The Race Mother

At sunrise I saw her, the woman eternal, the Race Mother; She stood upon a great, gray cliff--and behind her the forest; The dawn was on her face; over the world she looked as one seeking-- As one whose eyes have watched long through shadow, And are weary still watching for one who comes not. Her mate she sought--waiting there with the forest behind her, And the world stretching wide, and the wind singing glory to daybreak. Strong and pure and clean-limbed and deep-bosomed-- Goddess and woman in one--loving and longing she waited. Out from the foot of the cliff one crept up to take her; Huge-muscled, careless--o’er-borne with fierce cravings and hunger. He saw not her eyes with the passionate longing within them-- Burning holy and tender with infinite love and compassion. Only the strong, sweet body he grasped--crushed and maimed--bound to serve him; Bent at his will, and distorted--till ugly and broken, Unmeet even to serve, it shambled beside him. On the breast hung a child, half-divine, half-monstrous-- Maimed too, scarred, deformed--mingling strangely The holy dawn-dream in the deep, waiting eyes of the woman, And the careless, fierce face of the man as he fought up to take her.

* * * * *

It was night now, and the dawn-light was dead, and the wide world was hidden, And the wind whimpered and wailed like a creature that suffers and hopes not.

ROAD’S END.

The old wife by the grave-stone stands And looketh far away; Her eyes are deep as pools of rain Twilit at close of day. “God rest ye, husband of my flesh-- Life-Stranger to my soul-- I pray thy spirit goes to seek Some dear-desired goal.”

“How long, how long, the way chance willed, We journeyed side by side, Yet never met at stile or gate-- I was thy body’s bride! That far-off day, our wedding day, I dreamed as women will-- The heart a-hungered and alone Is lone and hungered still.”

“Four hands won roof and goods and gear And ploughed and gleaned and spun-- Two stranger hearts the world apart Sat down when toil was done. God rest ye now beyond the end; God light the way ahead-- And that the living eyes were blind, Lay sight upon the dead.”