第1章

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。