第 20 节
作者:管他三七二十一      更新:2021-10-16 18:45      字数:9322
  children;    Long    silentthe  word    came   That   lit  the  smouldering    ashes
  Through all the land to flame。
  Oh you who toil and suffer; You gladly heard the call; But those you
  sometimes envy Have they not given their all? Oh you who rule the nation;
  Take now the toil…worn hand … Brothers you are in sorrow; In duty to your
  land。   Learn   but   this   noble   lesson   Ere   Peace   returns   again; And   the   life…
  blood of Old England Will not be shed in vain。
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  VERSE:                    THE TWO SPIRITS
  (1855)
  Last night; when weary silence fell on all; And starless skies arose so
  dim and vast; I heard the Spirit of the Present call Upon the sleeping Spirit
  of the Past。 Far off and near; I saw their radiance shine; And listened while
  they spoke of deeds divine。
  The Spirit of the Past。
  My deeds are writ in iron; My glory stands alone; A veil of shadowy
  honour   Upon   my   tombs   is   thrown;   The   great   names   of   my   heroes   Like
  gems in history lie; To live they deemed ignoble; Had they the chance to
  die!
  The Spirit of the Present。
  My   children;   too;   are   honoured;   Dear   shall   their   memory   be   To   the
  proud   lands   that   own   them;   Dearer   than   thine   to   thee;   For;   though   they
  hold that sacred Is God's great gift of life; At the first call of duty They
  rush into the strife!
  The Spirit of the Past。
  Then; with all valiant precepts Woman's soft heart was fraught; 〃Death;
  not   dishonour;〃   echoed   The   war…cry   she   had   taught。   Fearless   and   glad;
  those mothers; At bloody deaths elate; Cried out they bore their children
  Only for such a fate!
  The Spirit of the Present。
  Though such stern laws of honour Are faded now away; Yet   many  a
  mourning       mother;    With    nobler    grief   than   they;   Bows     down    in   sad
  submission:   The   heroes   of   the   fight   Learnt   at   her   knee   the   lesson;   〃For
  God and for the Right!〃
  The Spirit of the Past。
  No   voice   there   spake   of   sorrow:   They   saw   the   noblest   fall   With   no
  repining   murmur;   Stern   Fate   was   lord   of   all。 And   when   the   loved   ones
  perished;   One   cry   alone   arose;   Waking   the   startled   echoes;   〃Vengeance
  upon our foes!〃
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  The Spirit of the Present。
  Grief dwells in France and England For many a noble son; Yet louder
  than   the   sorrow;   〃Thy  will;   Oh   God;   be   done!〃   From  desolate   homes   is
  rising One prayer; 〃Let carnage cease! On friends and foes have mercy; Oh
  Lord; and give us peace!〃
  The Spirit of the Past。
  Then;    every    hearth   was   honoured     That    sent  its  children   forth;   To
  spread   their   country's   glory;   And   gain    her   south   or   north。   Then;   little
  recked they numbers; No band would ever fly; But stern and resolute they
  stood To conquer or to die。
  The Spirit of the Present。
  And   now   from   France   and   England   Their   dearest   and   their   best   Go
  forth to succour freedom; To help the much oppressed; Now; let the far…off
  Future And Past bow down to…day; Before the few young hearts that hold
  Whole armaments at bay。
  The Spirit of the Past。
  Then;  each   one   strove   for honour;   Each   for   a deathless   name;   Love;
  home; rest; joy; were offered As sacrifice to Fame。 They longed that in far
  ages Their deeds might still be told; And distant times and nations Their
  names in honour hold。
  The Spirit of the Present。
  Though      nursed    by   such    old   legends;    Our    heroes    of  to…day    Go
  cheerfully   to    battle   As  children   go   to   play;  They   gaze    with   awe   and
  wonder   On   your   great   names   of   pride;   Unconscious   that   their   own   will
  shine In glory side by side!
  Day dawned; and as the Spirits passed away; Methought I saw; in the
  dim morning grey; The Past's bright diadem had paled before The starry
  crown the glorious Present wore。
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  VERSE:                    A LITTLE LONGER
  A  little   longer   yeta   little   longer;   Shall   violets   bloom   for   thee;   and
  sweet   birds   sing; And   the   lime   branches   where   soft   winds   are   blowing;
  Shall murmur the sweet promise of the Spring!
  A little longer  yeta little  longer; Thou shalt behold the quiet of   the
  morn; While tender grasses and awakening flowers Send up a golden mist
  to greet the dawn!
  A little longer yeta little longer; The tenderness of twilight shall be
  thine; The rosy clouds that float o'er dying daylight; Nor fade till trembling
  stars begin to shine。
  A  little   longer   yeta   little   longer;   Shall   starry   night   be   beautiful   for
  thee; And the cold moon shall look through the blue silence; Flooding her
  silver path upon the sea。
  A   little   longer   yeta   little   longer;   Life   shall   be   thine;   life   with   its
  power to will; Life with its strength to bear; to love; to conquer; Bringing
  its thousand joys thy heart to fill。
  A   little   longer   yeta   little   longer;   The   voices   thou   hast   loved   shall
  charm thine ear; And thy true heart; that now beats quick to hear them; A
  little longer yet shall hold them dear。
  A little longer yetjoy while thou mayest; Love and rejoice! for time
  has   nought   in   store; And   soon   the   darkness   of   the   grave   shall   bid   thee
  Love and rejoice and feel and know no more。
  * * *
  A little longer stillPatience; Beloved: A little longer still; ere Heaven
  unroll The Glory; and the Brightness; and the Wonder; Eternal; and divine;
  that waits thy Soul!
  A  little   longer   ere   Life   true;   immortal;   (Not   this   our   shadowy   Life;)
  will be thine own; And thou shalt stand where winged Archangels worship;
  And trembling bow before the Great White Throne。
  A little longer still; and Heaven awaits thee; And fills thy spirit with a
  great delight; Then our pale joys will seem a dream forgotten; Our Sun a
  darkness; and our Day a Night。
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  A little longer; and thy Heart; Beloved; Shall beat for ever with a Love
  divine; And   joy   so   pure;   so   mighty;   so   eternal;   No   creature   knows   and
  lives; will then be thine。
  A little longer yetand angel voices Shall ring in heavenly chant upon
  thine ear; Angels and Saints await thee; and God needs thee: Beloved; can
  we bid thee linger here!
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  VERSE:                     GRIEF
  An ancient enemy have I; And either he or I must die; For he never
  leaveth me; Never gives my soul relief; Never lets my sorrow cease; Never
  gives my spirit peace … For mine enemy is Grief!
  Pale he is; and sad and stern; And whene'er he cometh nigh; Blue and
  dim the torches burn; Pale and shrunk the roses turn; While my heart that
  he   has   pierced   Many   a   time   with   fiery   lance;   Beats   and   trembles   at   his
  glance: Clad in burning steel is he; All my strength he can defy; For he
  never leaveth me … And one of us must die!
  I have said; 〃Let ancient sages Charm me from my thoughts of pain!〃
  So   I   read   their   deepest   pages; And   I   strove   to   thinkin   vain!   Wisdom's
  cold calm words I tried; But he was seated by my side:… Learning I have
  won in vain; She cannot rid me of my pain。
  When   at   last   soft   sleep   comes   o'er   me; A  cold   hand   is   on   my   heart;
  Stern   sad   eyes   are   there   before   me;   Not   in   dreams   will   he   depart: And
  when   the   same   dreary   vision   From   my   weary   brain   has   fled;   Daylight
  brings the living phantom; He is seated by my bed; Bending o'er me all the
  while; With his crue