II.Miscellaneous.
Rain after a Vaudeville Show
The last pose flickered, failed.The screen's dead white Glared in a sudden flooding of harsh light Stabbing the eyes; and as I stumbled out The curtain rose.A fat girl with a pout And legs like hams, began to sing "His Mother".Gusts of bad air rose in a choking smother; Smoke, the wet steam of clothes, the stench of plush, Powder, cheap perfume, mingled in a rush.I stepped into the lobby -- and stood still Struck dumb by sudden beauty, body and will.Cleanness and rapture -- excellence made plain -- The storming, thrashing arrows of the rain! Pouring and dripping on the roofs and rods, Smelling of woods and hills and fresh-turned sods, Black on the sidewalks, gray in the far sky, Crashing on thirsty panes, on gutters dry, Hurrying the crowd to shelter, making fair The streets, the houses, and the heat-soaked air, -- Merciful, holy, charging, sweeping, flashing, It smote the soul with a most iron clashing!...Like dragons' eyes the street- lamps suddenly gleamed, Yellow and round and dim-low globes of flame.And, scarce-perceived, the clouds' tall banners streamed.Out of the petty wars, the daily shame, Beauty strove suddenly, and rose, and flowered....I gripped my coat and plunged where awnings lowered.Made one with hissing blackness, caught, embraced, By splendor and by striving and swift haste -- Spring coming in with thunderings and strife -- I stamped the ground in the strong joy of life!
The City Revisited
The grey gulls drift across the bay Softly and still as flakes of snowAgainst the thinning fog.All day I sat and watched them come and go; And now at last the sun was set, Filling the waves with colored fire Till each seemed like a jewelled spire Thrust up from some drowned city.Soon From peak and cliff and minaret The city's lights began to wink, Each like a friendly word.The moon Began to broaden out her shield, Spurting with silver.Straight before The brown hills lay like quiet beasts Stretched out beside a well-loved door, And filling earth and sky and field With the calm heaving of their breasts.
Nothing was gone, nothing was changed, The smallest wave was unestranged By all the long ache of the years Since last I saw them, blind with tears.Their welcome like the hills stood fast: And I, I had come home at last.
So I laughed out with them aloud To think that now the sun was broad, And climbing up the iron sky, Where the raw streets stretched sullenly About another room I knew, In a mean house -- and soon there, too, The smith would burst the flimsy door And find me lying on the floor.Just where I fell the other night, After that breaking wave of pain.-- How they will storm and rage and fight, Servants and mistress, one and all, "No money for the funeral!"I broke my life there.Let it stand At that.The waters are a plain, Heaving and bright on either hand, A tremulous and lustral peace Which shall endure though all things cease, Filling my heart as water fills A cup.There stand the quiet hills.So, waiting for my wings to grow, I watch the gulls sail to and fro, Rising and falling, soft and swift, Drifting along as bubbles drift.And, though I see the face of God Hereafter -- this day have I trod Nearer to Him than I shall tread Ever again.The night is dead.And there's the dawn, poured out like wine Along the dim horizon-line.And from the city comes the chimes --We have our heaven on earth -- sometimes!
Going Back to School
The boat ploughed on.Now Alcatraz was past And all the grey wavesflamed to red again At the dead sun's last glimmer.Far and vast The Sausalito lights burned suddenly In little dots and clumps, as if a pen Had scrawled vague lines of gold across the hills; The sky was like a cup some rare wine fills, And stars came as he watched -- and he was free One splendid instant -- back in the great room, Curled in a chair with all of them beside And the whole world a rush of happy voices, With laughter beating in a clamorous tide....Saw once again the heat of harvest fume Up to the empty sky in threads like glass, And ran, and was a part of what rejoices In thunderous nights of rain; lay in the grass Sun-baked and tired, looking through a maze Of tiny stems into a new green world; Once more knew eves of perfume, days ablaze With clear, dry heat on the brown, rolling fields; Shuddered with fearful ecstasy in bed Over a book of knights and bloody shields...The ship slowed, jarred and stopped.There, straight ahead, Were dock and fellows.Stumbling, he was whirled Out and away to meet them -- and his back Slumped to the old half-cringe, his hands fell slack; A big boy's arm went round him -- and a twist Sent shattering pain along his tortured wrist, As a voice cried, a bloated voice and fat, "Why it's Miss Nancy! Come along, you rat!"Nos Immortales
Perhaps we go with wind and cloud and sun, Into the free companionship of air; Perhaps with sunsets when the day is done, All's one to me -- I do not greatly care; So long as there are brown hills -- and a tree Like a mad prophet in a land of dearth -- And I can lie and hear eternally The vast monotonous breathing of the earth.
I have known hours, slow and golden-glowing, Lovely with laughter and suffused with light, O Lord, in such a time appoint my going, When the hands clench, and the cold face grows white, And the spark dies within the feeble brain, Spilling its star-dust back to dust again.
Young Blood
"But, sir," I said, "they tell me the man is like to die!" The Canonshook his head indulgently."Young blood, Cousin," he boomed."Young blood! Youth will be served!" -- D'Hermonville's Fabliaux.
