O Dull Cold Northern Sky

O DULL cold northern sky,

O brawling¹ sabbath bells,

O feebly twittering Autumn bird that tells

The year is like to die!

O still, spoiled trees, O city ways,

O sun desired in vain,

O dread² presentiment³ of coming rain

That cloys⁴ the sullen⁵ days!

Thee, heart of mine, I greet.

In what hard mountain pass

Striv’st thou? In what importunate⁶ morass⁷

Sink now thy weary feet?

Thou run’st a hopeless race

To win despair. No crown

Awaits success, but leaden gods look down

On thee, with evil face.

And those that would befriend

And cherish thy defeat,

With angry welcome shall turn sour the sweet

Home-coming of the end.

Yea, those that offer praise

To idleness, shall yet

Insult thee, coming glorious in the sweat

Of honourable⁸ ways.

1 brawling   

n.争吵，喧嚷

参考例句：

• They were arrested for brawling in the street. 他们因在街上打斗而遭到拘捕。
• The officers were brawling commands. 军官们大声地喊口令。

2 dread   

vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧

参考例句：

• We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
• Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

3 presentiment   

n.预感，预觉

参考例句：

• He had a presentiment of disaster.他预感会有灾难降临。
• I have a presentiment that something bad will happen.我有某种不祥事要发生的预感。

4 cloys   

v.发腻，倒胃口( cloy的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Too much sweet food cloys the palate. 吃过多的甜食会使人倒胃口。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 sullen   

adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的

参考例句：

• He looked up at the sullen sky.他抬头看了一眼阴沉的天空。
• Susan was sullen in the morning because she hadn't slept well.苏珊今天早上郁闷不乐，因为昨晚没睡好。

6 importunate   

adj.强求的；纠缠不休的

参考例句：

• I would not have our gratitude become indiscreet or importunate.我不愿意让我们的感激变成失礼或勉强。
• The importunate memory was kept before her by its ironic contrast to her present situation.萦绕在心头的这个回忆对当前的情景来说，是个具有讽刺性的对照。

7 morass   

n.沼泽，困境

参考例句：

• I tried to drag myself out of the morass of despair.我试图从绝望的困境中走出来。
• Mathematical knowledge was certain and offered a secure foothold in a morass.数学知识是确定无疑的,它给人们在沼泽地上提供了一个稳妥的立足点。

8 honourable   

adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的

参考例句：

• I don't think I am worthy of such an honourable title.这样的光荣称号，我可担当不起。
• I hope to find an honourable way of settling difficulties.我希望设法找到一个体面的办法以摆脱困境。