I

1948 : The Coming of Spring

Beginning of spring
When birds do sing
And the winter cold
Is a little less bold

Near Albi they found
An old woman downed
By hunger and cold

The cupboards were clean
And the rats grown lean
Had become more bold

Their daring was told
By the old woman's hands
And the old woman's face
In the winterspring cold

When streams do race
And the heavy lands
Break asunder the hold
Of the winter cold.

II

Song for the New Machiavellis

Sweep the snow from your door
With a brush quick and wild
For if you should find there
A frozen child
Your eyes must not soften
Your hands itch to hold
It's forbidden to rescue
The frozen by cold

When sheep call for pasture
And break down your fences
Cry Wolf from the grasslands
Till panic commences
If miners' hands whiten
Stretch out for more bread
Use grenades to light fires
And feed them with lead

The battle for living
Is harsh but complete
The place for your servant
Is under your feet
Sweep the dead from the door
If others should shirk
Have them judged for a slight
On your freedom to work.

III

Autumn

Season of mists
And the bitter crop of summer
Shedding its leaves to light up fires.

Branches spring bare
Black; skies deaden
To flatness or deepen to hollow swirls.

Rivers of silver
Run leaden; fog
Shields the signal of the balding hills.

The earth fuddles;
But men awake to warmth:
The leaves of hunger light up fires.