 | The Comrades |  |
I
O'er the swamp in the forest
the sunset is red;
And the sad reedy waters,
in black mirrors spread,
Are aflame with the great crimson tree-tops o'er-head.
the sunset is red;
And the sad reedy waters,
in black mirrors spread,
Are aflame with the great crimson tree-tops o'er-head.
By the swamp in the forest
the oak-branches groan,
As the Savage primeval,
with russet hair thrown
O'er his huge naked limbs, swings his hatchet of stone.
the oak-branches groan,
As the Savage primeval,
with russet hair thrown
O'er his huge naked limbs, swings his hatchet of stone.
124
By the swamp in the forest
sings shrilly in glee
The stark forester's lass
plucking mast in a tree—
And hairy and brown as a squirrel is she!
sings shrilly in glee
The stark forester's lass
plucking mast in a tree—
And hairy and brown as a squirrel is she!
With the strokes of the flint all
the blind woodland rings,
And the echoes laugh back as
the sylvan girl sings:—
And the Sabre-tooth growls in his lair ere he springs!
the blind woodland rings,
And the echoes laugh back as
the sylvan girl sings:—
And the Sabre-tooth growls in his lair ere he springs!
Keen as stars, in green splendour
his great eyeballs burn
As he crawls!—Chilled to silence,
the girl can discern
The fierce pantings which thrill through the fronds of the fern.
his great eyeballs burn
As he crawls!—Chilled to silence,
the girl can discern
The fierce pantings which thrill through the fronds of the fern.
And the brown frolic face of
the girl has grown white,
As the large fronds are swayed in
the weird crimson light,
And she sobs with the strained throbbing dumbness of fright.
the girl has grown white,
As the large fronds are swayed in
the weird crimson light,
And she sobs with the strained throbbing dumbness of fright.
125
With his blue eyes agleam, and
his wild russet hair
Streaming back, the Man travails,
unwarned, unaware
Of the lithe shape that crouches, the green eyes that glare.
his wild russet hair
Streaming back, the Man travails,
unwarned, unaware
Of the lithe shape that crouches, the green eyes that glare.
And now, hark! as he drives with
a last mighty swing
The stone blade of the axe through
the oak's central ring,
From the blanched lips what screams of wild agony spring!—
a last mighty swing
The stone blade of the axe through
the oak's central ring,
From the blanched lips what screams of wild agony spring!—
There's a rush through the fern-fronds—
a yell of affright—
And the Savage and Sabre-tooth
close in fierce fight.
And the red sunset smoulders and blackens to night.
a yell of affright—
And the Savage and Sabre-tooth
close in fierce fight.
And the red sunset smoulders and blackens to night.
On the swamp in the forest
one clear star is shown,
And the reeds fill the night with
a long troubled moan—
And the girl sits and sobs in the darkness, alone!
one clear star is shown,
And the reeds fill the night with
a long troubled moan—
And the girl sits and sobs in the darkness, alone!
| The Comrades | |