Хвилі

           Withdispassionatedespair,withentiredisillusionment,Isurveyedthedustdance;mylife,myfriends’lives,andthosefabulouspresences,menwithbrooms,womenwriting,thewillowtreebytheriver--cloudsandphantomsmadeofdusttoo,ofdustthatchanged,ascloudsloseandgainandtakegoldorredandlosetheirsummitsandbillowthiswayandthat,mutable,vain.I,carryinganotebook,makingphrases,hadrecordedmerechanges;ashadow.Ihadbeenseduloustotakenoteofshadows.HowcanIproceednow,Isaid,withoutaself,weightlessandvisionless,throughaworldweightless,withoutillusion?

           ’TheheavinessofmydespondencythrustopenthegateIleantonandpushedme,anelderlyman,aheavymanwithgreyhair,throughthecolourlessfield,theemptyfield.Nomoretohearechoes,nomoretoseephantoms,toconjureupnoopposition,buttowalkalwaysunshadowed,makingnoimpressuponthedeadearth.Ifeventherehadbeensheepmunching,pushingonefootafteranother,orabird,oramandrivingaspadeintotheearth,hadtherebeenabrambletotripme,oraditch,dampwithsoakedleaves,intowhichtofall--butno,themelancholypathledalongthelevel,tomorewintrinessandpallorandtheequalanduninterestingviewofthesamelandscape.

           ’Howthendoeslightreturntotheworldaftertheeclipseofthesun?Miraculously.Frailly.Inthinstripes.Ithangslikeaglasscage.Itisahooptobefracturedbyatinyjar.Thereisasparkthere.Nextmomentaflushofdun.Thenavapourasifearthwerebreathinginandout,once,twice,forthefirsttime.