The Giver of Stars

The Temple



Epitaph of a Young Poet Who Died Before Having Achieved Success

In Answer to a Request



Poppy Seed

The Great Adventure of Max Breuck



Sancta Maria, Succurre Miseris

After Hearing a Waltz by Bartok



Clear, with Light, Variable Winds

The Basket



In a Castle

The Book of Hours of Sister Clotilde



The Exeter Road

The Shadow



The Forsaken

Late September



The Pike

The Blue Scarf



White and Green

Aubade



Music

A Lady



In a Garden

A Tulip Garden



Sword Blades and Poppy Seed

---------------------------



Sword Blades and Poppy Seed

A drifting, April, twilight sky,



A wind which blew the puddles dry,

And slapped the river into waves



That ran and hid among the staves

Of an old wharf. A watery light



Touched bleak the granitebridge, and white

Without the slightest tinge of gold,



The city shivered in the cold.

All day my thoughts had lain as dead,



Unborn and bursting in my head.

From time to time I wrote a word



Which lines and circles overscored.

My table seemed a graveyard, full



Of coffins waiting burial.

I seized these vile abortions, tore



Them into jagged bits, and swore

To be the dupe of hope no more.



Into the evening straight I went,

Starved of a day's accomplishment.



Unnoticing, I wandered where

The city gave a space for air,



And on the bridge's parapet

I leant, while pallidly there set



A dim, discouraged, worn-out sun.

Behind me, where the tramways run,



Blossomed bright lights, I turned to leave,

When someone plucked me by the sleeve.



"Your pardon, Sir, but I should be

Most grateful could you lend to me



A carfare, I have lost my purse."

The voice was clear, concise, and terse.



I turned and met the quiet gaze

Of strange eyes flashing through the haze.



The man was old and slightly bent,

Under his cloak some instrument



Disarranged its stately line,

He rested on his cane a fine



And nervous hand, an almandine

Smouldered with dull-red flames, sanguine



It burned in twisted gold, upon

His finger. Like some Spanish don,



Conferring favours even when

Asking an alms, he bowed again



And waited. But my pockets proved

Empty, in vain I poked and shoved,



No hidden penny lurking there

Greeted my search. "Sir, I declare

• learning [´lə:niŋ] n.学习；学问；知识 (初中英语单词)


• impression [im´preʃən] n.印刷；印象；效果 (初中英语单词)


• convey [kən´vei] vt.运送；传达；转让 (初中英语单词)


• intimate [´intimit] a.亲密的 n.知己 (初中英语单词)


• examination [ig,zæmi´neiʃən] n.检查；考试；检验 (初中英语单词)


• belief [bi´li:f] n.相信；信仰，信条 (初中英语单词)


• poetry [´pəuitri] n.诗；诗意 (初中英语单词)


• obvious [´ɔbviəs] a.明显的；显而易见的 (初中英语单词)


• statue [´stætʃu:] n.塑像，雕像 (初中英语单词)


• comment [´kɔment] n.&v.评论；评注；注意 (初中英语单词)


• function [´fʌŋkʃən] n.机能；职责 vi.活动 (初中英语单词)


• purely [´pjuəli] ad.仅仅；简单地 (初中英语单词)


• immense [i´mens] a.广大的，无限的 (初中英语单词)


• despair [di´speə] vi.&n.绝望 (初中英语单词)


• tendency [´tendənsi] n.趋势；倾向 (初中英语单词)


• constantly [´kɔnstəntli] ad.经常地；不断地 (初中英语单词)


• striking [´straikiŋ] a.显著的，明显的 (初中英语单词)


• remarkable [ri´mɑ:kəbl] a.值得注意的；显著的 (初中英语单词)


• volume [´vɔlju:m, ´vɑljəm] n.卷；书籍；体积；容量 (初中英语单词)


• system [´sistəm] n.系统，体系，制度 (初中英语单词)


• differ [´difə] vi.不同；有差别 (初中英语单词)


• stress [stres] n.强调；压力 vt.强调 (初中英语单词)


• absolute [´æbsəlu:t] a.绝对的 n.绝对 (初中英语单词)


• scarce [skeəs, skers] a.缺乏的；稀有的 (初中英语单词)


• medium [´mi:diəm] n.中间；平均 a.中等的 (初中英语单词)


• variety [və´raiəti] n.变化；多样(性)；种类 (初中英语单词)


• confine [kən´fain] vt.限制 n.边界；境界 (初中英语单词)


• weakness [´wi:knis] n.虚弱；弱点，缺点 (初中英语单词)


• conclusion [kən´klu:ʒən] n.结束；结论；推论 (初中英语单词)


• beginning [bi´giniŋ] n.开始，开端；起源 (初中英语单词)


• scarlet [´skɑ:lit] n.猩红色 a.猩红的 (初中英语单词)


• twilight [´twailait] n.黎明；黄昏 (初中英语单词)


• waiting [´weitiŋ] n.等候；伺候 (初中英语单词)


• pardon [´pɑ:dən] n.&vt.原谅；饶恕；赦免 (初中英语单词)


• grateful [´greitful] a.感谢的；令人愉快的 (初中英语单词)


• slightly [´slaitli] ad.轻微地；细长的 (初中英语单词)


• nervous [´nə:vəs] a.神经的；神经过敏的 (初中英语单词)


• hidden [´hid(ə)n] hide 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)


• overflow [´əuvəfləu] v.(使)泛滥 n.泛滥 (高中英语单词)


• workman [´wə:kmən] n.工人；工作人员 (高中英语单词)


• salvation [sæl´veiʃən] n.救助；拯救 (高中英语单词)


• distrust [dis´trʌst] n.&vt.不信任，怀疑 (高中英语单词)


• universe [´ju:nivə:s] n.天地；全人类；银河系 (高中英语单词)


• technical [´teknikəl] a.技术的；专门性的 (高中英语单词)


• so-called [´sou ´kɔ:ld] a.所谓的，号称的 (高中英语单词)


• inspiration [,inspi´reiʃən] n.鼓舞；灵感；启发 (高中英语单词)


• vigorous [´vigərəs] a.精力旺盛的；健壮的 (高中英语单词)


• unexpected [ʌniks´pektid] a.突然的；意外的 (高中英语单词)


• mighty [´maiti] a.强有力的 ad.很 (高中英语单词)


• strict [strikt] a.严厉的；精确的 (高中英语单词)


• exceedingly [ik´si:diŋli] ad.非常地，极度地 (高中英语单词)


• unique [ju:´ni:k] a.唯一的 n.独一无二 (高中英语单词)


• classic [´klæsik] a.第一流的 n.杰作 (高中英语单词)


• solely [´səulli] ad.唯一；单独；完全 (高中英语单词)


• hearing [´hiəriŋ] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)


• granite [´grænit] n.花岗岩 (高中英语单词)


• concise [kən´sais] a.简明的；简洁的 (高中英语单词)


• stately [´steitli] a.庄严的，雄伟的 (高中英语单词)


• gothic [´gɔθik] a.哥特人(语)的 (英语四级单词)


• grotesque [grəu´tesk] a.奇异的，想象中的 (英语四级单词)


• vulgar [´vʌlgə] a.粗俗的；大众的 (英语四级单词)


• considering [kən´sidəriŋ] prep.就…而论 (英语四级单词)


• workmen [´wə:kmen] n.workman的复数 (英语四级单词)


• vitality [vai´tæliti] n.活力；生命力；效力 (英语四级单词)


• rhythm [´riðəm] n.(诗的)韵律；格律 (英语四级单词)


• cadence [´keidəns] n.抑扬；节奏；韵律 (英语四级单词)


• precinct [´pri:siŋkt] n.(教堂等的)围地 (英语四级单词)


• bridge [bridʒ] n.桥(梁)；鼻梁；桥牌 (英语四级单词)


• technique [tek´ni:k] n.技术；技巧；方法 (英语六级单词)


• anglo-saxon [,æŋgləu ´sæksən] n.盎格鲁撒克逊人 (英语六级单词)


• reproof [ri´pru:f] n.谴责；责备 (英语六级单词)


• originality [ə,ridʒi´næliti] n.独创性；创举；新颖 (英语六级单词)


• speaking [´spi:kiŋ] n.说话 a.发言的 (英语六级单词)


• thoroughfare [´θʌrəfeə] n.大路；干道；通道 (英语六级单词)


• variable [´veəriəbəl] a.易变的 n.可变量 (英语六级单词)


• watery [´wɔ:təri] a.水的；像水的 (英语六级单词)