晨读经典英文诗歌： A Fairy Tale

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晨读经典英文诗歌： A Fairy Tale　　On winter nights beside the nursery fire
　　We read the fairy tale, while glowing coals
　　Builded its pictures. There before our eyes
7 q+ l6 y( A- a; Y7 F- L1 O* f8 v　　We saw the vaulted hall of traceried stone
. y5 z. p2 Y" k6 \; L　　Uprear itself, the distant ceiling hung
　　With pendent stalactites like frozen vines;
　　And all along the walls at intervals,
3 ~, _* R, l+ V/ C: h3 x　　Curled upwards into pillars, roses climbed,
　　And ramped and were confined, and clustered leaves
& O5 h) T4 H% C7 p' ]　　Divided where there peered a laughing face.
　　The foliage seemed to rustle in the wind,
　　A silent murmur, carved in still, gray stone.
- H% e, n; X! K. W% @3 k　　High pointed windows pierced the southern wall
　　Whence proud escutcheons flung prismatic fires
9 y( e- h/ t/ p2 ^- N/ b　　To stain the tessellated marble floor
1 K8 `3 z2 ], P, B/ w　　With pools of red, and quivering green, and blue;
" ^+ E6 ^. ?* y. Z  N6 |* ^　　And in the shade beyond the further door,
　　Its sober squares of black and white were hid
　　Beneath a restless, shuffling, wide-eyed mob
* b* ]2 Y, K9 E' I- w　　Of lackeys and retainers come to view
　　The Christening.
　　A sudden blare of trumpets, and the throng
　　About the entrance parted as the guests
　　Filed singly in with rare and precious gifts.
- s/ M; n# {; S/ K5 E　　Our eager fancies noted all they brought,
　　The glorious, unattainable delights!
/ d( K. D, K* V　　But always there was one unbidden guest
　　Who cursed the child and left it bitterness.
2 T$ B. E) k* S6 T8 e2 B1 f　　The fire falls asunder, all is changed,
　　I am no more a child, and what I see
3 X' ^; R7 p5 l3 v0 ?* h( W1 G　　Is not a fairy tale, but life, my life.
- [. d! u: G6 v" L1 L2 w
0 k; A4 F% \5 U3 y/ p　　The gifts are there, the many pleasant things:
" s, i8 _7 R+ Z* }" Q$ l# s" @% g　　Health, wealth, long-settled friendships, with a name
　　Which honors all who bear it, and the power
+ F% l" z' {- Q- p- [+ A　　Of making words obedient. This is much;
- E$ g. k3 P% b; `　　But overshadowing all is still the curse,
　　That never shall I be fulfilled by love!
　　Along the parching highroad of the world
　　No other soul shall bear mine company.
. m2 T5 J. ~3 L5 O% g% V" o　　Always shall I be teased with semblances,
  R! C; m2 S; [$ J　　With cruel impostures, which I trust awhile
# q: l9 l) x+ K$ [& r1 j, T) `　　Then dash to pieces, as a careless boy
　　Flings a kaleidoscope, which shattering
! |3 a& M" ?% {6 n) o  b6 n7 f7 O) c　　Strews all the ground about with coloured sherds.
: r* i% K( I* n- K  \# ?& x　　So I behold my visions on the ground
　　No longer radiant, an ignoble heap
　　Of broken, dusty glass. And so, unlit,
　　Even by hope or faith, my dragging steps
　　Force me forever through the passing days.
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