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
1 I3 y2 w3 W2 t　　Builded its pictures. There before our eyes
. s4 h+ h% ?% B3 [　　We saw the vaulted hall of traceried stone
$ B$ V# M' S$ W9 c2 Z: E$ H# ~　　Uprear itself, the distant ceiling hung
　　With pendent stalactites like frozen vines;
# N" @9 ~1 ^% v' |8 M$ X3 P5 ~　　And all along the walls at intervals,
+ r* b. q, y- t　　Curled upwards into pillars, roses climbed,
7 o6 _( I! h2 c. H  h+ W( n　　And ramped and were confined, and clustered leaves
( n# J! |) h7 ]　　Divided where there peered a laughing face.
4 p( g0 J4 z! x$ P) G9 b0 A　　The foliage seemed to rustle in the wind,
' ]) i8 ]& F$ U# c　　A silent murmur, carved in still, gray stone.
　　High pointed windows pierced the southern wall
　　Whence proud escutcheons flung prismatic fires
( K% u9 J6 ]4 G2 x　　To stain the tessellated marble floor
: p+ [( Q# B) {) g' \# R　　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
　　Beneath a restless, shuffling, wide-eyed mob
　　Of lackeys and retainers come to view
6 e. x: o0 a, a: C3 Y　　The Christening.
　　A sudden blare of trumpets, and the throng
. \* `3 f. t* p+ J' d! V　　About the entrance parted as the guests
5 j. K: e! A4 C5 o! f: @5 ^　　Filed singly in with rare and precious gifts.
　　Our eager fancies noted all they brought,
　　The glorious, unattainable delights!
  X4 z( ~% E8 W+ W7 \2 x　　But always there was one unbidden guest
! l  c* M. m* O( T2 x$ _; `　　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
2 l" K8 ^1 A* d6 [9 T; r/ O9 j" r/ ]　　Is not a fairy tale, but life, my life.
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, i' V* N! _. r5 a　　The gifts are there, the many pleasant things:
　　Health, wealth, long-settled friendships, with a name
0 z- L3 i) N, d* X; V6 w) G; e　　Which honors all who bear it, and the power
　　Of making words obedient. This is much;
" c4 t  F' N& P( @1 E0 D; G+ |3 ~. I　　But overshadowing all is still the curse,
6 u) K( W" W% o* A' M　　That never shall I be fulfilled by love!
# x: g' d8 j2 F5 r( [) `0 U+ G　　Along the parching highroad of the world
  \# S- I' L( y  k7 C/ L6 O9 V　　No other soul shall bear mine company.
　　Always shall I be teased with semblances,
　　With cruel impostures, which I trust awhile
　　Then dash to pieces, as a careless boy
+ m" [3 u- P5 _( e5 v) o　　Flings a kaleidoscope, which shattering
; ]# u; _' M  S, w% q. A+ f* y　　Strews all the ground about with coloured sherds.
. `" ~5 }+ ^- u% m2 M( f　　So I behold my visions on the ground
　　No longer radiant, an ignoble heap
　　Of broken, dusty glass. And so, unlit,
7 A" J# f' c; o! m　　Even by hope or faith, my dragging steps
　　Force me forever through the passing days.
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