D. H. Lawrence: The Elephant is Slow to Mate

D. H. Lawrence

(1885-1930)

 

The Elephant is Slow to Mate

 

The elephant, the huge old beast,

is slow to mate;

he finds a female, they show no haste

they wait

 

for the sympathy in their vast shy hearts

slowly, slowly to rouse

as they loiter along the river-beds

and drink and browse

 

and dash in panic through the brake

of forest with the herd,

and sleep in massive silence, and wake

together, without a word.

 

So slowly the great hot elephant hearts

grow full of desire,

and the great beasts mate in secret at last,

hiding their fire.

 

Oldest they are and the wisest of beasts

so they know at last

how to wait for the loneliest of feasts

for the full repast.

 

They do not snatch, they do not tear;

their massive blood

moves as the moon-tides, near, more near

till they touch in flood.

 

D.H. Lawrence poetry

fleursdumal.nl magazine

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