ContentsToaPoetathousandyearshenceRiouperouxTheTownwithoutaMarketTheBalledofCamdenTownMignonFelodeseTenebrisInterlucentemInvitationtoayoungbutlearnedfriend……
BalledoftheLondonerTheFirstSonnetofBathrolaireTheSecondSonnetofBathrolaireTheMasqueoftheMagiTheBalledofHampsteadHeathLitanytoSatanTheTranslatorandtheChildrenOpportunityDestroyerofShips,Men,CitiesWarSongoftheSaracensJosephandMaryNoCoward\'sSongAWesternVoyageFountainsTheWelshSeaOxfordCanalHialmarspeakstotheRavenTheBalladoftheStudentintheSouthTheQueen\'ssongLordArnaldosWethatwerefriendsMyFriendIdealMaryMagdalenIrosefromdreamlesshoursPrayerAMiracleofBethlehemGravisDulcisImmutabilisPillageTheBalladofZachoPavlovnainLondonTheSentimentalistDonJuaninHellTheBalladofIskanderTOAPOET
ATHOUSANDYEARSHENCE
Iwhoamdeadathousandyears,Andwrotethissweetarchaicsong,SendyoumywordsformessengersThewayIshallnotpassalong。
Icarenotifyoubridgetheseas,Orridesecurethecruelsky,OrbuildconsummatepalacesOfmetalorofmasonry。
Buthaveyouwineandmusicstill,Andstatuesandabrighteyedlove,Andfoolishthoughtsofgoodandill,Andprayerstothemwhositabove?
Howshallweconquer?LikeawindThatfallsateveourfanciesblow,AndoldMoeonidestheblindSaiditthreethousandyearsago。
Ofriendunseen,unborn,unknown,StudentofoursweetEnglishtongue,Readoutmywordsatnight,alone:
Iwasapoet,Iwasyoung。
SinceIcanneverseeyourface,Andnevershakeyoubythehand,IsendmysoulthroughtimeandspaceTogreetyou。Youwillunderstand。
RIOUPEROUX
HighandsolemnmountainsguardRiouperoux,Smalluntidyvillagewheretheriverdrivesamill:
Frailaswoodanemones,whiteandfrailwereyou,Anddroopingalittle,liketheslenderdaffodil。
OhIwillgotoFranceagain,andtrampthevalleythrough,AndIwillchangethesegentleclothesforclogandcorduroy,AndworkwiththemillhandsofblackRiouperoux,Andwalkwithyou,andtalkwithyou,likeanyotherboy。
THETOWNWITHOUTAMARKET
ThereliesafarbehindawesternhillTheTownwithoutaMarket,whiteandstill;
ForsixfeetlongandnotathirdashighArethosesmallhabitations。TherestoodI,WaitingtohearthecitizensbeneathMurmurandsighandspeakthroughtonguelessteeth。
WhenalltheworldlayburninginthesunIheardtheirvoicesspeaktome。Saidone:
\"BrightlightsIlovedandcolours,IwhofindThatdeathisdarkness,andhasstruckmeblind。\"
Anothercried:\"Iusedtosingandplay,Butheretheworldissilent,daybyday。\"
Andone:\"OnearthIcouldnotseeorhear,ButwithmyfingerstouchedwhatIwasnear,Andknewthingsroundandsoft,andbrassfromgold,Anddippedmyhandinwater,tofeelcold,Andthoughtthegravewouldcureme,andwasgladWhenthetimecametolosewhatjoyIhad。\"
SoonallthevoicesofahundreddeadShoutedinwrathtogether。Someonesaid,\"Icarenot,butthegirlwassweettokissAteveninginthemeadows。\"\"Harditis\"
Anothercried,\"tohearnohuntinghorn。
Ahme!thehorse,thehounds,andthegreatgreymornWhenIrodeoutahunting。\"Andonesighed,\"IdidnotseemysonbeforeIdied。\"
Aboysaid,\"Iwasstrongandswifttorun:
Nowtheyhavetiedmyfeet:whathaveIdone?\"
Aman,\"ButitwasgoodtoarmandfightAndstormtheircitiesinthedeadofnight。\"
Anoldmansaid,\"Ireadmybooksallday,Butdeathhastakenallmybooksaway。\"
Andone,\"ThepopesandprophetsdidnotwellTocheatpoordeadmenwithfalsehopesofhell。
BetterthewhipsoffirethathissandrendThanpainlessvoidproceedingtonoend。\"
Ismiledtohearthemrestless,IwhosoughtPeace。ForIhadnotloved,Ihadnotfought,Andbooksarevanities,andmanlystrengthAgatheredflower。Godgrantuspeaceatlength!
Iheardnomore,andturnedtoleavetheirtownBeforethechillcame,andthesunwentdown。
Thenroseawhisper,andIseemedtoknowAtimorousman,buriedlongyearsago。
\"OnEarthIusedtoshapetheThingthatseems。
Masterofallmen,givemebackmydreams。
Givemethatworldthatneverfailedmethen,ThehillsImadeandpeopledwithtallmen,ThepalacethatIbuiltandcalledmyhome,MycitieswhichcouldbreaktheprideofRome,Thethreequeenshiddeninthesacredtree,Andthosewhitecloudyfolkwhosangtome。
Odeath,whyhastthoucoveredmesodeep?
Iwasthysister\'schild,thefriendofSleep。\"
Thensaidmyheart,Deathtakesandcannotgive。
Darkwithnodreamishateful:letmelive!
THEBALLADOFCAMDENTOWN
IwalkedwithMaisielongyearsbackThestreetsofCamdenTown,Isplendidinmysuitofblack,Andshedivineinbrown。
Herswasaproudandnobleface,Asecretheart,andeyesLikewaterinalonelyplaceBeneathuncloudedskies。
Abed,achest,afadedmat,Andbrokenchairsafew,WereallwehadtograceourflatInHazelAvenue。
ButIcouldwalktoHampsteadHeath,Andcrownherheadwithdaisies,Andwatchthestreamingworldbeneath,AndmenwithotherMaisies。
WhenIwasillandshewaspaleAndemptystoodourstore,Sheleftthelatchkeyonitsnail,Andsawmenevermore。
PerhapsshecastherselfawayLestbothofusshoulddrown:
Perhapsshefearedtodie,astheyWhodieinCamdenTown。
Whatcameofher?ThebitternightsDestroytheroseandlily,AndsoulsarelostamongthelightsOfpaintedPiccadilly。
Whatcameofher?TheriverflowsSodeepandwideandstilly,AndwaitstocatchthefallenroseAndclaspthebrokenlily。
IdreamshedwellsinLondonstillAndbreathestheeveningair,AndoftenwalktoPrimroseHill,Andhopetomeetherthere。