I stood face to face with a bull
and threw stones at his eyes
and struck his back with a stick

I crawled under the rose-bush
which ate my flesh like a beast
until I touched the red of my blood

Barefoot I walked on the cold earth
and fell into a hole full of bees
and all the trees laughed at me

Ashamed I jumped into the river
and let my swollen hands seek
the mud where the dumb fish hide

When the sun crashed beyond the hills
where the shy moon waited legs apart
I covered my face with vine-leaves

Naked I huddled under the house
where rats creep inside the walls
and a fat one came to nibble my ear

On my knees in the barn I watched
the dung drop on the red straw
and flies drown of pleasure in milk

While an old man stood on a stool
loving the cow with a dirty smile
his trembling hand clutching his heart

And again I stood face to face with a bull

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