The Heaven of Animals<\/b><\/p>\n
Here they are. The soft eyes <\/p>\n
open.
\nIf they have lived in a wood
\nIt is a wood.
\nIf they have lived on plains
\nIt is grass rolling
\nUnder their feet forever. <\/p>\n
Having no souls, they have come,
\nAnyway, beyond their knowing.
\nTheir instincts wholly bloom
\nAnd they rise.
\nThe soft eyes open. <\/p>\n
To match them, the landscape flowers,
\nOutdoing, desperately
\nOutdoing what is required:
\nThe richest wood,
\nThe deepest field. <\/p>\n
For <\/p>\n
some of these,
\nIt could not be the place
\nIt is, without blood.
\nThese hunt, as they have done
\nBut with claws and teeth grown perfect, <\/p>\n
More deadly than they can believe.
\nThey stalk more silently,
\nAnd crouch on limbs of trees,
\nAnd their descent
\nUpon the bright <\/p>\n
backs of their prey <\/p>\n
May take years
\nIn a sovereign floating of joy.
\nAnd those that are hunted
\nKnow this as their life,
\nTheir <\/p>\n
reward: to walk <\/p>\n
Under such trees in full knowledge
\nOf what is in glory above them,
\nAnd to feel no fear,
\nBut acceptance, <\/p>\n
compliance.
\nFulfilling themselves without pain <\/p>\n
At the cycle’s center,
\nThey tremble, they walk
\nUnder the tree,
\nThey fall, they <\/p>\n
are torn,
\nThey rise, they walk again.<\/p>\n
— James Dickey<\/p>\n
My Droogie, Robert, sent me this poem for my birthday. Dickey <\/p>\n
has long been a favorite of mine. mjh<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
my poem <\/p>\n
for Dickey<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Heaven of Animals Here they are. The soft eyes open. If they have lived in a wood It is a wood. If they have lived on plains It is grass rolling Under their feet forever. Having no souls, they have come, Anyway, beyond their knowing. Their instincts wholly bloom And they rise. The soft … Continue reading The Heaven of Animals, by James Dickey<\/span>