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1896
MINE was the woman to me, darkling I found her: | |
| Haling her dumb from the camp, held her and bound her. | |
| Hot rose her tribe on our track ere I had proved her; | |
| Hearing her laugh in the gloom, greatly I loved her. | |
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| Swift through the forest we ran, none stood to guard us, | 5 |
| Few were my people and far; then the flood barred us— | |
| Him we call Son of the Sea, sullen and swollen. | |
| Panting we waited the death, stealer and stolen. | |
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| Yet ere they came to my lance laid for the slaughter, | |
| Lightly she leaped to a log lapped in the water; | 10 |
| Holding on high and apart skins that arrayed her, | |
| Called she the God of the Wind that He should aid her. | |
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| Life had the tree at that word (Praise we the Giver!) | |
| Otter-like left he the bank for the full river. | |
| Far fell their axes behind, flashing and ringing, | 15 |
| Wonder was on me and fear—yet she was singing! | |
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| Low lay the land we had left. Now the blue bound us, | |
| Even the Floor of the Gods level around us. | |
| Whisper there was not, nor word, shadow nor showing, | |
| Till the light stirred on the deep, glowing and growing. | 20 |
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| Then did He leap to His place flaring from under, | |
| He the Compeller, the Sun, bared to our wonder. | |
| Nay, not a league from our eyes blinded with gazing, | |
| Cleared He the Gate of the World, huge and amazing! | |
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| This we beheld (and we live)—the Pit of the Burning! | 25 |
| Then the God spoke to the tree for our returning; | |
| Back to the beach of our flight, fearless and slowly, | |
| Back to our slayers went he: but we were holy. | |
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| Men that were hot in that hunt, women that followed, | |
| Babes that were promised our bones, trembled and wallowed. | 30 |
| Over the necks of the Tribe crouching and fawning— | |
| Prophet and priestess we came back from the dawning! | |
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