Page:Anthology of Magazine Verse (1921).djvu/216
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"We'll rest." He wiped an arm across a brow
Fouled with the twitching spider-web, and leant
Against a low dead stump, steadying now
Her passage toward him, much as though he meant
To hold the pressure till her breathless face
Encountered his; then, suddenly continent,
He loosed her hand. She poised in the dark place,
Fouled with the twitching spider-web, and leant
Against a low dead stump, steadying now
Her passage toward him, much as though he meant
To hold the pressure till her breathless face
Encountered his; then, suddenly continent,
He loosed her hand. She poised in the dark place,
Her heart pounding, gasping as though distressed.
She smoothed a dampened, restless strand of hair.
A smile colored her echoing words: "We'll rest.
It is steep." Then they sniffed the thinner air,
Sharply brought closer, as the conquered rise
Made clear that they at length had mounted where
There were no more of censoring city eyes.
She smoothed a dampened, restless strand of hair.
A smile colored her echoing words: "We'll rest.
It is steep." Then they sniffed the thinner air,
Sharply brought closer, as the conquered rise
Made clear that they at length had mounted where
There were no more of censoring city eyes.
The isolation was a sudden thrust
Cleaving them, like a whispered word of warning.
He brushed ahead; a startled smoke of dust
Trailed like a widening curtain. Quickly scorning
The stiff precipitous way, she followed higher
Through crushing shadow and jutting branch, adorning
This path that pointed toward an unseen fire.
Cleaving them, like a whispered word of warning.
He brushed ahead; a startled smoke of dust
Trailed like a widening curtain. Quickly scorning
The stiff precipitous way, she followed higher
Through crushing shadow and jutting branch, adorning
This path that pointed toward an unseen fire.
Partly to dull two fires—the one that charred
Her cheeks, the one still deeper—she called out:
"You think we'll see it?" He was climbing hard,
So far ahead, his answer was a shout.
"I think we may." He waited, eyes uncertain,
Until her sky-lit face came near, to rout
The dark, as daybreak tears night's shadowy curtain.
Her cheeks, the one still deeper—she called out:
"You think we'll see it?" He was climbing hard,
So far ahead, his answer was a shout.
"I think we may." He waited, eyes uncertain,
Until her sky-lit face came near, to rout
The dark, as daybreak tears night's shadowy curtain.
He guided to the summit. Fingers tingled
Uneasily, driven thoughts clung and caressed;
The sharp throbs of their breathing met and mingled.
She sank in a grass cushion on the crest,
Content to forget far fire and its far are.
She settled into a tender bladed nest,
His body lengthened upward in the dark,
Uneasily, driven thoughts clung and caressed;
The sharp throbs of their breathing met and mingled.
She sank in a grass cushion on the crest,
Content to forget far fire and its far are.
She settled into a tender bladed nest,
His body lengthened upward in the dark,
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