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！
When we stood in our mist…hung velvet lawn；
And worked a spell this great joss taught
Till a God of the Dragons was charmed and caught？
From the flag high over our palace home
He flew to our feet in rainbow…foam
A king of beauty and tempest and thunder
Panting to tear our sorrows asunder。
A dragon of fair adventure and wonder。
We mounted the back of that royal slave
With thoughts of desire that were noble and grave。
We swam down the shore to the dragon…mountains；
We whirled to the peaks and the fiery fountains。
To our secret ivory house we were bourne。
We looked down the wonderful wing…filled regions
Where the dragons darted in glimmering legions。
Right by my breast the nightingale sang；
The old rhymes rang in the sunlit mist
That we this hour regain
Song…fire for the brain。
When my hands and my hair and my feet you kissed；
When you cried for your heart's new pain；
What was my name in the dragon…mist；
In the rings of rainbowed rain？〃
〃Sorrow and love； glory and love；〃
Said the Chinese nightingale。
〃Sorrow and love； glory and love；〃
Said the Chinese nightingale。
And now the joss broke in with his song：
〃Dying ember； bird of Chang；
Soul of Chang； do you remember？
Ere you returned to the shining harbor
There were pirates by ten thousand
Descended on the town
In vessels mountain…high and red and brown；
Moon…ships that climbed the storms and cut the skies。
On their prows were painted terrible bright eyes。
But I was then a wizard and a scholar and a priest；
I stood upon the sand；
With lifted hand I looked upon them
And sunk their vessels with my wizard eyes；
And the stately lacquer…gate made safe again。
Deep； deep below the bay； the sea…weed and the spray；
Embalmed in amber every pirate lies；
Embalmed in amber every pirate lies。〃
Then this did the noble lady say：
〃Bird； do you dream of our home…coming day
When you flew like a courier on before
From the dragon…peak to our palace…door；
And we drove the steed in your singing path
The ramping dragon of laughter and wrath：
And found our city all aglow；
And knighted this joss that decked it so？
There were golden fishes in the purple river
And silver fishes and rainbow fishes。
There were golden junks in the laughing river；
And silver junks and rainbow junks：
There were golden lilies by the bay and river；
And silver lilies and tiger…lilies；
And tinkling wind…bells in the gardens of the town
By the black…lacquer gate
Where walked in state
The kind king Chang
And his sweet…heart mate。 。 。 。
With his flag…born dragon
And his crown of pearl 。 。 。 and 。 。 。 jade；
And his nightingale reigning in the mulberry shade；
And sailors and soldiers on the sea…sands brown；
And priests who bowed them down to your song
By the city called Han； the peacock town；
By the city called Han； the nightingale town；
The nightingale town。〃
Then sang the bird； so strangely gay；
Fluttering； fluttering； ghostly and gray；
A vague； unravelling； final tune；
Like a long unwinding silk cocoon；
Sang as though for the soul of him
Who ironed away in that bower dim：
〃I have forgotten
Your dragons great；
Merry and mad and friendly and bold。
Dim is your proud lost palace…gate。
I vaguely know
There were heroes of old；
Troubles more than the heart could hold；
There were wolves in the woods
Yet lambs in the fold；
Nests in the top of the almond tree。 。 。 。
The evergreen tree 。 。 。 and the mulberry tree 。 。 。
Life and hurry and joy forgotten；
Years on years I but half…remember 。 。 。
Man is a torch； then ashes soon；
May and June； then dead December；
Dead December； then again June。
Who shall end my dream's confusion？
Life is a loom； weaving illusion 。 。 。
I remember； I remember
There were ghostly veils and laces 。 。 。
In the shadowy bowery places 。 。 。
With lovers' ardent faces
Bending to one another；
Speaking each his part。
They infinitely echo
In the red cave of my heart。
‘Sweetheart； sweetheart； sweetheart。'
They said to one another。
They spoke； I think； of perils past。
They spoke； I think； of peace at last。
One thing I remember：
Spring came on forever；
Spring came on forever；〃
Said the Chinese nightingale。
Second Section
America Watching the War； August； 1914； to April； 1917
Where Is the Real Non…resistant？
（Matthew 5：38…48）
Who can surrender to Christ； dividing his best with the stranger；
Giving to each what he asks； braving the uttermost danger
All for the enemy； MAN？ Who can surrender till death
His words and his works； his house and his lands；
His eyes and his heart and his breath？
Who can surrender to Christ？ Many have yearned toward it daily。
Yet they surrender to passion； wildly or grimly or gaily；
Yet they surrender to pride； counting her precious and queenly；
Yet they surrender to knowledge； preening their feathers serenely。
Who can surrender to Christ？ Where is the man so transcendent；
So heated with love of his kind； so filled with the spirit resplendent
That all of the hours of his day his song is thrilling and tender；
And all of his thoughts to our white cause of peace
Surrender； surrender； surrender？
Here's to the Mice！
（Written with the hope that the socialists might yet
dethrone Kaiser and Czar。）
Here's to the mice that scare the lions；
Creeping into their cages。
Here's to the fairy mice that bite
The elephants fat and wise：
Hidden in the hay…pile while the elephant thunder rages。
Here's to the scurrying； timid mice
Through whom the proud cause dies。
Here's to the seeming accident
When all is planned and working；
All the flywheels turning；
Not a vassal shirking。
Here's to the hidden tunneling thing
That brings the mountain's groans。
Here's to the midnight scamps that gnaw；
Gnawing away the thrones。
When Bryan Speaks
When Bryan speaks； the town's a hive。
From miles around； the autos drive。
The sparrow chirps。 The rooster crows。
The place is kicking and alive。
When Bryan speaks； the bunting glows。
The raw procession onward flows。
The small dogs bark。 The children laugh
A wind of springtime fancy blows。
When Bryan speaks； the wigwam shakes。
The corporation magnate quakes。
The pre…convention plot is smashed。
The valiant pleb full…armed awakes。
When Bryan speaks； the sky is ours；
The wheat； the forests； and the flowers。
And who is here to say us nay？
Fled are the ancient tyrant powers。
When Bryan speaks； then I rejoice。
His is the strange composite voice
Of many million singing souls
Who make world…brotherhood their choice。
Written in Washington； D。C。
February； 1915。
To Jane Addams at the Hague
Two Poems；