send her。 So tender; and true; and sweet; I longed
  for an Angel to bear it; And lay it down at her feet。
  I placed it; one summer evening; On a Cloudlet's fleecy breast; But it
  faded in golden splendour; And died in the crimson west。
  I gave it the Lark next morning; And I watched it soar and soar; But its
  pinions grew faint and weary; And it fluttered to earth once more。
  To   the   heart   of   a   Rose   I   told   it;   And   the   perfume;   sweet   and   rare;
  Growing faint on the blue bright ether; Was lost in the balmy air。
  I laid it upon a Censer; And I saw the incense rise; But its clouds of
  rolling silver Could not reach the far blue skies。
  I cried; in my passionate longing:… 〃Has the earth no Angel…friend Who
  will carry my love the message That my heart desires to send?〃
  Then I heard a strain of music; So mighty; so pure; so clear; That my
  very sorrow was silent; And my heart stood still to hear。
  And   I   felt;  in   my  soul's   deep   yearning; At   last the   sure   answer   stir:…
  〃The music will go up to Heaven; And carry my thought to her。〃
  It   rose   in   harmonious   rushing   Of   mingled   voices   and   strings。 And   I
  tenderly laid my message On the Music's outspread wings。
  I heard it float farther and farther; In sound more perfect than speech;
  Farther than sight can follow。 Farther than soul can reach。
  And   I   know   that   at   last   my   message   Has   passed   through   the   golden
  gate: So my heart is no longer restless; And I am content to wait。
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICS … SECOND SERIES
  VERSE:                    NEVER AGAIN
  〃Never again!〃 vow hearts when reunited; 〃Never again shall Love be
  cast   aside;   For   ever   now   the   shadow   has   departed;   Nor   bitter   sorrow;
  veiled in scornful pride; Shall feign indifference; or affect disdain; … Never;
  oh Love; again; never again!〃
  〃Never   again!〃   so   sobs; in   broken   accents; A  soul   laid prostrate   at   a
  holy shrine; … 〃Once more; once more forgive; oh Lord; and pardon; My
  wayward   life   shall   bend   to   love   divine;   And   never   more   shall   sin   its
  whiteness stain; … Never; oh God; again; never again!〃
  〃Never again!' so speaketh one forsaken; In the blank desolate passion
  of despair; … 〃Never again shall the bright dream I cherished Delude my
  heart; for bitter truth is there; … The angel; Hope; shall still thy cruel pain
  Never again; my heart; never again!〃
  〃Never again!〃 so speaks the sudden silence; When round the hearth
  gathers each well…known face; … But one is missing; and no future presence;
  However       dear;  can   fill  that  vacant   place;   For  ever   shall  the   burning
  thought remain; … 〃Never; beloved; again! never again!〃
  〃Never again!〃 sobut beyond our hearing … Ring out far voices fading
  up   the   sky;   Never   again   shall   earthly   care   and   sorrow   Weigh   down   the
  wings     that  bear   those   souls   on  high;   Listen;   oh   earth;  and   hear   that
  glorious strain; … 〃Never; never again! never again!〃
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICS … SECOND SERIES
  VERSE:                    LISTENING ANGELS
  Blue   against   the   bluer   Heavens   Stood   the   mountain;   calm   and   still;
  Two white Angels; bending earthward; Leant upon the hill。
  Listening   leant   those   silent Angels; And   I   also   longed   to   hear   What
  sweet strain of earthly music Thus could charm their ear。
  I   heard   the   sound   of   many   trumpets   In   a   warlike   march   draw   nigh;
  Solemnly a mighty army Passed in order by。
  But   the   clang   had   ceased;   the   echoes   Soon   had   faded   from   the   hill;
  While the Angels; calm and earnest; Leant and listened still。
  Then   I heard   a   fainter   clamour;   Forge   and   wheel   were   clashing   near
  And the Reapers in the meadow Singing loud and clear。
  When the sunset came in glory; And the toil of day was o'er; Still the
  Angels leant in silence; Listening as before。
  Then; as daylight slowly vanished; And the evening mists grew dim;
  Solemnly from distant voices Rose a vesper hymn。
  When   the   chant   was   done;   and   lingering   Died   upon   the   evening   air;
  From the hill the radiant Angels Still were listening there。
  Silent   came   the   gathering   darkness;   Bringing   with   it   sleep   and   rest;
  Save a little bird was singing Near her leafy nest。
  Through the sounds of war and labour She had warbled all day long;
  While the Angels leant and listened Only to her song。
  But the starry night was coming; When she ceased her little lay From
  the mountain top the Angels Slowly passed away。
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICS … SECOND SERIES
  VERSE:                  GOLDEN DAYS
  Golden dayswhere are they? Pilgrims east and west Cry; if we could
  find them We would pause and rest: We would pause and rest a little From
  our long and weary ways:… Where are they; then; where are they … Golden
  days?
  Golden      dayswhere     are   they?    Ask   of   childhood's    years;   Still
  untouched by sorrow; Still undimmed by tears: Ah; they seek a phantom
  Future; Crowned with brighter; starry rays; … Where are they; then; where
  are they … Golden days?
  Golden   dayswhere   are   they?   Has   Love   learnt   the   spell   That   will
  charm them hither; Near our hearth to dwell? Insecure are all her treasures;
  Restless   is   her   anxious   gaze:…   Where   are   they;   then;   where   are   they   …
  Golden days?
  Golden dayswhere are they? Farther up the hill I can hear the echo
  Faintly calling still: Faintly calling; faintly dying; In a far…off misty haze:…
  Where are they; then; where are they … Golden days?
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICS … SECOND SERIES
  VERSE:                     PHILIP AND
  MILDRED
  Lingering   fade   the   rays   of   daylight;   and   the   listening   air   is   chilly;
  Voice of bird and forest murmur; insect hum and quivering spray Stir not
  in that quiet hour:      through the valley; calm and stilly; All in hushed and
  loving silence watch the slow departing Day。
  Till the last faint western cloudlet; faint and rosy; ceases blushing; And
  the blue grows deep and deeper where one trembling planet shines; And
  the day has gone for   everthen; like some   great ocean   rushing; The   sad
  night wind wails lamenting; sobbing through the moaning pines。
  Such; of all day's changing hours; is the fittest and the meetest For a
  farewell   hourand   parting   looks   less   bitter   and   more   blest;   Earth   seems
  like a shrine for sorrow; Nature's mother voice is sweetest; And her hand
  seems laid in chiding on the unquiet throbbing breast。
  Words   are   lower;   for   the   twilight   seems   rebuking   sad   repining; And
  wild murmur and rebellion; as all childish and in vain; Breaking through
  dark future hours clustering starry hopes seem shining; Then the calm and
  tender midnight folds her shadow round the pain。
  So they paced the shady lime…walk in that twilight dim and holy; Still
  the last farewell deferring; she could hear or he should say; Every word;
  weighed down by sorrow; fell more tenderly and slowly … This; which now
  beheld their parting; should have been their wedding…day。
  Should   have   been:     her   dreams   of   childhood;   never   straying;   never
  faltering;   Still   had   needed   Philip's   image   to   make   future   life   complete;
  Philip's   young   hopes   of   ambition;   ever   changing;   ever   altering;   Needed
  Mildred's gentle presence even to make successes sweet。
  This   day   should   have   seen   their   marriage;   the   calm   crowning   and
  assurance   Of   two   hearts;   fulfilling   rather;   and   not   changing;   either   life:
  Now they must be rent asunder; and her heart must learn endurance; For
  he leaves their