第4章

\"Tellme;whoisthatFigureatthyside?\"

\"Penitence。MarkthiswellthatbydecreeWholetsmegomustkeepherforhisbride。

AndthouhastspentmuchtimeintalkwithmeBusiedwiththoughtsandfanciesvainlygrand,Norhastremarked,Ofool,neitherdostseeHowlightlyIhavefledbeneaththyhand。\"

DESTROYEROFSHIPS,MEN,CITIES

HelenofTroyhassprungfromHellToclaimherancientthrone,SowehavebiddenfriendsfarewellTofollowheralone。

TheLadyofthelaurelledbrow,TheQueenofprideandpower,Looksratherlikeaphantomnow,Andratherlikeaflower。

DeepinhereyesthelampofnightBurnswithasecretflame,Whereshadowspassthathavenosight,Andghoststhathavenoname。

Formuteisbattle\'sbrazenhornThatrangforPriestandKing,AndshewhodrankofthatbravemornIspalewithevening。

Anhourthereiswhenbrightwordsflow,Alittlehourforsleep,Anhourbetween,whenlightsarelow,Andthensheseemstoweep,ButnolesslovelythanofoldSheshines,andalmosthearsThehornsthatblewindaysofgold,Theshoutingcharioteers。

Andstillshebreakstheheartsofmen,Theirheartsandalltheirpride,Doomedtobecruelonceagain,Andlivedissatisfied。

WARSONGOFTHESARACENS

Wearetheywhocomefasterthanfate:wearetheywhorideearlyorlate:

Westormatyourivorygate:PaleKingsoftheSunset,beware!

Notonsilknorinsametwelie,notincurtainedsolemnitydieAmongwomenwhochatterandcry,andchildrenwhomumbleaprayer。

Butwesleepbytheropesofthecamp,andwerisewithashout,andwetrampWiththesunorthemoonforalamp,andthesprayofthewindinourhair。

Fromthelands,wheretheelephantsare,tothefortsofMerouandBalghar,OursteelwehavebroughtandourstartoshineontheruinsofRum。

WehavemarchedfromtheIndustoSpain,andbyGodwewillgothereagain;

WehavestoodontheshoreoftheplainwheretheWatersofDestinyboom。

AmartofdestructionwemadeatJalulawheremenwereafraid,Fordeathwasadifficulttrade,andtheswordwasabrokerofdoom;

AndtheSpearwasaDesertPhysicianwhocurednotafewofambition,Anddravenotafewtoperditionwithmedicinebitterandstrong:

Andtheshieldwasagrieftothefoolandasbrightasadesolatepool,AndasstraightastherockofStamboulwhentheircavalrythunderedalong:

Forthecowardwasdrownedwiththebravewhenourbattlesheereduplikeawave,Andthedeadtothedesertwegave,andtheglorytoGodinoursong。

JOSEPHANDMARY

JOSEPH

Mary,artthouthelittlemaidWhopluckedmeflowersinSpring?

Iknowtheenot:Ifeelafraid:

Thou\'rtstrangethisevening。

AsweetandrusticgirlIwonWhattimethewoodsweregreen;

Nowomanwithdeepeyesthatshone,AndthepalebrowsofaQueen。

MARY(inattentivetohiswords。)

AstrangercamewithfeetofflameAndtoldmethisstrangething,

ForallIwasavillagemaidMysonshouldbeaKing。

JOSEPH

AKing,dearwife。WhoeverknewOfKingsinstablesborn!

MARY

Doyouhear,inthedarkandstarlitblueTheclarionandthehorn?

JOSEPH

Mary,alas,lestgriefandjoyHavesentthywitsastray;

Butletmelookonthismyboy,Andtakethewrapsaway。

MARY

Beholdthelad。

JOSEPH

Idarenotgaze:

Lightstreamsfromeverylimb。

MARY

Thewintersunhasstoredhisrays,Andpassedthefiretohim。

LookEastward,look!Ihearasound。

OJoseph,whatdoyousee?

JOSEPH

ThesnowliesquietonthegroundAndglistensonthetree;

Theskyisbrightwithastar\'sgreatlight,AndclearlyIbeholdThreeKingsdescendingyonderhill,Whosecrownsarecrownsofgold。

OMary,whatdoyouhearandseeWithyourbrowtowardtheWest?

MARY

ThesnowliesglisteningonthetreeAndsilentonEarth\'sbreast;

Andstrongandtall,withliftedeyesSevenshepherdswalkthisway,AndangelsbreakingfromtheskiesDance,andsinghymns,andpray。

JOSEPH

IwondermuchatthesebrightKings;

TheshepherdsIdespise。

MARY

Youknownotwhatashepherdsings,Norseehisshiningeyes。

NOCOWARD\'SSONG

Iamafraidtothinkaboutmydeath,Whenitshallbe,andwhetheringreatpainIshallriseupandfighttheairforbreathOrcalmlywaittheburstingofmybrain。

IamnocowardwhocouldseekinfearAfolkloresolaceorsweetIndiantales:

IknowdeadmenaredeafandcannothearThesingingofathousandnightingales。

IknowdeadmenareblindandcannotseeThefriendthatshutsinhorrortheirbigeyes,AndtheyarewitlessOI\'dratherbeAlivingmousethandeadasamandies。

AWESTERNVOYAGE

MyfriendtheSunlikeallmyfriendsInconstant,lovely,faraway

Isout,andbright,andcondescendsTogloryinourholiday。

AfuriousmarchwithhimI\'llgoAndracehimintheWesterntrain,AndwakethehillsoflongagoAndswimtheDevonseaagain。

IhavedonefoolishlytoheadThefootwayofthefalsemoonbeams,TolightmylampandcallthedeadAndreadtheirlongblackprinteddreams。

IhavedonefoolishlytodwellWithFearuponherdesertisle,TotakemyshadowgraphtoHell,Andthentohopetheshadeswouldsmile。

Andsincethelightmustfailmesoon(Butfaster,faster,Westerntrain!)

Proudmeadowsoftheafternoon,Ihaverememberedyouagain。

AndI\'llgoseekthroughmooranddaleAflowerthatwastrelwindscaress;

Thebudisredandtheleavespale,ThenameofitForgetfulness。

ThenliketheoldandhappyhillsWithfrozenveinsandfiresoutrun,I\'llwaitthedaywhendarknesskillsMybrotherandgoodfriend,theSun。

FOUNTAINS

Softisthecolliednight,andcoolThewindaboutthegardenpool。