第 12 节
作者:大热      更新:2022-11-23 12:13      字数:9322
  thou wilt profit by her smart。
  But bitter hours come to all: When even truths like these will pall; Sick
  hearts for humbler comfort call。
  Then I would have thee strive to see That good and evil come to thee;
  As one of a great family。
  And as material life is planned; That even the loneliest one must stand
  Dependent on his brother's hand;
  So links more subtle and more fine Bind every other soul to thine In
  one great brotherhood divine。
  Nor with   thy  share of   work be   vexed; Though incomplete;  and   even
  perplex; It fits exactly to the next。
  What seems so dark to thy dim sight May be a shadow; seen   aright;
  Making some brightness doubly bright。
  The flash that struck thy tree;no more To shelter thee;lets Heaven's
  blue floor Shine where it never shone before。
  Thy life that has been dropped aside Into Time's stream; may stir the
  tide; In rippled circles spreading wide。
  The cry wrung from thy spirit's pain May echo on some far…off plain;
  And guide a wanderer home again。
  Failyet   rejoice;   because   no   less   The   failure   that   makes   thy   distress
  May teach another full success。
  It may be that in some great need Thy life's poor fragments are decreed
  To help build up a lofty deed。
  Thy heart should throb in vast content; Thus knowing that it was but
  meant As chord in one great instrument;
  That   even   the   discord   in   thy   soul   May   make   completer   music   roll
  From out the great harmonious whole。
  It may be; that when all is light; Deep set within that deep delight Will
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  be to know WHY all was right;
  To hear life's perfect music rise; And while it floods the happy skies;
  Thy feeble voice to recognise。
  Then strive more gladly to fulfil Thy little part。         This darkness still Is
  light to every loving will。
  And trust;as if already plain; How just thy share of loss and pain Is
  for another fuller gain。
  I dare not limit time or place Touched by thy life:           nor dare I trace Its
  far vibrations into space。
  ONE only knows。          Yet if the fret Of thy weak heart; in weak regret
  Needs a more tender comfort yet:
  Then thou mayst take thy loneliest fears; The bitterest drops of all thy
  tears; The dreariest hours of all thy years;
  And   through   thy   anguish   there   outspread;   May   ask   that   God's   great
  love would shed Blessings on one beloved head。
  And thus thy soul shall learn to draw Sweetness from out that loving
  law That sees no failure and no flaw;
  Where all is good。       And life is good; Were the one lesson understood
  Of its most sacred brotherhood。
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  VERSE:                  A CHANGELING
  A little changeling spirit Crept to my arms one day: I had no heart or
  courage To drive the child away。
  So all day long I soothed her; And hushed her on my breast; And all
  night long her wailing Would never let me rest。
  I dug a grave to hold her; A grave both dark and deep; I covered her
  with violets; And laid her there to sleep。
  I used to go and watch there; Both night and morning too:… It was my
  tears; I fancy; That kept the violets blue。
  I took her up:     and once more I felt the clinging hold; And heard the
  ceaseless wailing That wearied me of old。
  I wandered; and I wandered; With my burden on my breast; Till I saw
  a church…door open; And entered in to rest。
  In the dim; dying daylight;  Set in   a flowery  shrine;  I saw  the Virgin
  Mother Holding her Child divine。
  I knelt down there in silence; And on the Altar…stone I laid my wailing
  burden; And came awayalone。
  And   now   that   little   spirit;   That   sobbed   so   all   day   long;   Is   grown   a
  shining Angel; With wines both wide and strong。
  She watches me from Heaven; With loving; tender care; And one day
  she has promised That I shall find her there。
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  VERSE:                    DISCOURAGED
  Where      the   little  babbling    streamlet    First   springs    forth   to  light;
  Trickling through soft velvet mosses; Almost hid from sight; Vowed I with
  delight; … 〃River; I will follow thee; Through thy wanderings to the Sea!〃
  Gleaming 'mid   the purple heather; Downward   then   it   sped;  Glancing
  through   the   mountain   gorges;   Like   a   silver   thread;   As   it   quicker   fled;
  Louder music in its flow; Dashing to the Vale below。
  Then   its   voice   grew   lower;   gentler;   And   its   pace   less   fleet;   Just   as
  though it loved to linger Round the rushes' feet; As they stooped to meet
  Their clear images below; Broken by the ripples' flow。
  Purple Willow…herb bent over To her shadow fair; Meadow…sweet; in
  feathery clusters; Perfumed all the air; Silver…weed was there; And in one
  calm; grassy spot; Starry; blue Forget…me…not。
  Tangled   weeds;   below   the   waters;   Still   seemed   drawn   away; Yet   the
  current; floating onward; Was less strong than they; … Sunbeams watched
  their play; With a flickering light and shade; Through the screen the Alders
  made。
  Broader   grew   the   flowing   River;   To   its   grassy   brink   Slowly;   in   the
  slanting sun…rays; Cattle trooped to drink: The blue sky; I think; Was no
  bluer than that stream; Slipping onward; like a dream。
  Quicker; deeper then it hurried; Rushing fierce and free; But I said; 〃It
  should grow calmer Ere it meets the Sea; The wide purple Sea; Which I
  weary for in vain; Wasting all my toil and pain。〃
  But it rushed still quicker; fiercer; In its rocky bed; Hard and stony was
  the   pathway   To   my   tired   tread;   〃I   despair;〃   I   said;   〃Of   that   wide   and
  glorious Sea That was promised unto me。〃
  So   I   turned   aside;   and   wandered   Through   green   meadows   near;   Far
  away;  among   the   daisies;   Far   away;  for   fear   Lest   I   still should   hear The
  loud murmur of its song; As the River flowed along。
  Now I hear it not:… I loiter Gaily as before; Yet I sometimes think;and
  thinking Makes my heart so sore; … Just a few steps more; And there might
  have shone for me; Blue and infinite; the Sea。
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  VERSE:                   IF THOU COULDST
  KNOW
  I   think   if   thou   couldst   know;   Oh   soul   that   will   complain;   What   lies
  concealed below Our  burden and our pain; How just   our anguish   brings
  Nearer   those   longed…for   things   We   seek   for   now   in   vain;   …   I   think   thou
  wouldst rejoice; and not complain。
  I think if thou couldst see; With thy dim mortal sight; How meanings;
  dark to thee; Are shadows hiding light; Truth's efforts crossed and vexed;
  Life's purpose all perplexed; … If thou couldst see them right; I think that
  they would seem all clear; and wise; and bright。
  And yet thou canst not know; And yet thou canst not see; Wisdom and
  sight are slow In poor humanity。 If thou couldst TRUST; poor soul; In Him
  who rules the whole; Thou wouldst find peace and rest: Wisdom and sight
  are well; but Trust is best。
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  VERSE:                   THE WARRIOR TO
  HIS DEAD BRIDE
  If   in   the   fight   my   arm   was   strong; And   forced   my   foes   to   yield;   If
  conquering and unhurt I came Back from the battle…field … It is because thy
  prayers have been My safeguard and my shield。
  My comrades smile to see my arm Spare or protect a foe; They think
  thy gentle pleading voice Was silenced long ago; But pity and compassion;
  love; Were taught me first by woe。
  Thy heart;  my  own;  still   beats   in   Heaven With   the same   love divine
  That made thee stoop to such a soul; So hard; so stern; as mine … My eyes
  have learnt to weep; beloved; Since last they looked on thine。
  I hear thee murmur words of peace Through the dim midnight air; And
  a   calm   falls   from   the   angel   stars   And   soothes   my   great   despair   …   The
  Heavens themselves look brighter; love; Since thy sweet soul is there。
  An