the three taverns(三家酒店)-第12章
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Two men came out of Shannon's having known The faces of each
other for as long As they had listened there to an old song； Sung thinly in a
wastrel monotone By some unhappy night…bird； who had flown Too many
times and with a wing too strong To save himself； and so done heavy
wrong To more frail elements than his alone。
Slowly away they went； leaving behind More light than was before
them。 Neither met The other's eyes again or said a word。 Each to his
loneliness or to his kind； Went his own way； and with his own regret； Not
knowing what the other may have heard。
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The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
Souvenir
A vanished house that for an hour I knew By some forgotten chance
when I was young Had once a glimmering window overhung With
honeysuckle wet with evening dew。 Along the path tall dusky dahlias grew；
And shadowy hydrangeas reached and swung Ferociously； and over me；
among The moths and mysteries； a blurred bat flew。
Somewhere within there were dim presences Of days that hovered and
of years gone by。 I waited； and between their silences There was an
evanescent faded noise； And though a child； I knew it was the voice Of
one whose occupation was to die。
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The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
Discovery
We told of him as one who should have soared And seen for us the
devastating light Whereof there is not either day or night； And shared with
us the glamour of the Word That fell once upon Amos to record For men at
ease in Zion； when the sight Of ills obscured aggrieved him and the might
Of Hamath was a warning of the Lord。
Assured somehow that he would make us wise； Our pleasure was to
wait； and our surprise Was hard when we confessed the dry return Of his
regret。 For we were still to learn That earth has not a school where we may
go For wisdom； or for more than we may know。
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The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
Firelight
Ten years together without yet a cloud； They seek each other's eyes at
intervals Of gratefulness to firelight and four walls For love's obliteration
of the crowd。 Serenely and perennially endowed And bowered as few may
be； their joy recalls No snake； no sword； and over them there falls The
blessing of what neither says aloud。
Wiser for silence； they were not so glad Were she to read the graven
tale of lines On the wan face of one somewhere alone； Nor were they more
content could he have had Her thoughts a moment since of one who shines
Apart； and would be hers if he had known。
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The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
The New Tenants
The day was here when it was his to know How fared the barriers he
had built between His triumph and his enemies unseen； For them to
undermine and overthrow； And it was his no longer to forego The sight of
them； insidious and serene； Where they were delving always and had been
Left always to be vicious and to grow。
And there were the new tenants who had come； By doors that were left
open unawares； Into his house； and were so much at home There now that
he would hardly have to guess； By the slow guile of their vindictiveness；
What ultimate insolence would soon be theirs。
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The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
Inferential
Although I saw before me there the face Of one whom I had honored
among men The least； and on regarding him again Would not have had
him in another place； He fitted with an unfamiliar grace The coffin where I
could not see him then As I had seen him and appraised him when I
deemed him unessential to the race。
For there was more of him than what I saw。 And there was on me more
than the old awe That is the common genius of the dead。 I might as well
have heard him： 〃Never mind； If some of us were not so far behind； The
rest of us were not so far ahead。〃
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The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
The Rat
As often as he let himself be seen We pitied him； or scorned him； or
deplored The inscrutable profusion of the Lord Who shaped as one of us a
thing so mean Who made him human when he might have been A rat；
and so been wholly in accord With any other creature we abhorred As
always useless and not always clean。
Now he is hiding all alone somewhere； And in a final hole not ready
then； For now he is among those over there Who are not coming back to
us again。 And we who do the fiction of our share Say less of rats and
rather more of men。
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The Three Taverns A Book of Poems By Edwin Arlington Robinson
Rahel to Varnhagen
Note。 Rahel Robert and Varnhagen von Ense were married； after
many protestations on her part； in 1814。 The marriage so far as he was
concerned； at any rate appears to have been satisfactory。
Now you have read them all； or if not all； As many as in all conscience
I should fancy To be enough。 There are no more of them Or none to
burn your sleep； or to bring dreams Of devils。 If these are not sufficient；
surely You are a strange young man。 I might live on Alone； and for another
forty years； Or not quite forty； are you happier now？ Always to ask if
there prevailed elsewhere Another like yourself that would have held
These aged hands as long as you have held them； Not once observing； for
all I can see； How they are like your mother's。 Well； you have read His
letters now； and you have heard me say That in them are the cinders of a
passion That was my life； and you have not yet broken Your way out of
my house； out of my sight； Into the street。 You are a strange young man。
I know as much as that of you； for certain； And I'm already praying； for
your sake； That you be not too strange。 Too much of that May lead you
bye and bye through gloomy lanes To a sad wilderness； where one may
grope Alone； and always； or until he feels Ferocious and invisible animals
That wait for men and eat them in the dark。 Why do you sit there on the
floor so long； Smiling at me while I try to be solemn？ Do you not hear it
said for your salvation； When I say truth？ Are you； at four and twenty； So
little deceived in us that you interpret The humor of a woman to be noticed
As her choice between you and Acheron？ Are you so unscathed yet as to
infer That if a woman worries when a man； Or a man…child； has wet shoes
on his feet She may as well commemorate with ashes The last eclipse of
her tranquillity？ If you look up at me and blink again； I shall not have to
make you tell me lies To know the letters you have not been reading。 I see
now that I may have had for nothing A most unpleasant shivering in my
conscience When I laid open for
