第 22 节
作者:
管他三七二十一 更新:2021-10-16 18:45 字数:9306
Never shall my heart be burthened With its ancient woe and fears; I
can drive them from my presence; I can check these foolish tears。
Back; ye Phantoms; leave; oh leave me To a new and happy lot; Speak
no more of things departed; Leave mefor I know ye not。
Can it be that 'mid my gladness I must ever hear you wail; Of the grief
that wrung my spirit; And that made my cheek so pale?
Joy is mine; but your sad voices Murmur ever in mine ear: Vain is all
the Future's promise; While the dreary Past is here。
Vain; oh worse than vain; the Visions That my heart; my life would fill;
If the Past's relentless phantoms Call upon me still!
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LEGENDS AND LYRICSFIRST SERIES
VERSE: THANKFULNESS
My God; I thank Thee who hast made The Earth so bright; So full of
splendour and of joy; Beauty and light; So many glorious things are here;
Noble and right!
I thank Thee; too; that Thou hast made Joy to abound; So many gentle
thoughts and deeds Circling us round; That in the darkest spot of Earth
Some love is found。
I thank Thee MORE that all our joy Is touched with pain; That
shadows fall on brightest hours; That thorns remain; So that Earth's bliss
may be our guide; And not our chain。
For Thou who knowest; Lord; how soon Our weak heart clings; Hast
given us joys; tender and true; Yet all with wings; So that we see; gleaming
on high; Diviner things!
I thank Thee; Lord; that Thou hast kept The best in store; We have
enough; yet not too much To long for more: A yearning for a deeper peace;
Not known before。
I thank Thee; Lord; that here our souls; Though amply blest; Can never
find; although they seek; A perfect rest … Nor ever shall; until they lean On
Jesus' breast!
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LEGENDS AND LYRICSFIRST SERIES
VERSE: HOME…SICKNESS
Where I am; the halls are gilded; Stored with pictures bright and rare;
Strains of deep melodious music Float upon the perfumed air:… Nothing
stirs the dreary silence Save the melancholy sea; Near the poor and
humble cottage; Where I fain would be!
Where I am; the sun is shining; And the purple windows glow; Till
their rich armorial shadows Stain the marble floor below:… Faded Autumn
leaves are trembling; On the withered jasmine tree; Creeping round the
little casement; Where I fain would be!
Where I am; the days are passing O'er a pathway strewn with flowers;
Song and joy and starry pleasures Crown the happy smiling hours:…
Slowly; heavily; and sadly; Time with weary wings must flee; Marked by
pain; and toil; and sorrow; Where I fain would be!
Where I am; the great and noble Tell me of renown and fame; And the
red wine sparkles highest; To do honour to my name:… Far away a place is
vacant; By a humble hearth; for me; Dying embers dimly show it; Where I
fain would be!
Where I am; are glorious dreaminess; Science; genius; art divine; And
the great minds whom all honour Interchange their thoughts with mine:… A
few simple hearts are waiting; Longing; wearying; for me; Far away where
tears are falling; Where I fain would be!
Where I am; all think me happy; For so well I play my part; None can
guess; who smile around me; How far distant is my heart … Far away; in a
poor cottage; Listening to the dreary sea; Where the treasures of my life
are; Where I fain would be!
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LEGENDS AND LYRICSFIRST SERIES
VERSE: WISHES
All the fluttering wishes Caged within thy heart Beat their wings
against it; Longing to depart; Till they shake their prison With their
wounded cry; Open wide thy heart to…day; And let the captives fly。
Let them first fly upward Through the starry air; Till you almost lose
them; For their home is there; Then; with outspread pinions; Circling
round and round; Wing their way; wherever Want and woe are found。
Where the weary stitcher Toils for daily bread; Where the lonely
watcher Watches by her dead; Where with thin weak fingers; Toiling at the
loom; Stand the little children; Blighted ere they bloom。
Where; by darkness blinded; Groping for the light; With distorted
conscience Men do wrong for right; Where; in the cold shadow; By
smooth pleasure thrown; Human hearts by hundreds Harden into stone。
Where on dusty highways; With faint heart and slow; Cursing the glad
sunlight; Hungry outcasts go: Where all mirth is silenced; And the hearth
is chill; For one place is empty; And one voice is still。
Some hearts will be lighter While your captives roam For their tender
singing; Then recal them home; When the sunny hours Into night depart;
Softly they will nestle In a quiet heart。
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LEGENDS AND LYRICSFIRST SERIES
VERSE: THE PEACE OF GOD
We ask for Peace; oh Lord! Thy children ask Thy Peace; Not what the
world calls rest; That toil and care should cease; That through bright sunny
hours Calm Life should fleet away; And tranquil night should fade In
smiling day; … It is not for such Peace that we would pray。
We ask for Peace; oh Lord! Yet not to stand secure; Girt round with
iron Pride; Contented to endure: Crushing the gentle strings That human
hearts should know; Untouched by others' joy Or others' woe; … Thou; oh
dear Lord; wilt never teach us so。
We ask Thy Peace; oh Lord! Through storm; and fear; and strife; To
light and guide us on; Through a long struggling life: While no success or
gain Shall cheer the desperate fight; Or nerve; what the world calls; Our
wasted might:… Yet pressing through the darkness to the light。
It is Thine own; oh Lord; Who toil while others sleep; Who sow with
loving care What other hands shall reap: They lean on Thee entranced; In
calm and perfect rest: Give us that Peace; oh Lord; Divine and blest; Thou
keepest for those hearts who love Thee best。
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LEGENDS AND LYRICSFIRST SERIES
VERSE: LIFE IN DEATH AND
DEATH IN LIFE
I。
If the dread day that calls thee hence; Through a red mist of fear
should loom; (Closing in deadliest night and gloom Long hours of aching
dumb suspense;) And leave me to my lonely doom。
I think; beloved; I could see In thy dear eyes the loving light Glaze
into vacancy and night; And still say; 〃God is good to me; And all that He
decrees is right。〃
That; watching thy slow struggling breath; And answering each
imperfect sign; I still could pray thy prayer and mine; And tell thee; dear;
though this was death; That God was love; and love divine。
Could hold thee in my arms; and lay Upon my heart thy weary head;
And meet thy last smile ere it fled; Then hear; as in a dream; one say;
〃Now all is over;she is dead。〃
Could smooth thy garments with fond care; And cross thy hands upon
thy breast; And kiss thine eyelids down to rest; And yet say no word of
despair; But; through my sobbing; 〃It is best。〃
Could stifle down the gnawing pain; And say; 〃We still divide our life;
She has the rest; and I the strife; And mine the loss; and hers the gain: My
ill with bliss for her is rife。〃
Then turn; and the old duties take … Alone nowyet with earnest will
Gathering sweet sacred traces still To help me on; and; for thy sake; My
heart and life and soul to fill。
I think I could check vain weak tears; And toil;although the world's
great space Held nothing but one vacant place; And see the dark and weary
years Lit only by a vanished grace。
And sometimes; when the day was o'er; Call up the tender past again:
Its painful joy; its happy pain; And live it over yet once more; And say;