Волны

           BernardandNeville,Percival,Archie,LarpentandBakergotoOxfordorCambridge,toEdinburgh,Rome,Paris,Berlin,ortosomeAmericanUniversity.Igovaguely,tomakemoneyvaguely.Thereforeapoignantshadow,akeenaccent,fallsonthesegoldenbristles,onthesepoppy-redfields,thisflowingcornthatneveroverflowsitsboundaries;butrunsripplingtotheedge.Thisisthefirstdayofanewlife,anotherspokeoftherisingwheel.Butmybodypassesvagrantasabird’sshadow.Ishouldbetransientastheshadowonthemeadow,soonfading,soondarkeninganddyingtherewhereitmeetsthewood,wereitnotthatIcoercemybraintoforminmyforehead;Iforcemyselftostate,ifonlyinonelineofunwrittenpoetry,thismoment;tomarkthisinchinthelong,longhistorythatbeganinEgypt,inthetimeofthePharaohs,whenwomencarriedredpitcherstotheNile.Iseemalreadytohavelivedmanythousandyears.ButifInowshutmyeyes,ifIfailtorealizethemeeting-placeofpastandpresent,thatIsitinathird-classrailwaycarriagefullofboysgoinghomefortheholidays,humanhistoryisdefraudedofamoment’svision.Itseye,thatwouldseethroughme,shuts--ifIsleepnow,throughslovenliness,orcowardice,buryingmyselfinthepast,inthedark;oracquiesce,asBernardacquiesces,tellingstories;orboast,asPercival,Archie,John,Walter,Lathom,Larpent,Roper,Smithboast--thenamesarethesamealways,thenamesoftheboastingboys.