按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Now sweet； sweet it is through the land to be straying
Mid the birds and the blossoms and the beasts of the field；
Love mingles with love； and no evil is weighing
On thy heart or mine； where all sorrow is healed。
From township to township； o'er down and by tillage
Far； far have we wandered and long was the day；
But now cometh eve at the end of the village；
Where over the grey wall the church riseth grey。
There is wind in the twilight； in the white road before us
The straw from the ox…yard is blowing about；
The moon's rim is rising； a star glitters o'er us；
And the vane on the spire…top is swinging in doubt。
Down there dips the highway； toward the bridge crossing over
The brook that runs on to the Thames and the sea。
Draw closer； my sweet； we are lover and lover；
This eve art thou given to gladness and me。
Shall we be glad always？ Come closer and hearken：
Three fields further on； as they told me down there；
When the young moon has set； if the March sky should darken；
We might see from the hill…top the great city's glare。
Hark； the wind in the elm…boughs！ From London it bloweth；
And telling of gold； and of hope and unrest；
Of power that helps not； of wisdom that knoweth；
But teacheth not aught of the worst and the best。
Of the rich men it telleth； and strange is the story
How they have； and they hanker； and grip far and wide；
And they live and they die； and the earth and its glory
Has been but a burden they scarce might abide。
Hark！ the March wind again of a people is telling；
Of the life that they live there； so haggard and grim；
That if we and our love amidst them had been dwelling
My fondness had faltered； thy beauty grown dim。
This land we have loved in our love and our leisure
For them hangs in heaven； high out of their reach；
The wide hills o'er the sea…plain for them have no pleasure；
The grey homes of their fathers no story to teach。
The singers have sung and the builders have builded；
The painters have fashioned their tales of delight；
For what and for whom hath the world's book been gilded；
When all is for these but the blackness of night？
How long and for what is their patience abiding？
How oft and how oft shall their story be told；
While the hope that none seeketh in darkness is hiding
And in grief and in sorrow the world groweth old？
Come back to the inn； love； and the lights and the fire；
And the fiddler's old tune and the shuffling of feet；
For there in a while shall be rest and desire；
And there shall the morrow's uprising be sweet。
Yet； love； as we wend the wind bloweth behind us
And beareth the last tale it telleth to…night；
How here in the spring…tide the message shall find us；
For the hope that none seeketh is coming to light。
Like the seed of midwinter； unheeded； unperished；
Like the autumn…sown wheat 'neath the snow lying green；
Like the love that o'ertook us； unawares and uncherished；
Like the babe 'neath thy girdle that groweth unseen；
So the hope of the people now buddeth and groweth …
Rest fadeth before it； and blindness and fear；
It biddeth us learn all the wisdom it knoweth；
It hath found us and held us； and biddeth us hear：
For it beareth the message： 〃Rise up on the morrow
And go on your ways toward the doubt and the strife；
Join hope to our hope and blend sorrow with sorrow；
And seek for men's love in the short days of life。〃
But lo； the old inn； and the lights and the fire；
And the fiddler's old tune and the shuffling of feet；
Soon for us shall be quiet and rest and desire；
And to…morrow's uprising to deeds shall be sweet。
Footnotes
｛1｝ After consulting various sources it is not clear as to whether 〃The
Message of the March Wind〃 was originally published with 〃Chants for
Socialists〃。 Chants for Socialists consists of poems that Morris wrote
for various occasions and which were collected together and published by
the Socialist League in 1885。 If any reader has access to the original
Chants I （David Price） would be very glad if you could clear up the
uncertainty on the exact contents。David Price
End