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
1 ?# [7 C* ^" a4 v1 j6 o　　We read the fairy tale, while glowing coals
& e) Q* C9 p" \( {　　Builded its pictures. There before our eyes
" W; j) w  z6 N/ t$ q　　We saw the vaulted hall of traceried stone
　　Uprear itself, the distant ceiling hung
- z1 q0 b$ V, h% P0 ]+ {$ |& m　　With pendent stalactites like frozen vines;
　　And all along the walls at intervals,
　　Curled upwards into pillars, roses climbed,
　　And ramped and were confined, and clustered leaves
4 O, f1 m$ ^" b8 X* D　　Divided where there peered a laughing face.
　　The foliage seemed to rustle in the wind,
　　A silent murmur, carved in still, gray stone.
　　High pointed windows pierced the southern wall
& O& |5 a+ s& I6 \3 D; g; K0 b' N　　Whence proud escutcheons flung prismatic fires
　　To stain the tessellated marble floor
　　With pools of red, and quivering green, and blue;
　　And in the shade beyond the further door,
) u: e0 R$ t3 }7 c$ M　　Its sober squares of black and white were hid
" N# ]" d& m, E& U: A: {　　Beneath a restless, shuffling, wide-eyed mob
　　Of lackeys and retainers come to view
　　The Christening.
( R- Q5 K6 M0 C) t  E- H6 \& A3 U　　A sudden blare of trumpets, and the throng
% y8 r) Z3 ~  n　　About the entrance parted as the guests
+ J$ }. ?7 e2 G) S8 a5 n　　Filed singly in with rare and precious gifts.
　　Our eager fancies noted all they brought,
　　The glorious, unattainable delights!
% [( u8 m* k5 w/ R0 e　　But always there was one unbidden guest
$ k1 N/ a) _2 i, {( y- K& B) T　　Who cursed the child and left it bitterness.
5 D1 ?/ g9 f0 o( W) I! _　　The fire falls asunder, all is changed,
　　I am no more a child, and what I see
" o6 f9 q/ U! I. R; ~) l1 L3 S　　Is not a fairy tale, but life, my life.
* [. }1 q# N9 P  Y! J: p
　　The gifts are there, the many pleasant things:
　　Health, wealth, long-settled friendships, with a name
. b* L, l9 l( B: @5 J$ L" Q　　Which honors all who bear it, and the power
　　Of making words obedient. This is much;
　　But overshadowing all is still the curse,
! B8 G1 A4 `4 T  N5 O5 f( k* u& ^　　That never shall I be fulfilled by love!
+ b- X. ~: f% r7 g" k! c. k( X& }1 h　　Along the parching highroad of the world
) k0 q2 v$ g+ N　　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
　　Flings a kaleidoscope, which shattering
　　Strews all the ground about with coloured sherds.
- m4 I( ^, P+ \+ a　　So I behold my visions on the ground
　　No longer radiant, an ignoble heap
6 d' p& a8 T/ h- j/ z7 f; a　　Of broken, dusty glass. And so, unlit,
3 Q0 S& i, K5 b0 p# x/ a% @. z  K2 R6 w8 f　　Even by hope or faith, my dragging steps
$ X  T( I; t$ G+ d. f) }, K* u6 d　　Force me forever through the passing days.
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