Chapter 14The Tiger and the Deer

The Tiger and the Deer14 Brilliant, crouching, slouching, what crept through the green

heart of the forest, Gleaming eyes and mighty chest and soft soundless paws of

grandeur and murder? The wind slipped through the leaves as if afraid lest its voice

and the noise of its steps perturb the pitiless Splendour, Hardly daring to breathe. But the great beast crouched and

crept, and crept and crouched a last time, noiseless, fatal, Till suddenly death leaped on the beautiful wild deer as it

drank Unsuspecting at the great pool in the forest’s coolness and

shadow, And it fell and, torn, died remembering its mate left sole in the

deep woodland, — Destroyed, the mild harmless beauty by the strong cruel beauty

in Nature. But a day may yet come when the tiger crouches and leaps no

more in the dangerous heart of the forest, As the mammoth shakes no more the plains of Asia; Still then shall the beautiful wild deer drink from the coolness

of great pools in the leaves’ shadow. The mighty perish in their might; The slain survive the slayer.

14 Free quantitative verse, left to find out its own line by line rhythm and unity.