The Earth Turns South/Awakening

by Clement Richardson Wood

For works with similar titles, see Awakening.

II.
AS A MAN THINKETH—

AWAKENING

(After a Song by Ou-Yang Hsiu)

The chilled air shivers,
Dim ice-blooded, thin-souled crones
Hug haughtily indifferent fires.
The beaded icicles poise
Over specked patches of snow.

But they cannot fool me—
I know it is Spring;
For I saw a laughing girl
Slip furtively homeward
Through the dark.