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
0 P; r7 U4 u* D8 K# i- W4 y2 |　　Builded its pictures. There before our eyes
. r# j, o5 ]" S6 L+ [　　We saw the vaulted hall of traceried stone
& U3 w3 L) {& o1 B　　Uprear itself, the distant ceiling hung
　　With pendent stalactites like frozen vines;
, t3 ~) t8 w0 H: }. _) {　　And all along the walls at intervals,
　　Curled upwards into pillars, roses climbed,
　　And ramped and were confined, and clustered leaves
. _! p' w0 o* Z9 ]# n. P1 ^　　Divided where there peered a laughing face.
$ T2 G* q# p8 V2 N7 |% R5 W　　The foliage seemed to rustle in the wind,
　　A silent murmur, carved in still, gray stone.
　　High pointed windows pierced the southern wall
　　Whence proud escutcheons flung prismatic fires
$ S( t# T" K1 I( b' T　　To stain the tessellated marble floor
　　With pools of red, and quivering green, and blue;
　　And in the shade beyond the further door,
　　Its sober squares of black and white were hid
) K3 t! Y7 E' B- A, c& \9 d　　Beneath a restless, shuffling, wide-eyed mob
- z) a1 T1 r7 B" C　　Of lackeys and retainers come to view
　　The Christening.
　　A sudden blare of trumpets, and the throng
　　About the entrance parted as the guests
# l, v1 n7 D1 c% R) b　　Filed singly in with rare and precious gifts.
　　Our eager fancies noted all they brought,
, \( [7 d6 Q# T" m　　The glorious, unattainable delights!
/ q( P9 X4 g5 J& x1 w) ]1 ?1 ^" }　　But always there was one unbidden guest
' e# R; z9 U8 V0 @　　Who cursed the child and left it bitterness.
　　The fire falls asunder, all is changed,
　　I am no more a child, and what I see
7 T9 D% y, v) G# d" Q　　Is not a fairy tale, but life, my life.

　　The gifts are there, the many pleasant things:
　　Health, wealth, long-settled friendships, with a name
# G+ b4 A- H/ n1 i# _. m　　Which honors all who bear it, and the power
$ n8 k$ \: X, `: i　　Of making words obedient. This is much;
6 D2 X" R: T$ v, w7 F% ?　　But overshadowing all is still the curse,
3 R( }: l8 C+ L  O# |! w　　That never shall I be fulfilled by love!
' I) Y3 ~: T+ }3 U　　Along the parching highroad of the world
　　No other soul shall bear mine company.
2 c& H, n2 n4 j# P+ f( N　　Always shall I be teased with semblances,
　　With cruel impostures, which I trust awhile
　　Then dash to pieces, as a careless boy
0 j* b: [; c0 w9 X2 w2 ]　　Flings a kaleidoscope, which shattering
　　Strews all the ground about with coloured sherds.
　　So I behold my visions on the ground
　　No longer radiant, an ignoble heap
　　Of broken, dusty glass. And so, unlit,
0 D, Q4 A3 c; n# c5 O　　Even by hope or faith, my dragging steps
' }1 X9 d! ]8 X3 I0 u. Q　　Force me forever through the passing days.
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