首页 >出版文学> M119>第39章

第39章

  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: