第 8 节
作者:僻处自说      更新:2021-02-21 12:01      字数:9322
  in futile anger at The wind wolves of the air。
  I thought the house abandoned; and I ran to get inside; When suddenly
  the old front door was opened and flung wide
  And she stood there; with hand on knob; As I went swiftly in; Then
  closed the door most softly on The storm and shrieking din。
  A  space   I   stood   and   looked   at   her;   So   young;   'twas   passing   strange
  That fifty years or more had gone And brought no new style's change。
  The    sweetness;    daintiness   of  her  In  starched   and   dotted   gown    Of
  creamy whiteness; over hoops; With ruffles winding down!
  We had not much to say; and yet Of words I felt no lack; Her smiles
  slipped into dimples; stopped A moment; then dropped back。
  I felt her pride of race; her taste In silken rug and chair; And quaintly
  fashioned furniture Of patterns old and rare。
  On window sill a rose bush stood; 'Twas bringing rose to bud; One full
  bloomed there but yesterday; Dropped petals; red as blood。
  Quite soon; she asked to be excused For just a moment; and Went out;
  returning with a tray In either slender hand。
  My   glance   could   not   but   linger   on   Each   thin   and   lovely   cup;   〃This
  came; dear thing; from home!〃 she sighed The while she raised it up。
  And when the storm was done and I Arose; reluctantly To go; she too
  was loath to have Me go; it seemed to me。
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  When I reached old Joe Webber's place; Upon the Corner Road; I went
  into the Upper Field Where Joe; round…shouldered; hoed
  Potatoes;   culling   them   with   hoe   And   practised;   calloused   hand;     In
  rounded piles that brownly glowed Upon the fresh…turned land。
  〃Say; Joe;〃 I said; 〃who is that girl With beauty's smiling charm; That
  lives beyond that hemlock growth; On that old grown…up farm?〃
  Joe   listened;   while   I   told   him   where   I'd   been   that   afternoon;   Then
  straightened   from  his   hoe;  and   hummed;   Before   he spoke;   a   tune   〃They
  cum ter thet old place ter live Some sixty years ago; Jest where they cum
  from; who they ware; Wy; no one got to know。
  〃An' then; one   day; he   hired Hen's   Red racker   an' the   gig; We   never
  heard from him nor could We track the hoss or rig。
  〃Hen waited 'bout a week; an' then He went ter see the Wife; He found
  her in thet settin' room: She'd taken of her life。
  〃An' no one's lived in thet house sence; Some say 'tis haunted;…but I
  ain't no use fer foolishness; So all I say's tut! tut!〃
  WINIFRED VIRGINIA JACKSON
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  CROSS…CURRENTS
  THEY   wrapped   my   soul   in   eiderdown;   They   placed   me   warm   and
  snug In carved chair; set me with care Upon an old prayer rug。
  They   cased   my   feet   in   golden   shoes   That   hurt   at   toe   and   heel;   My
  restless feet; with youth all fleet; Nor asked how they might feel。
  And now they  wonder where   I am; And   search with shrill; cold   cry;
  But I crouch low where tall reeds grow; And smile as they pass by!
  WINIFRED VIRGINIA JACKSON
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  THE FAREWELL
  WHAT  is   more   beautiful   Than   thought;   soul…fed;   That   I   may   be   the
  crimson of a rose When dead?
  My soul; so light a joy And grief will be; That it will gently press the
  brown earth down On me。
  WINIFRED VIRGINIA JACKSON
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  SONG
  LET me be great; as stars are great; Singing of love; not of hate。
  Love     for  sweet   and   simple   things;  Like   clouds   and   sea…shell
  whisperings;
  Cool autumn winds; pale dew…kissed flowers; Thin coils of smoke and
  granite towers;
  Snow…capped mountain peaks that flash High above a river's crash;
  Shrill songs of birds and children's laughter; Soft grey shadows trailing
  after
  Sunbeam sprites that seek the woods And lose themselves in solitudes。
  All these I'll love; never hate; And loving them; I will be great。
  OLIVER JENKINS
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  LOVE AUTUMNAL
  MY  love   will   come   in   autumn…time  When   leaves   go   spinning   to   the
  ground And wistful stars in heaven chime With the leaves' sound。
  Then;   we   shall   walk   through   dusty   lanes   And   pause   beneath   low…
  hanging boughs; And there; while soft…hued beauty reigns We'll make our
  vows。
  Let others seek in spring for sighs When love flames forth from every
  seed; But love that blooms when nature dies Is love indeed!
  OLIVER JENKINS
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  ECHOS
  TRAVELING at dusk the noisy city street; I listened to the newsboys'
  strident cries Of 〃Extra;〃 as with flying feet; They strove to gain this man
  or that…their prize。 But one there was with neither shout nor stride; And;
  having bought from him; I stood nearby; Pondering the cruel crutches at
  his side; Blaming the crowd's neglect; and wondering why…
  When suddenly I heard a gruff voice greet The cripple with 〃On time
  to…night?〃   Then;   as   he   handed   out   the   sheet;   The   Youngster's   answer…
  〃You're all right。 My other reg'lars are a little late。 They'll find I'm short
  one paper when they come; You see; a strange guy bought one in the wait;
  I tho't 'twould cheer him up…he looked so glum!〃
  So; sheepishly I   laughed; and   went my  way For   I had   found a   city's
  heart that day。
  RUTH LAMBERT JONES
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  WAR PICTURES
  〃GERMAN        Retreat   From   Arras〃  〃Official  Films〃…they   came   After
  〃Corinne and Her Minstrels〃 Had ministered to fame。
  After   〃Corinne   and   Her   Minstrels〃   Had   pigeon…toed   away;   We   saw
  where bits of churches And bits of horses lay。
  We saw bleak desolation; We saw no unscathed tree。 We shivered in
  our comfort And murmured: 〃Can it be!〃
  But   later;   walking   homeward;   Repeating:   〃Is   it   true?〃   We   brushed   a
  khaki shoulder And asked no more。        We knew!
  RUTH LAMBERT JONES
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  AN OLD SONG
  WHEN I was but a young lad; And that is long ago; I thought that luck
  loved   every   man; And   time   his   only  foe; And   love   was like   a   hawthorn
  bush That blossomed every May; And had but to choose his flower;  For
  that's the young lad's way。
  Oh;   youth's   a  thriftless   squanderer;  It's   easy   come  and   spent;   And
  heavy   is   the   going   now   Where   once   the   light   foot   went。   The   hawthorn
  bush puts on its white; The throstle whistles clear; But Spring comes once
  for every man Just once in all the year。
  ARTHUR KETCHUM
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  ROADSIDE REST
  SUCH quiet sleep has come to them! The Springs and Autumns pass;
  Nor do they know if it be snow Or daisies in the grass。
  All day the birches bend to hear The river's undertone; Across the hush
  a fluting thrush Sings even…song alone。
  But down their dream there drifts no sound; The winds may sob and
  stir: On the still breast of Peace they rest And they are glad of her。
  They ask not any giftthey mind Nor any foot that fares; Unheededly
  life passes by… Such quiet sleep is theirs。
  ARTHUR KETCHUM
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  OLD LIZETTE ON SLEEP
  BED   is   the   boon   for   me!   It's   well   to   bake   and   sweep;   But   hear   the
  word of old Lizette: It's better than all to sleep。
  Summer   and   flowers   are gay; And   morning   light   and   dew;   But   aged
  eyelids love the dark Where never a light peeps through。
  What!open…eyed; my dears? T