Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, DROUTH, by C. E. SHUFORD


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

DROUTH, by                    
First Line: Heat is big-breasted
Last Line: She laughs until morning.
Alternate Author Name(s): Shuford, Gene
Subject(s): Drought


Heat is big-breasted
belly-sprawled to earth
the old cow bawls in the orchard
dry dry dry
the apples are rotten

come, heat, you are animal
all female and broad-hipped
the oak leaves are dying
hot little tongues of flame
earth is barren
over all, the heat presses down

a dying poplar droops in the pallid sky

the earth is barren dead
the old mother of the dead days
slack-breasted, wearied
men turn from her
lift blackened mouths
lift eyeballs blood-red
the wound of the sky is open
paints the hills bloody
but above, a white hot blue
in the quivering jelly of heat
a tractor clanks its futile plows
the dust hangs above, no wind
an old man sucking the stumps of his gums
shakes his fist at horror
strikes nothing, the hand slides through heat
there is a faint mew from the house
the windmill hangs, an idle sail
the old man's ruined face
runs shrieking to barn
as if the body did not follow
as if legs were not there, maddened
arms not there, frenzied
feet not there
but all were eyes
all matted beard
all lips, cracked by heat
all tongue, blackened, death-hungry
the ropes slide over the rafter
with a faint groan
the spasm of the heels
drums the wall, then no sound
house is silent too
but at dark it begins
rich, throaty, gurgling of stream long dammed
sound strong and big-breasted

it is the young wife
laughing within the house
she props herself on one elbow
wakes the baby so he can suck
can snort like a young colt half asleep
knead the heavy teats
drooping above him
and paw her side

watching him, she laughs
he is the seed the old man has planted --
rears herself slowly, and her big body swaying
pads through the dark house to the kitchen window

can see it there, swaying from the hay mow
it spins idly, a faint breeze has come up
has not cooled the stars, they are big and pointed
like white-hot nails, breeze cannot cool them
in the darkness the woman stands laughing

all night the woman stands there, naked
her big body drips sweat, she is heat
heat lying upon the land, crops burned up
dust devils dancing, cattle dying for water
her breasts shake as she stands against the stars
is laughing, there is more seed in her
the old man planted it, no need of him further
let him spin from his rafter
the land is barren is dead

come heat come heat come heat
you have taken the land, it is yours
the woman stands laughing in darkness
she laughs until morning.





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