Reversed,eachheadateither’sflank,theystood。
WhereattheGoddess,inadimremorse,Laidhandonthem,andsmacked;andhertouchpricked。
Neighingwithin,ateither’sflanktheylicked;
Playedonamoment’sforceAtcourtship,witheringtothecrazynod。
Thenodwasthatwegatherforconsent;
Andmournfullyamidthegroupadame,Interpretingthethinginnaturemeant,Herhandsheldoutlikebearersoftheflame,Andnoddedforthenegatesideways。
KeenatherMistressglancedIambe:raysFromtheGreatMothercame:
Herlipswereopenedwide;thecursewasrent。
Shelaughed:sinceourfirstharvestingheardnoneLikethunderofthesongofheart:herface,Thedreadfuldarkness,shooktomountedsun,Andpealonpealacrossthehillsheldchase。
Shelaughedherselftowater;laughedtofire;
LaughedthetorrentiallaughofdamandsireFullofthemarrowyrace。
Herlaughter,Gods!wasfleshonskeleton。
Thevalleypeoplehuddled,broke,afraid,Assured,andtakinglightningintheveins,Theypuffed,theyleaped,linkedhands,togetherswayed,UnwittinghappinesstillgoldenrainsOftearsinlaughter,laughterweeping,smoteKnowledgeofmilkymercyfromthatthroatPouringtohealtheirpains:
Andoneboldyouthsetmouthatashymaid。
IambeclappedtoseethekindlylustsInspirethevalleypeople,stillonseas,Likepoplar-topsrelievedfromstressofgusts,Withraptureintheirwonderment;butthese,Lowhomagebeingrendered,rantoplough,Fedbythelaugh,asbythemothercowCalvesattheteatstheytease:
Soondrovetheythroughtheyieldingfurrow-crusts。
Uprosethebladeingreen,theleafinred,Thetreeofwaterandthetreeofwood:
AndsoonamongthebranchesoverheadGavebeautyjuicyissuesweetforfood。
OLaughter!beautyplumpedandlovehadbirth。
Laughter!OthoureverofsickEarth!
Goodforthespirit,goodForbody,thou!tobothartwineandbread!
Theshepherd,withhiseyeonhazySouth,Hastoldofrainuponthefallofday。
ButpromiseistherenoneforSusan’sdrouth,Thathewillcome,whokeepsindrydelay。
Thefreshestofthellagethreeyearsgone,Shehangsasthewhitefield-rosehangsshort-led;
AndsheandEarthareoneInwitheringunreved。
Rain!Othegladrefresherofthegrain!
Andwelcomewaterspouts,hadwesweetrain!
Ah,whatisMarriage,sayseachpoutingmaid,WhenshewhoweddedwiththesoldierhidesAthomeasgoodaswidowedintheshade,Alighthousetothegirlsthatwouldbebrides:
Nordarestogealadanogle,norTodreamofdancing,butmusthangandmoan,Herhusbandinthewar,Andshetoliealone。
Rain!Othegladrefresherofthegrain!
Andwelcomewaterspouts,hadwesweetrain!
Theyhavenotknown;theyarenotinthestream;
Lightastheflyingseed-ballistheirplay,Thesillymaids!andhappysoulstheyseem;
YetGriefwouldnotchangefateswithsuchasthey。
TheyhavenotstrucktherootswhichmeetthefiresBeneath,andbindusfastwithEarth,toknowThestrengthofherdesires,Thesternnessofherwoe。
Rain!Othegladrefresherofthegrain!
Andwelcomewaterspouts,hadwesweetrain!
Now,shepherd,seethyword,wherewithoutshowerAborderlesslowblottingWestwardspreads。
Thehall-clockholdsthevalleyonthehour;
Acrossaninnerchamberthundertreads:
Thedeadleaftrips,thetree-topswings,thefloorOfdustwhirls,droppinglumped:nearthunderspeaks,Anddresthedamestodoor,Theirkerchiefsflappedatcheeks。
Rain!Othegladrefresherofthegrain!
Andwelcomewaterspoutsofblessedrain!
V
Throughnight,withbedroomwindowwideforair,LaySusantrancedtohearallheavendescend:
AndgurglingvoicescameofEarth,andrare,Pastflowerful,breathings,deeperthanlife’send,Fromherheavedbreastofsacredcommonmould;
Wherebythislone-laidwifewasmovedtofeelUnwordedthingsandoldToherpainedheartappeal。
Rain!Othegladrefresherofthegrain!
Anddownindelugesofblessedrain!
Atmornshestoodtoleforearandsight,Loveskyorcloud,orroseorgrassesdrenched。
Alurefuldel,thatinglow-wormlightSetlanguorwrithingallitsfolds,shequenched。
Butshewouldmusewhenneighbourspraisedherface,Herserces,andstaunchnesstohermate:
Knowingbysomedimtrace,Thechangemightbearadate。
Rain!Othegladrefresherofthegrain!
Thricebeauteousisoursunshineafterrain!
Fleckofskyyouare,Droppedthroughbranchesdark,Omylittleone,mine!
Promiseofthestar,Outpourofthelark;
Beamandsongdine。
Seethispreciousgift,SteepinginnewbirthAllmybeing,forsignEarthtoheavencanlift,Heavendescendonearth,Bothinonebemine!
I
LifeinlightyouglassWhenyoupeepandcoo,You,mylittleone,mine!
Brookletchirpstograss,DaisylooksindewUptodearsunshine。
SweetasEdenistheair,AndEden-sweettheray。
NoParadiseislostforthemWhofootbybranchingrootandstem,AndlightlywiththewoodlandshareThechangeofnightandday。
Hereallsay,Weserveher,evenasI:
Webrood,westretosky,Wegazeupondecay,Wewotoflifethroughdeath,Howeachfeedseachwespy;
Andisatangleround,Arepatient;whatisdumbWequestionnot,noraskThesilenttogesound,Thehiddentounmask,Thedistanttodrawnear。
Andthisthewoodlandsaith:
Iknownothopeorfear;
Itakewhate’ermaycome;
Iraisemyheadtoaspectsfair,FromfoulIturnaway。
SweetasEdenistheair,AndEden-sweettheray。
Whenwehavethrownoffthisoldsuit,Somuchinneedofmending,Tosinkamongthenakedmute,Isthat,thinkyou,ourending?
Wefollowmany,morewelead,Andyouwhosadlyturfus,BelievenotthatalllingseedMustflowerabovethesurface。
Sensationisagraciousgift,Butwereitcrampedtostation,TheprayertohaveitcastadriftWouldspoutfromallsensation。
Enoughifwehavewinkedtosun,Havespedtheploughaseason;
Thereisasoulforlabourdone,Endurethfedasreason。
ThenletourtrustbefirminGood,Thoughwebeofthefasting;
Ourquestionsareamortalbrood,Ourworkiseverlasting。
WechildrenofBeneficenceAreinitsbeingsharers;
AndWhithervainersoundsthanWhence,Forwordwithsuchwayfarers。
FromtwigtotwigthespiderweavesAtnoonhiswebbingfine。
SoneartomutethezephyrsfluteThatonlyleafletsdance。
ThesundrawsoutofhazelleavesAsmellofwoodlandwine。
IwakeaswarmtosuddenstormAtanystep’sadvance。
Alongmypathisbuglossblue,Thestarwithfruitinmoss;
ThefoxglovesdropfromthroattotopAdailylesserbell。
Theblackestshadow,nurseofdew,Hasorangeskeinsacross;
AndkeenlyredisonethinthreadThatflashingseemstoswell。
MyworldInoteerefancycomes,Minutesthushedobserve:
WhatbusybitsofmotionedwitsThroughantleredmossworkstre。
Butnowsolowthestillnesshums,Myspringsofseeingswerve,ForhalfawinktothrillandthinkThewoodswithnymphsale。
IneighbourtheinsibleSoclosethatmyconsentIsonlyaskedforspiritsmaskedToleapfromtreesandflowers。
AndthisbecausewiththemIdwellInthought,whilecalmlybentToreadthelinesdearEarthdesignsShallspeakherlifeonours。
Accept,shesays;itisnothardInwoods;butsheintownsRepeats,accept;andhavewewept,Andhavewequailedwithfears,Orshrunkwithhorrors,surerewardWehavewhomknowledgecrowns;
Whoseeinmouldtheroseunfold,Thesoulthroughbloodandtears。
Leavetheuproar:ataleapThoushaltstrikeawoodlandpath,Entersilence,notofsleep,Undershadows,notofwrath;
Breathwhichisthespirit’sbathIntheoldBeginningsfind,Andendowthemwithamind,Seedforseedling,swatheforswathe。
ThatgesNaturetous,thisGeweher,andsowekiss。
Fruitfulisitso:buthearHowwithintheshellthouart,Musicsounds;norothernearCantosuchatremorstart。
Ofthewavesourlifeispart;
Theyourrunningharvestsbear:
Backtothemformanfulair,Ladenwiththewoodland’sheart!
ThatgesBattletous,thisGeweit,andgoodthekiss。
Awindswaysthepines,AndbelowNotabreathofwildair;
StillasthemossesthatglowOntheflooringandoverthelinesOftherootshereandthere。
Thepine-treedropsitsdead;
Theyarequiet,asunderthesea。
Overhead,overheadRusheslifeinarace,Asthecloudsthecloudschase;
Andwego,Andwedroplikethefruitsofthetree,Evenwe,Evenso。
OnthemorningofMay,ErethechildrenhadenteredmygateWiththeirwreathsandmechanicallay,Ametalding-dongofthedate!
Imountedourhill,bearingheartThathadlittleoflifesaveitsweight:
ThecrownedShadowpoisingdartHungoverher:she,myown,Mygoodcompanion,mate,Pulseofme:shewhohadshownFortitudequietasEarth’sAtthesheddingofleaves。AndaroundTheskywasingarlandsofcloud,Winningscentsfromunnumberednewbirths,Pointedbuds,wherethewoodswerebrownedByamoulderedbeechenshroud;
Oroverourmeadsofthevale,Suchananswertosunashe,Braveinhisgold;toasound,Nonesweeter,ofwoodsflappingsail,Withthefirstfullfloodofouryear,Fortheirvoyageonlustrefulsea:
Untowhatcurtainedhaveninchief,Willbewritinthebookofthesere。
Butsurelythecrewarewe,Eagerorstampedorbowed;
Countedthinneratfalloftheleaf。
Griefheardthem,andpassedlikeabier。
DueSummerward,lo,theywereset,Involumesoffoliageproud,Ontheheaveoftheirfavouringtides,AndtheirsongbroadenedouttothecheerWhenaneckoftherampingsurfRattlesthunderaboatoverrides。
Allsmilesranthehighwayswet;
Thewormdrewitslinksfromtheturf;
ThebirdoffelicityloudSpunhigh,andaSouthwindblew。
WeakoutofsheathdownyleavesOfthebeechqueredlucidasdew,Theirradianceasking,whogrieves;
Fornoughtofasorrowtheyknew: