Page:American Poetry 1922.djvu/134



When a nightmare makes him snore, All the dead volcanoes roar.

In the space between each toe, Kingdoms rise and saviours go; Epochs fall and causes die In the lifting of his eye.

Wars and justice, love and death, These are but his wasted breath; Chews a planet for his cud— Behemot sweating blood.

Roused from his unconcern, Behemot burns with anger. Dripping sleep and langour from his heavy haunches, He turns from deep disdain and launches Himself upon the thickening air, And, with weird cries of sickening despair, Flies at Leviathan. None can surmise the struggle that ensues— The eyes lose sight of it and words refuse To tell the story in its gory might. Night passes after night, And still the fight continues, still the sparks Fly from the iron sinews,. . . till the marks Of fire and belching thunder fill the dark And, almost torn asunder, one falls stark, Hammering upon the other! . . . What clamor now is born, what crashings rise! Hot lightnings lash the skies and frightening cries 120