Complete Works of Isaac Rosenberg

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Complete Works of Isaac Rosenberg Page 13

by Isaac Rosenberg


  PSYCHE’S LAMENT

  KNOWLEDGE

  RAPHAEL

  O’ER THE CELESTIAL PATHWAYS

  DUST CALLETH TO DUST

  TO MICHAEL SHERBROOKE ON HEARING HIS RECITATION OF ‘THE RAVEN’

  TWILIGHT II.

  AS A BESIEGED CITY

  CREATION

  GLORY OF HUELESS SKIES

  A QUESTION

  APPARITION

  A CARELESS HEART

  THE POET II

  THE BLIND GOD

  WALK YOU IN MUSIC, LIGHT OR NIGHT

  TWILIGHT III

  O, BE THESE MEN AND WOMEN

  A WARM THOUGHT FLICKERS

  SONG

  SPRING

  ON A LADY SINGING

  AS A SWORD IN THE SUN

  AT SEA-POINT

  O HEART, HOME OF HIGH PURPOSES

  OF ANY OLD MAN

  INVISIBLE ANCIENT ENEMY OF MINE

  AT NIGHT

  SUBJECTIVITY

  WISTFULLY IN PALLID SPLENDOUR

  HAVE WE SAILED AND HAVE WE WANDERED

  FAR AWAY

  GIRL’S SONG

  I KNOW YOU GOLDEN

  SACRED, VOLUPTUOUS HOLLOWS DEEP

  THE EXILE

  MY SOUL IS ROBBED

  NIGHT

  WHAT IF I WEAR YOUR BEAUTY

  DAWN

  UNDER THESE SKIES

  THE FEMALE GOD

  HER FABLED MOUTH

  A BIRD TRILLING ITS GAY HEART OUT

  SUMMER’S LIPS ARE AGLOW

  I HAVE LIVED IN THE UNDERWORLD TOO LONG

  I AM THE BLOOD

  BEAUTY I

  BEAUTY II

  AUGURIES

  ON RECEIVING NEWS OF THE WAR

  THE FLEA

  A WOMAN’S BEAUTY

  BUT I AM THROWN WITH BEAUTY’S BREATH

  IN HALF DELIGHT OF SHY DELIGHT

  PAST DAYS ARE HIEROGLYPHS

  WHO LOSES THE HOUR OF THE WIND?

  DUSK AND THE MIRROR

  THE MIRROR

  SIGNIFICANCE

  WEDDED

  MIDSUMMER FROST II.

  SLEEP II.

  GREEN THOUGHTS ARE

  LUSITANIA

  THE TROOP SHIP

  AUGUST 1914

  THE JEW

  FROM FRANCE

  IN THE TRENCHES

  BREAK OF DAY IN THE TRENCHES

  HOME-THOUGHTS FROM FRANCE

  A WORM FED ON THE HEART OF CORINTH

  THE DYING SOLDIER

  IN WAR

  THE IMMORTALS

  LOUSE HUNTING

  RETURNING, WE HEAR THE LARKS

  DEAD MAN’S DUMP

  DAUGHTERS OF WAR

  SOLDIER: TWENTIETH CENTURY

  GIRL TO SOLDIER ON LEAVE

  THE BURNING OF THE TEMPLE

  THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM BY THE BABYLONIAN HORDES

  THROUGH THESE PALE COLD DAYS

  TO WILHELM II

  POWER THAT IMPELS

  AH, IF YOUR LIPS MIGHT STIR

  YOU GAVE ME LEAVE TO LOVE YOU

  MY DESIRES ARE AS THE SEA

  ART

  WHERE THE ROCK’S HEART IS HIDDEN FROM THE SEA

  HE WAS MAD…

  THE TREES SUFFER THE WIND

  IN A CONCENTRATED THOUGHT A SUDDEN NOISE STARTLES

  O SPEAR-GIRT FACE TOO FAR

  LOVE, HIDE THY FACE — WHY IN THY LAND

  HEART, IS THERE HOPE

  THE BROODING STONES AND THE DISSOLVING HILLS

  THE MONSTER WIND PROWLS IN THE WRITHEN TREES

  POETS HAVE SNARED YOU IN SWEET WORD

  HER GRAPE GREEN EYES HAVE STAINED IN WEIRD

  PALE MOTHER NIGHT, SUCKLING THY BROOD OF STARS

  IN ALL LOVE’S HEADY VALOUR AND BOLD PAINS

  SENSUAL

  BEAUTIFUL IS THE DAY

  WOOD AND FOREST, DRINK

  I KNOW ALL MEN ARE WITHERED WITH YEARNING

  I HAVE HEARD THE GODS

  TO J. KRAMER

  EVEN AS A LETTER BURNS AND CURLS

  THE THRONGING GLORIES RINGING ROUND OUR BIRTH

  NATURE, INDEED, THE PLOT YOU SPIN’S SO STALE

  FROM YOUR SUNNY CLIME

  NOW THINK HOW HIGH A MOUNTAIN IS

  VIOLET IS THE MADDEST COLOR I KNOW

  DROWSED IN BEAUTY

  IN THE MOON’S DARK FANTASY

  ALL PLEASURES FLY

  AND LIKE THE ARTIST WHO CREATES

  FOR ONE THRILLED INSTANT AM I YOU, O SKIES

  THE SEARCH

  BE THE HOPE OR THE FEAR

  WILD UNDERTONES

  I HAVE PRESSED MY TEETH IN THE HEART OF MAY

  WHAT SONGS DO FILL THE PAUSES OF OUR DAY

  IN DIMPLED DEPTHS OF SMILING INNOCENCE

  WHAT MAY BE, WHAT HATH BEEN, AND WHAT IS NOW?

  THE GRASSES TREMBLE AND QUIVER

  SUMMER IN WINTER SIX THOUGHTS

  L — AND M —

  AMBER EYES WITH EVER SUCH LITTLE RED FIRES

  FRAIL HOURS THAT LOVE TO DANCE

  THERE ARE SWEET CHAINS THAT BIND

  I LIVE FOR YOU

  TOM IS SO RESERVED AND QUIET

  OVER THE CHASM THEY ROLLED TOGETHER

  BRITISH WOMEN! IN YOUR WOMBS YOU PLOTTED

  EVENING

  LIST OF POEMS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

  A-D E-H I-L M-O P-S T-V W-Z

  A BALLAD OF TIME, LIFE AND MEMORY

  A BALLAD OF WHITECHAPEL

  A BIRD TRILLING ITS GAY HEART OUT

  A CARELESS HEART

  A GIRL’S THOUGHTS

  A MOOD

  A QUESTION

  A WARM THOUGHT FLICKERS

  A WOMAN’S BEAUTY

  A WORM FED ON THE HEART OF CORINTH

  AH, IF YOUR LIPS MIGHT STIR

  ALL PLEASURES FLY

  AMBER EYES WITH EVER SUCH LITTLE RED FIRES

  AND LIKE THE ARTIST WHO CREATES

  APPARITION

  APRIL DAWN

  ART

  AS A BESIEGED CITY

  AS A SWORD IN THE SUN

  AS WE LOOK

  ASPIRATION

  ASPIRATION

  AT NIGHT

  AT SEA-POINT

  AUGURIES

  AUGUST 1914

  BACCHANAL

  BE THE HOPE OR THE FEAR

  BEAUTIFUL IS THE DAY

  BEAUTY I

  BEAUTY II

  BIRTHDAY SONG

  BREAK IN BY SUBTLER WAYS

  BREAK OF DAY IN THE TRENCHES

  BRITISH WOMEN! IN YOUR WOMBS YOU PLOTTED

  BUT I AM THROWN WITH BEAUTY’S BREATH

  CHAGRIN

  CREATION

  DAUGHTERS OF WAR

  DAWN

  DAWN BEHIND NIGHT

  DAY

  DEAD MAN’S DUMP

  DEATH

  DESIRE SINGS OF IMMORTALITY

  DESIRE SINGS OF IMMORTALITY.

  DIM-WATERY-LIGHTS, GLEAMING ON GIBBERING FACES

  DON JUAN’S SONG

  DROWSED IN BEAUTY

  DUSK AND THE MIRROR

  DUST CALLETH TO DUST

  EVEN AS A LETTER BURNS AND CURLS

  EVEN NOW YOUR EYES ARE MIXED IN MINE

  EVENING

  EXPRESSION

  FAR AWAY

  FLEET STREET

  FOR ONE THRILLED INSTANT AM I YOU, O SKIES

  FRAIL HOURS THAT LOVE TO DANCE

  FROM FRANCE

  FROM YOUR SUNNY CLIME

  GIRL TO SOLDIER ON LEAVE

  GIRL’S SONG

  GLORY OF HUELESS SKIES

  GOD

  GOD LOOKED CLEAR AT ME THROUGH HER EYES

  GOD MADE BLIND

  GREEN THOUGHTS ARE

  HAVE WE SAILED AND HAVE WE WANDERED

  HE WAS MAD…

  HEART, IS THERE HOPE

  HEART’S FIRST WORD

  HEART’S FIRST WORD

  HER FABLED MOUTH

  HER GRAPE GREEN EYES HAVE STAINED IN WEIRD

  HOME-THOUG
HTS FROM FRANCE

  I AM THE BLOOD

  I DID NOT PLUCK AT ALL; OR, FIRST FRUIT

  I HAVE HEARD THE GODS

  I HAVE LIVED IN THE UNDERWORLD TOO LONG

  I HAVE PRESSED MY TEETH IN THE HEART OF MAY

  I KNOW ALL MEN ARE WITHERED WITH YEARNING

  I KNOW YOU GOLDEN

  I LIVE FOR YOU

  IF YOU ARE FIRE

  IN A CONCENTRATED THOUGHT A SUDDEN NOISE STARTLES

  IN ALL LOVE’S HEADY VALOUR AND BOLD PAINS

  IN DIMPLED DEPTHS OF SMILING INNOCENCE

  IN HALF DELIGHT OF SHY DELIGHT

  IN NOVEMBER

  IN PICCADILLY

  IN THE HEART OF THE FOREST

  IN THE MOON’S DARK FANTASY

  IN THE PARK

  IN THE PARK.

  IN THE TRENCHES

  IN WAR

  INVISIBLE ANCIENT ENEMY OF MINE

  KNOWLEDGE

  L — AND M —

  LADY, YOU ARE MY GOD

  LADY, YOU ARE MY GOD

  LIKE SOME FAIR SUBTLE POISON

  LINES WRITTEN IN AN ALBUM TO J.L.

  LOUSE HUNTING

  LOVE AND LUST

  LOVE TO BE

  LOVE, HIDE THY FACE — WHY IN THY LAND

  LUSITANIA

  MARCHING

  MIDSUMMER FROST

  MIDSUMMER FROST II.

  MY DAYS

  MY DESIRES ARE AS THE SEA

  MY SONGS

  MY SOUL IS ROBBED

  MY SOUL IS ROBBED

  NATURE, INDEED, THE PLOT YOU SPIN’S SO STALE

  NIGHT AND DAY

  NIGHT

  NIGHT

  NOCTURNE

  NONE HAVE SEEN THE LORD OF THE HOUSE

  NOON IN THE CITY

  NOW THE SPIRIT’S SONG HAS WITHERED

  NOW THINK HOW HIGH A MOUNTAIN IS

  O HEART, HOME OF HIGH PURPOSES

  O SPEAR-GIRT FACE TOO FAR

  O! IN A WORLD OF MEN AND WOMEN

  O, BE THESE MEN AND WOMEN

  O’ER THE CELESTIAL PATHWAYS

  ODE TO DAVID’S HARP

  OF ANY OLD MAN

  ON A LADY SINGING

  ON RECEIVING NEWS OF THE WAR

  OVER THE CHASM THEY ROLLED TOGETHER

  PALE MOTHER NIGHT, SUCKLING THY BROOD OF STARS

  PART I. FAITH AND FEAR.

  PART II. THE CYNIC’S LAMP.

  PART III. CHANGE AND SUNFIRE.

  PAST DAYS ARE HIEROGLYPHS

  PEACE

  POETS HAVE SNARED YOU IN SWEET WORD

  POWER THAT IMPELS

  PSYCHE’S LAMENT

  RAPHAEL

  RETURNING, WE HEAR THE LARKS

  SACRED, VOLUPTUOUS HOLLOWS DEEP

  SENSUAL

  SIGNIFICANCE

  SLEEP

  SLEEP II.

  SO INNOCENT YOU SPREAD YOUR NET

  SOLDIER: TWENTIETH CENTURY

  SONG

  SPIRITUAL ISOLATION

  SPRING

  SPRING 1916

  SUBJECTIVITY

  SUMMER IN WINTER SIX THOUGHTS

  SUMMER’S LIPS ARE AGLOW

  TESS

  THE BLIND GOD

  THE BROODING STONES AND THE DISSOLVING HILLS

  THE BURNING OF THE TEMPLE

  THE CAGE

  THE CLOISTER

  THE DEAD HEROES

  THE DEAD PAST

  THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM BY THE BABYLONIAN HORDES

  THE DYING SOLDIER

  THE EXILE

  THE FEMALE GOD

  THE FLEA

  THE GARDEN OF JOY

  THE GRASSES TREMBLE AND QUIVER

  THE IMMORTALS

  THE JEW

  THE KEY OF THE GATES OF HEAVEN

  THE MIRROR

  THE MONSTER WIND PROWLS IN THE WRITHEN TREES

  THE NUN

  THE ONE LOST

  THE POET

  THE POET II

  THE PRESENT

  THE SEARCH

  THE THRONGING GLORIES RINGING ROUND OUR BIRTH

  THE TREES SUFFER THE WIND

  THE TROOP SHIP

  THE WORLD RUMBLES BY ME

  THERE ARE SWEET CHAINS THAT BIND

  THROUGH THESE PALE COLD DAYS

  TO J. H. AMSCHEWITZ

  TO J. KRAMER

  TO MICHAEL SHERBROOKE ON HEARING HIS RECITATION OF ‘THE RAVEN’

  TO MR. AND MRS. LOWY, ON THEIR SILVER WEDDING

  TO NATURE

  TO WILHELM II

  TOM IS SO RESERVED AND QUIET

  TWILIGHT I.

  TWILIGHT II.

  TWILIGHT III

  UNDER THESE SKIES

  VIOLET IS THE MADDEST COLOR I KNOW

  WALK YOU IN MUSIC, LIGHT OR NIGHT

  WE ARE SAD WITH A VAGUE SWEET SORROW

  WEDDED

  WEDDED

  WEDDED.

  WHAT IF I WEAR YOUR BEAUTY

  WHAT MAY BE, WHAT HATH BEEN, AND WHAT IS NOW?

  WHAT SONGS DO FILL THE PAUSES OF OUR DAY

  WHEN I WENT FORTH

  WHERE THE ROCK’S HEART IS HIDDEN FROM THE SEA

  WHO LOSES THE HOUR OF THE WIND?

  WILD UNDERTONES

  WISTFULLY IN PALLID SPLENDOUR

  WOOD AND FOREST, DRINK

  YOU AND I

  YOU GAVE ME LEAVE TO LOVE YOU

  ZION

  The Plays

  St Paul’s Primary School, Whitechapel — Rosenberg attended St. Paul’s School, in Wellclose Square, until his family moved to Stepney in 1900.

  MOSES

  CONTENTS

  PERSONS

  SCENE I.

  SCENE II.

  PERSONS

  MOSES, an Egyptian Prince

  ABINOAH, an Overseer

  TWO HEBREWS

  KOELUE, Abinoah’s Daughter

  MESSENGER

  SCENE I.

  Outside a college in Thebes. Egyptian students pass by.

  MOSES alone in meditation.

  [Enter MESSENGER]

  MESSENGER (handing papyrus) Pharaoh’s desires.

  MOSES (reads) To our beloved son, greeting. Add to our

  thoughts of you, if possible to add, but a little, and you

  are more than old heroes. Not to bemean your genius, who

  might cry ‘Was that all!’. We pile barriers everywhere.

  We give you idiots for tools, tree stumps for swords, skin

  sacks for souls. The sixteenth pyramid remains to be built.

  We give you the last draft of slaves. Move! Forget not the edict. PHARAOH.

  MOSES (to MESSENGER) What is the edict?

  MESSENGER. The royal paunch of Pharaoh dangled worriedly,

  Not knowing where the wrong. Viands once giant-like

  Came to him thin and thinner. What rats gnawed?

  Horror! The swarm of slaves. The satraps swore

  Their wives’ bones hurt them when they lay abed

  That before were soft and plump. The people howled

  They’d boil the slaves three days to get their fat,

  Ending the famine. A haggard council held

  Decrees the two hind molars, those two staunchest

  Busy labourers in the belly’s service, to be drawn

  From out each slave’s greased mouth, which soon,

  From incapacity, would lose the habit

  Of eating.

  MOSES. Well, should their bones stick out to find the air,

  I’ll make a use of them for pleasantness —

  Droll demonstrations of anatomy.

  MESSENGER. And when you’ve ended find ’twas one on sharks.

  [MOSES signs to MESSENGER to go. Exit MESSENGER]

  MOSES. Fine! Fine!

  See in my brain

  What madmen have rushed through,

  And like a tornado

  Torn up the tight roots

  Of some dead universe.

  The old clay is broken

  For a power to soak in
and knit

  It all into tougher tissues

  To hold life,

  Pricking my nerves till the brain might crack,

  It boils to my finger-tips,

  Till my hands ache to grip

  The hammer — the lone hammer

  That breaks lives into a road

  Through which my genius drives.

  Pharaoh well peruked and oiled,

  And your admirable pyramids,

  And your interminable procession

  Of crowded kings,

  You are my little fishing rods

  Wherewith I catch the fish

  To suit my hungry belly.

  I am rough now, and new, and will have no tailor.

  Startlingly,

  As a mountain side

  Wakes aware of its other side,

  When from a cave a leopard comes,

  On its heels the same red sand,

  Springing with acquainted air,

  Sprang an intelligence

  Coloured as a whim of mine,

  Showed to my dull outer eyes

  The living eyes underneath.

  Did I not shrivel up and take the place of air,

  Secret as those eyes were,

  And those strong eyes call up a giant frame?

  And I am that now.

  Pharaoh is sleek and deep;

  And where his love for me is set, under

  The deeps, on its floor, or in the shallow ways,

  Though I have been as a diver — never yet

  Could I find... I have a way, a touchstone!

  A small misdemeanour, touch of rebelliousness;

  To prick the vein of father, monitor, foe,

  Will tell which of these his kingship is.

  If I shut my eyes to the edict,

  And leave the pincers to rust,

  And the slaves’ teeth as God made them,

  Then hide from the summoning tribunal,

  Pharaoh will speak, and I’ll seize that word to act.

  Should the word be a foe’s, I can use it well,

  As a poison to soak into Egypt’s bowels,

  A wraith from old Nile will cry

  ‘For his mercy they break his back’

  And I shall have a great following for this,

  The rude touched heart of the mauled sweaty horde,

  Their rough tongues fawn at my hands, their red streaked eyes

  Glisten with sacrifice. Well! Pharaoh bids me act.

  Hah! I’m all a-bristle. Lord! his eyes would go wide

  If he knew the road my rampant dreams would race.

  I am too much awake now — restless, so restless.

  Behind white mists invisibly

  My thoughts stood like a mountain.

  But Power, watching as a man,

  Saw no mountain there,

  Only the mixing mist and sky,

  And the flat earth.

  What shoulder pushed through those mists

  Of gay fantastic pastimes

  And startled hills of sleep?

  [He looks in the mirror]

  Oh! apparition of me!

  Ruddy flesh soon hueless!

  Fade and show to my eyes

  The lasting bare body.

  Soul sack fall away

 

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