第5章

Therestandsasingerinthestreet，Hehasanaudiencemotleyandmeet；

AbovehimlowerstheLondonnight，Andaroundthelampsareflaringbright。

Hisminstrelsymaybeunchaste-

’Tismuchuntothatmotleytaste，AndloudthelaughterheprovokesFromthosesadslavesofobscenejokes。

ButwoeismanyapasserbyWhoashegoesturnshalfaneye，ToseethehumanformdineThusCirce-wisechangedintoswine!

MakeupthesumofeithersexThatallourhumanhopesperplex，WiththoseunhappyshapesthatknowThesilentstreetsandpalecock-crow。

AndcanItraceinsuchdulleyesOffiresidepeaceorcountryskies？

AndcouldthosehaggardcheekspresumeTomemoriesofaMay-tidebloom？

ThoseolatedformshavebeenTheprideofmanyafloweringgreen；

AndstilltherginbosomheavesWithdaisymeadsanddewyleaves。

ButstygiandarknessreignswithinThererofdeathfromthefountsofsin；

AndonepropheticwaterrollsItsgas-litsurfacefortheirsouls。

Iwillnothidethetragicsight-

Thosedrown’dblacklocks，thosedeadlipswhite，Willrisefromouttheslimyflood，AndcrybeforeGod’sthroneforblood!

Thosestiffenedlimbs，thatswollenface，-

Pollution’slastandbestembrace，Willcall，assuchapicturecan，Forretributionuponman。

Hark!howtheirfeeblelaughterrings，Whilestilltheballad-mongersings，AndflatterstheirunhappybreastsWithpoisonouswordsandpungentjests。

OhowwouldeverydaisyblushToseethem’midthatearthycrush!

Odumbwouldbetheeveningthrush，Andhoarylookthehawthornbush!

ThemeadowsoftheirinfancyWouldshrinkfromthem，andeverytree，Andeverylittlelaughingspot，Wouldhushitselfandknowthemnot。

PrecursortowhatblackdespairsWasthatchild’sfacewhichoncewastheirs!

AndOtowhataworldofguileWasheraldthatyoungangelsmile!

Thatfacewhichtoafather’seyeWasbalmforallanety；

Thatsmilewhichtoamother’sheartWentswifterthantheswallow’sdart!

Ohappyhomes!thatstilltheyknowAtintervals，withwhatawoeWouldyelookonthem，dimandstrange，Sufferingworsethanwinterchange!

AndyetcouldItransplantthemthere，TobreatheagaintheinnocentairOfyouth，andoncemorereconcileTheiroutcastlookswithnature’ssmile；

CouldIbutgethemonecleardayOfthisdeliciouslongMay，Releasetheirsoulsfromanguishdark，Andstandthemunderneaththelark；-

IthinkthatNaturewouldhavepowerTograftagainherblightedflowerUponthebrokenstem，renewSomeportionofitsearlyhue；-

Theheavyfloodoftearsunlock，MorepreciousthantheScripturedrock；

Atleastinstilahappiermood，Andbringthembacktowomanhood。

Alas!howmanylostonesclaimThisrefugefromdespairandshame!

Howmany，longingforthelight，Sinkdeeperintheabyssthisnight!

O，cryingsin!O，blushingthought!

NotonlyuntothosethatwroughtThemiseryanddeadlyblight；

Butthosethatoutcastthemthisnight!

O，agonyofgrief!forwhoLessdaintythanhisrace，willdoSuchbattlefortheirhumanright，Asshallawakethisstartlednight？

ProclaimthiselhumanpageWilleverblottheGoldenAgeThatpoetsdreamandsaintsinte，Ifitbeunredeemedthisnight？

Thisnightofdeepsolemnity，Andverdurousserenity，WhileovereveryfleecyfieldThedewsdescendandodoursyield。

Thisnightofgleamingfloodsandfalls，Offorestgloomsandsylvancalls，Ofstarlightonthepebblyrills，Andtwilightonthecirclinghills。

Thisnight!whenfromthepathsofmenGreyerrorsteamsasfromafen；

Aso’erthisflaringCitywreathesTheblackcloud-vapourthatitbreathes!

ThisnightfromwhichamornwillspringBloomingonitsorientwing；

AmorntorollwithmanymoreItsghostlyfoamonthetwilightshore。

Morn!whenthefateofallmankindHangspoisedindoubt，andmanisblind。

HisdutiesofthedaywillseemThefactoflife，andminethedream：

Thedestiniesthatbardshavesung，Regenerationtotheyoung，Reverberationofthetruth，Andrtuouscultureuntoyouth!

Youth!inwhoseseasonletaboundAllflowersandfruitsthatstrewtheground，Voluptuousjoywhereloveconsents，Andhealthandpleasurepitchtheirtents：

Allraptureandallpuredelight；

Agardenallunknowntoblight；

ButnevertheunnaturalsightThatthrongstheshamelesssongthisnight!

UnderboughsofbreathingMay，Inthemildspring-timeIlay，Lonely，forIhadnolove；

Andthesweetbirdsallsangforpity，Cuckoo，lark，anddove。

Tellme，cuckoo，thenIcried，DareIwooandwedabride？

I，likethee，havenohome-nest；

Andthetwinnotesthustunedtheirditty，-

’Lovecananswerbest。’

Nor，warmdovewithtendercoo，HaveIthysoftvoicetowoo，Evenwereadamselby；

Andthedeepwoodlandcrooneditsditty，-

’Loveherfirstandtry。’

NorhaveI，wildlark，thywing，ThatfrombluestheavencanbringBliss，whateverfatebefall；

Andthesky-lyristtrilledthisditty，-

’Lovewillgetheeall。’

SoitchancedwhileJunewasyoung，Wooingwellwithferventsong，Ihadwonadamselcoy；

Andthesweetbirdsthatsangforpity，Jubileedforjoy。

Howsweetonsunnyafternoons，Forthosewhojourneylightandwell，ToloiterupahillyriseWhichhidestheprospectfarbeyond，AndfancyallthelandscapelyingBeautifulandstill；

Beneathaskyofsummerblue，Whoseroundedcloudlets，foldedsoft，GazeonthescenewhichweawaitAndpicturefromtheirpeacefulness；

SocalmlytotheearthincliningFloatthoselongshapes!

Likeairybrides，eachsinglingoutAspottoloveandblesswithlove，Theircreamybosomsglowingwarm，Tilldistancewedsthemtothehills，AndwithitslatestgleamthererSinksintheirembrace。

Andsilverlythererruns，Andmanyagracefulwindhemakes，Byfieldswherefeedthehappyflocks，Andhedge-rowshushingpleasantlanes，ThecharmsofEnglishhomereflectedInhisshiningeye：

Ancestraloak，broad-foliagedelm，Richmeadowssunnedandstarredwithflowers，ThecottagebreathingtendersmokeAgainstthebroodinggoldenair，WithglimpsesofastatelymansionOnawoodlandsward；

Andcirclinground，aswitharing，Thedistancespreadingamberhaze，Enclosinghillsandpasturessweet；

AdepthofsoftandmellowlightWhichfillstheheartwithsuddenyearningAimlessandserene!

Nodisenchantmentfollowshere，Fornature’sinspirationmovesThedreamwhichsheherselffulfils；

Andhewhoseheart，likevalleywarmth，SteamsupwithjoyatsceneslikethisShallneverbeforlorn。

AndOforanyhumansoulTheraptureofawidesurvey-

AvalleysweepingtotheWest，Withallitswealthofloveliness，IsmorethanrecompensefordaysThattaughtustoendure。

YonuplandslopewhichhidesthesunAscendingfromhiseasterndeeps，AndnowagainstthehuesofdawnOnelevellineoftillagerears；

Thefurrowedbrowoftoilandtime；

Tomanyitisbutasweepofland!

Toothers’tisanAutumntrust，Butuntomeamystery；-

Aninfluencestrangeandswiftasdreams；

Awhisperingofoldromance；

Atemplenakedtotheclouds；

Oroneofnature’sbosomsfreshrevealed，Heangwithadoration!thereTheworkofhusbandryisdone，Anddailybreadisdailyearned；

NorseemsthereoughttoindicateThespringswhichmoveinmesuchthoughts，Butfrommysoulaspiritcallsthemup。

Alldayintotheopensky，Allnighttotheeternalstars，ForeverbothatmornandeveMenmellowdistancesdrawnear，Andshadowslengtheninthedusk，Athwarttheheavensitrollsitsglimmeringline!

Whentwilightfromthedream-huedWestSighshush!andallthelandisstill；

When，fromthelushempurplingEast，ThetwilightofthecrowingcockPeersonthedrowsyllageroofs，Athwarttheheavensthatglimmeringlineisseen。

Andnowbeneaththerisingsun，WhoseshiningchariotoverpeersTheirradiateridge，whilefetlockdeepIntherichsoilhiscoursersplunge-

Howgrandinrobesoflightitlooks!

Howgloriouswithraresuggestegrace!

TheploughmanmountinguptheheightBecomesaglowingshape，asthough’TwereyoungTriptolemus，ploughinhand，WhileCeresinheramberscarfWithgentlelovedirectshimhowTowedthewillingearthandhopeforfruits!

ThefurrowsrunninguparefraughtWithmeanings；therethegoddesswalks，WhileProserpineisyoung，andthere-

’Midthelateautumnsheaves，hervoiceSobbingandchokedwithdumbdespair-

Thenightswillhearherwailingforherchild!

Whateverdimtraditiontells，Whateverhistorymayreveal，Orfancy，fromherstarrybrows，Oflightordreamfullustreshed，CouldnotatthissweettimeincreaseThequietconsecrationofthespot。

Blestwiththesweatoflabour，blestWiththeyoungsun’sfirstgorousbeams，llagehopeandharvestprayer，-

TheheartthatthrobsbeneathitholdsAblisssoperfectinitselfMen’sthoughtsmustborrowratherthanbestow。

Nowstandingonthishedgesidepath，UpwhichtheeveningwindsareblowingWildlyfromthelingeringlinesOfsunseto’erthehills；

Unaidedbyonemotethought，MyspiritwithastrangeimpulsionRises，likeafledgling，Whosewingsarenotmature，butstillSupportedbyitsstrongdesireBeatsupitsnateairandleavesThetendermother’snest。

Greatmusicunderheavenismade，AndinthetrackofrushingdarknessComesthesolemnshapeofnight，Andbroodsabovetheearth。

AthingofNatureamInow，Abroad，withoutasenseorfeelingBornnotofherbosom；

Contentwithallhertruthsandfates；

Ev’nasyonstripofgrassthatbowsAbovethenew-bornoletbloom，Andsingswithwoodandfield。

Lo，asatree，whosewintrytwigsDrinkinthesunwithfibrousjoy，AnddownintoitsdampestrootsThrillsquickenedwiththedraughtoflife，Iwakeuntothedawn，andleavemygriefstodrowse。

Iriseanddrinkthefreshsweetair：

EachdraughtafuturebudofSpring；

Eachglanceofblueabirthofgreen；

IwillnotmimicyonderoakThatdallieswithdeadleavesev’nwhiletheprimrosepeeps。

Butfullofthesewarm-whisperingbeams，LikeMemnoninhismother’seye，-

Aurora!whenthestatuestoneMoanedsofttoherpathetictouch，-

Mysoulshallownitsparentinthefountsofday!

Andeverintherecurringlight，Truetotheprimaljoyofdawn，Forgetitsbarrengriefs；andayeLikeaspensinthefaintestbreezeTurnallitssilversidesandtrembleintosong。