The Enclosure, Poem by Emile Verhaeren

Poem by Emile Verhaeren Period 19th century

Four ditches ran around the enclosure. Now,
When the May sun, burning the air with its flames,
Sabred their sleeping water with all its blades,
The farm would light up with a frame of gold.

They stretched out, set against the edge of green moss
And heavy water lilies starring the black stream.
The frogs came there to croak, in the evening,
Eye wide open, back swollen, body inert.

Painted ducks swam there, proud and slow,
Blue, green, gray, purple ducks, white ducks,
Bright and white ducks, with a great yellow beak;

They dipped there their wing and their glossy belly,
And their feet beating the waters, their golden neck,
Furiously broke irises a fathom long.

Emile Verhaeren

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