第 7 节
作者:管他三七二十一      更新:2021-10-16 18:45      字数:9321
  bleak   and   stormy   shore。   Oh   doubting   heart!   Far   over   purple   seas;   They
  wait;   in   sunny   ease;   The   balmy   southern   breeze;   To   bring   them   to   their
  northern homes once more。
  Why must the flowers die? Prisoned they lie In the cold tomb; heedless
  of tears or rain。 Oh doubting heart! They only sleep below The soft white
  ermine snow; While winter winds shall blow; To breathe and smile upon
  you soon again。
  The   sun   has   hid   its   rays   These   many   days;   Will   dreary   hours   never
  leave  the  earth?   Oh doubting   heart! The  stormy  clouds   on   high Veil   the
  same sunny sky; That soon (for spring is nigh) Shall wake the summer into
  golden mirth。
  Fair   hope   is   dead;   and   light   Is   quenched   in   night。   What   sound   can
  break the silence of despair? Oh doubting heart! Thy sky is overcast; Yet
  stars shall rise at last; Brighter for darkness past; And angels' silver voices
  stir the air。
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICSFIRST SERIES
  VERSE:                   A STUDENT
  Over an ancient scroll I bent; Steeping my soul in wise content; Nor
  paused a moment; save to chide A low voice whispering at my side。
  I wove beneath the stars' pale shine A dream; half human; half divine;
  And shook off (not to break the charm) A little hand laid on my arm。
  I read; until my heart would glow With the great deeds of long ago;
  Nor heard; while with those mighty dead; Pass to and fro a faltering tread。
  On   the   old   theme   I   pondered   long   …  The   struggle   between   right   and
  wrong;   I  could not   check   such   visions   high; To soothe  a  little   quivering
  sigh。
  I tried to solve the problemLife; Dreaming of that mysterious strife;
  How   could   I   leave   such   reasonings   wise;   To   answer   two   blue   pleading
  eyes?
  I strove how best to give; and when; My blood to save my fellow…men
  … How could I turn aside; to look At snowdrops laid upon my book?
  Now Time has fledthe world is strange; Something there is of pain
  and change; My books lie closed upon   the shelf; I miss   the old heart in
  myself。
  I miss the sunbeams in my room … It was not always wrapped in gloom:
  I miss my dreamsthey fade so fast; Or flit into some trivial past。
  The great stream of the world goes by; None care; or heed; or question;
  why I; the lone student; cannot raise My voice or hand as in old days。
  No   echo   seems   to   wake   again   My   heart   to   anything   but   pain;   Save
  when a dream of twilight brings The fluttering of an angel's wings!
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICSFIRST SERIES
  VERSE:                    A KNIGHT ERRANT
  Though   he   lived   and   died   among   us; Yet   his   name   may   be   enrolled
  With the knights whose deeds of daring Ancient chronicles have told。
  Still a stripling; he encountered Poverty; and struggled long; Gathering
  force from every effort; Till he knew his arm was strong。
  Then his heart and life he offered To his radiant mistressTruth; Never
  thought; or dream; or faltering; Marred the promise of his youth。
  So   he   rode   forth   to   defend   her;   And   her   peerless   worth   proclaim;
  Challenging each recreant doubter Who aspersed her spotless name。
  First upon his path stood Ignorance; Hideous in his brutal might; Hard
  the blows and long the battle Ere the monster took to flight。
  Then;    with   light   and   fearless   spirit;  Prejudice   he   dared   to  brave;
  Hunting back the lying craven To her black sulphureous cave。
  Followed by his servile minions; Custom; the old Giant; rose; Yet he;
  too; at last was conquered By the good Knight's weighty blows。
  Then   he   turned;   and;   flushed   with   victory   Struck   upon   the   brazen
  shield Of the world's great king; Opinion And defied him to the field。
  Once   again   he   rose   a   conqueror; And;   though   wounded   in   the   fight;
  With a dying smile of triumph Saw that Truth had gained her right。
  On   his   failing   ear   re…echoing   Came   the   shouting   round   her   throne;
  Little cared he that no future With her name would link his own。
  Spent with many a hard…fought battle; Slowly ebbed his life away; And
  the crowd that flocked to greet her Trampled on him where he lay。
  Gathering   all   his   strength;   he   saw   her   Crowned   and   reigning   in   her
  pride! Looked his last upon her beauty; Raised his eyes to God; and died。
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICSFIRST SERIES
  VERSE:                  LINGER; OH;
  GENTLE TIME
  Linger; oh; gentle Time; Linger; oh; radiant grace of bright To…day! Let
  not   the   hours'   chime   Call   thee   away;   But   linger   near   me   still   with   fond
  delay。
  Linger; for thou art mine! What dearer treasures can the future hold?
  What   sweeter   flowers   than   thine   Can   she   unfold?   What   secrets   tell   my
  heart thou hast not told?
  Oh; linger in thy flight! For shadows gather round; and should we part;
  A dreary starless night May fill my heart; … Then pause and linger yet ere
  thou depart。
  Linger; I ask no more; … Thou art enough for everthou alone; What
  future can restore; When thou art flown; All that I hold from thee and call
  my own?
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICSFIRST SERIES
  VERSE:                    HOMEWARD BOUND
  I have seen a fiercer tempest; Known a louder whirlwind blow; I was
  wrecked   off   red Algiers;   Six…and…thirty   years   ago。 Young   I   was;   and   yet
  old seamen Were not strong or calm as I; While life held such treasures for
  me; I felt sure I could not die。
  Life   I  struggled    forand   saved    it;  Life  aloneand    nothing    more;
  Bruised; half dead; alone and helpless; I was cast upon the shore。 I feared
  the pitiless rocks of Ocean; So the great sea roseand then Cast me from
  her friendly bosom; On the pitiless hearts of men。
  Gaunt and dreary ran the mountains; With black gorges; up the land;
  Up   to   where   the   lonely   Desert   Spreads   her   burning;   dreary   sand:   In   the
  gorges of the mountains; On the plain beside the sea; Dwelt my stern and
  cruel masters; The black Moors of Barbary。
  Ten long years I toiled among them; Hopelessas I used to say; Now I
  know   Hope   burnt   within   me   Fiercer;   stronger;   day   by   day:   Those   dim
  years of toil and sorrow Like one long dark dream appear; One long day of
  weary waiting … Then each day was like a year。
  How I cursed the landmy prison; How I cursed the serpent sea … And
  the Demon Fate that showered All her curses upon me; I was mad; I think…
  …God pardon Words so terrible and wild … This voyage would have been
  my last one; For I left a wife and child。
  Never did one tender vision Fade away before my sight; Never once
  through all my slavery; Burning day or dreary night; In my soul it lived;
  and kept me; Now I feel; from black despair; And my heart was not quite
  broken; While they lived and blest me there。
  When at night my task was over; I would hasten to the shore; (All was
  strange and foreign inland; Nothing I had known before;) Strange looked
  the bleak mountain passes; Strange the red glare and black shade; And the
  Oleanders; waving To the sound the fountains made。
  Then   I   gazed   at   the   great   Ocean;   Till   she   grew   a   friend   again; And
  because she knew old England; I forgave her all my pain: So the blue still
  sky above me; With its white clouds' fleecy fold; And the glimmering stars;
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICSFIRST SERIES
  (though brighter;) Looked like home and days of old。
  And a   calm  would   fall  upon   me; Worn   perhaps   with   work   and   pain;
  The wild hungry longing left me; And I was myself again: Looking at the
  silver   waters;   Looking   up   at   the   far   sky;   Dreams   of   home   and   all   I   left
  there Floated sorrowfully by。
  A fair face; but pale with sorrow; With blue eyes; brimful of tears; And
  the little red mouth; quivering With a smile; to hide its fears; Holding out
  her baby towards me;