thumping from the earth, and this garden
suddenly became zoological with mirth.
Animals grew gentle in the light of the sun.
The timid lion burst his wood and peered
behind the rose. Puffin, hawk, and partridge flew
into the standing willow tree. A resting
salamander turned from green to black,
and a crane stretched, and I cried out,
for I heard deeply in the mines in me
some gold or silver weep because they were not
bird or rose or tree.
And when I heard
this sound, I reached and found a knife,
and in my heart I plunged that knife,
that gold and silver might have life,
that animals that could not speak
might break my throats and sing.
Ned O'Gorman
THE CUT VERSION
Time was when my Odysseus
Made light the space between our seas
And storms resolved between our knees.
I with no serpents in my hair
Lay tender with the rank and fair,
With daisy petals feigned despair.
And when of necessity we shipped,
For show he had some big slave whipped,
Then like a gull's breast the prow dipped.
When proud as his consort on the boat
I learned by listening his note,
Sometimes his fingers bruised my throat.
