ORCHARD
31 lines✦
saw the first pearas it fell--the honey-seeking, golden-banded,the yellow swarmwas not more fleet than I,(spare us from loveliness)and I fell prostratecrying:you have flayed uswith your blossoms,spare us the beautyof fruit-trees. The honey-seekingpaused not,the air thundered their song,and I alone was prostrate. O rough-hewngod of the orchard,I bring you an offering--do you, alone unbeautiful,son of the god,spare us from loveliness: these fallen hazel-nuts,stripped late of their green sheaths,grapes, red-purple,their berriesdripping with wine,pomegranates already broken,and shrunken figsand quinces untouched,I bring you as offering.
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