376

Darling, the night is over

And the lights are closing down.

Orion runs for cover ;

The bear resigns his crown.

We have seen our bodies tremble

In the water of the lake,

Seen our figures disassemble

And the water shake, and shake.

But now the hour elapses,

And our understanding falls out

In silence. The lamp collapses

And draws the curtain down,

And its light goes strangely about.

Shadows move where they are thrown.

375

375

As the salt carries, on the air,

Through the maples and the ragweed,

Up to the window and over the hair

And shoulders, a part of the sea ;

As the sea swells in the maples,

And as the idea of it

Varies in light before the eyes

And the brighter tree branches split ;

As milkblood undulates into the air,

Earthblood runs up into the fire

Of their departing foliage :

So word is carried in its sound.

The maples sea-sea from the ground,

Knowing nothing of their carriage.