Page:Poet Lore, volume 34, 1923.djvu/63

 Thou shakest thine head?

Mahulena.—I have neither father, mother, nor home. I am like this stone lying here.

Women.—Come with us For a day or two we will grant thee shelter. Again thou shakest thine head What can we do for thee?

Mahulena.—Leave me alone  lying  on my face  thus  thus

(Falls face downward.)

Women.—Well, let us leave her Perchance the coolness of the earth will calm her blood and she will follow us. Let us follow the funeral train. (They slowly move on.)

Mahulena (Lifting her head after a moment).—Alone Within me there is darkness, death, cold  Can I be myself, and has all this happened to me? It is strange that some beings are bereft of all. I have neither father, mother, nor sisters neither home nor roof  not even a grave! And methinks even the light of mine eyes is failing now, that my life is ebbing away Just who has become dead to me? Ah, yes, my love To lie on the earth, that is the only thing that I still desire  Ah, mother earth, mother earth, thou art left to me; thou alone art faithful beneath the heavens, thou art the only one who does not thrust me aside  Thou art not like those others: we love them, and they curse us: we love them—and they do not wish to know us and they forget us in a moment  Upon thee we trample; and thou, thou with unfailing love dost foster us  And now, now thou dost lull to sleep my terrible sorrow, and whisperest to me how sweet a lot it is not to think and not to feel, even as the crags which project from thy bosom  What thou givest them, that dead, heavy peace, give it to me also; I too am thy child  O, give me that which thou givest to the grass here and to thy trees  They dare to remain here, here where he breathes who knows me no more! O, hearken to me—or dost thou hear naught but evil curses and fulfil them? I long to cling firmly to thee, mother, as the trees cling with their roots O, hear my prayer! Have pity on me, unhappy girl (Kisses the earth.) But now in my mind a strange mist is arising (Arises.) And my feet are becoming buried in the ground  What is this? O, sweet sleep, which hoverest over my eyelids already I see all things only