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！
Be not so coy； the laurel trembles still
With great Apollo's kisses； and the fir
Whose clustering sisters fringe the seaward hill
Hath many a tale of that bold ravisher
Whom men call Boreas； and I have seen
The mocking eyes of Hermes through the poplar's silvery sheen。
Even the jealous Naiads call me fair；
And every morn a young and ruddy swain
Woos me with apples and with locks of hair；
And seeks to soothe my virginal disdain
By all the gifts the gentle wood…nymphs love；
But yesterday he brought to me an iris…plumaged dove
With little crimson feet； which with its store
Of seven spotted eggs the cruel lad
Had stolen from the lofty sycamore
At daybreak； when her amorous comrade had
Flown off in search of berried juniper
Which most they love； the fretful wasp； that earliest vintager
Of the blue grapes； hath not persistency
So constant as this simple shepherd…boy
For my poor lips； his joyous purity
And laughing sunny eyes might well decoy
A Dryad from her oath to Artemis；
For very beautiful is he； his mouth was made to kiss；
His argent forehead； like a rising moon
Over the dusky hills of meeting brows；
Is crescent shaped； the hot and Tyrian noon
Leads from the myrtle…grove no goodlier spouse
For Cytheraea； the first silky down
Fringes his blushing cheeks； and his young limbs are strong and
brown；
And he is rich； and fat and fleecy herds
Of bleating sheep upon his meadows lie；
And many an earthen bowl of yellow curds
Is in his homestead for the thievish fly
To swim and drown in； the pink clover mead
Keeps its sweet store for him； and he can pipe on oaten reed。
And yet I love him not； it was for thee
I kept my love； I knew that thou would'st come
To rid me of this pallid chastity；
Thou fairest flower of the flowerless foam
Of all the wide AEgean； brightest star
Of ocean's azure heavens where the mirrored planets are！
I knew that thou would'st come； for when at first
The dry wood burgeoned； and the sap of spring
Swelled in my green and tender bark or burst
To myriad multitudinous blossoming
Which mocked the midnight with its mimic moons
That did not dread the dawn； and first the thrushes' rapturous
tunes
Startled the squirrel from its granary；
And cuckoo flowers fringed the narrow lane；
Through my young leaves a sensuous ecstasy
Crept like new wine； and every mossy vein
Throbbed with the fitful pulse of amorous blood；
And the wild winds of passion shook my slim stem's maidenhood。
The trooping fawns at evening came and laid
Their cool black noses on my lowest boughs；
And on my topmost branch the blackbird made
A little nest of grasses for his spouse；
And now and then a twittering wren would light
On a thin twig which hardly bare the weight of such delight。
I was the Attic shepherd's trysting place；
Beneath my shadow Amaryllis lay；
And round my trunk would laughing Daphnis chase
The timorous girl； till tired out with play
She felt his hot breath stir her tangled hair；
And turned； and looked； and fled no more from such delightful
snare。
Then come away unto my ambuscade
Where clustering woodbine weaves a canopy
For amorous pleasaunce； and the rustling shade
Of Paphian myrtles seems to sanctify
The dearest rites of love； there in the cool
And green recesses of its farthest depth there is pool；
The ouzel's haunt； the wild bee's pasturage；
For round its rim great creamy lilies float
Through their flat leaves in verdant anchorage；
Each cup a white…sailed golden…laden boat
Steered by a dragon…fly； … be not afraid
To leave this wan and wave…kissed shore； surely the place was made
For lovers such as we； the Cyprian Queen；
One arm around her boyish paramour；
Strays often there at eve； and I have seen
The moon strip off her misty vestiture
For young Endymion's eyes； be not afraid；
The panther feet of Dian never tread that secret glade。
Nay if thou will'st； back to the beating brine；
Back to the boisterous billow let us go；
And walk all day beneath the hyaline
Huge vault of Neptune's watery portico；
And watch the purple monsters of the deep
Sport in ungainly play； and from his lair keen Xiphias leap。
For if my mistress find me lying here
She will not ruth or gentle pity show；
But lay her boar…spear down； and with austere
Relentless fingers string the cornel bow；
And draw the feathered notch against her breast；
And loose the arched cord； aye； even now upon the quest
I hear her hurrying feet； … awake； awake；
Thou laggard in love's battle！ once at least
Let me drink deep of passion's wine； and slake
My parched being with the nectarous feast
Which even gods affect！ O come； Love； come；
Still we have time to reach the cavern of thine azure home。'
Scarce had she spoken when the shuddering trees
Shook； and the leaves divided； and the air
Grew conscious of a god； and the grey seas
Crawled backward； and a long and dismal blare
Blew from some tasselled horn； a sleuth…hound bayed；
And like a flame a barbed reed flew whizzing down the glade。
And where the little flowers of her breast
Just brake into their milky blossoming；
This murderous paramour； this unbidden guest；
Pierced and struck deep in horrid chambering；
And ploughed a bloody furrow with its dart；
And dug a long red road； and cleft with winged death her heart。
Sobbing her life out with a bitter cry
On the boy's body fell the Dryad maid；
Sobbing for incomplete virginity；
And raptures unenjoyed； and pleasures dead；
And all the pain of things unsatisfied；
And the bright drops of crimson youth crept down her throbbing
side。
Ah！ pitiful it was to hear her moan；
And very pitiful to see her die
Ere she had yielded up her sweets； or known
The joy of passion； that dread mystery
Which not to know is not to live at all；
And yet to know is to be held in death's most deadly thrall。
But as it hapt the Queen of Cythere；
Who with Adonis all night long had lain
Within some shepherd's hut in Arcady；
On team of silver doves and gilded wain
Was journeying Paphos…ward； high up afar
From mortal ken between the mountains and the morning star；
And when low down she spied the hapless pair；
And heard the Oread's faint despairing cry；
Whose cadence seemed to play upon the air
As though it were a viol； hastily
She bade her pigeons fold each straining plume；
And dropt to earth； and reached the strand； and saw their dolorous
doom。
For as a gardener turning back his head
To catch the last notes of the linnet； mows
With careless scythe too near some flower bed；
And cuts the thorny pillar of the rose；
And with the flower's loosened loneliness
Strews the brown mould； or as some shepherd lad in wantonness
Driving his little flock along the mead
Treads down two daffodils； which side by aide
Have lured the lady…bird with yellow brede
And made the gaudy moth forget its pride；
Treads down th