El elefante, la enorme bestia antigua,

se aparea lentamente

encuentra una hembra, sin premura

esperan

la simpatía en sus vastos corazones tímidos

lenta, lentamente aparecer

mientras haraganean en las riveras

y beben y pacen

y rompen en pánico en el zarzal

boscoso con la manada

y duermen en silencio masivo, y despiertan

juntos, sin palabras.

Tan lentamente el gran corazón caliente del elefante

se llena de deseo,

y la gran bestia se aparea al fin en secreto,

escondiendo su fuego.

Son las bestias mas viejas y sabias

así que saben al fin

esperar el festín más solitario

para el banquete completo

No arrebatan, no arrancan;

su sangre masiva

se mueve como la marea, cerca, más cerca

hasta tocarse anegados.

 [/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]    

The elephant, the huge old beast,
     is slow to mate;
he finds a female, they show no haste
     they wait

for the sympathy in their vast shy hearts
     slowly, slowly to rouse
as they loiter along the river-beds
     and drink and browse

and dash in panic through the brake
     of forest with the herd,
and sleep in massive silence, and wake
     together, without a word.

So slowly the great hot elephant hearts
     grow full of desire,
and the great beasts mate in secret at last,
     hiding their fire.

Oldest they are and the wisest of beasts
     so they know at last
how to wait for the loneliest of feasts
     for the full repast.

They do not snatch, they do not tear;
     their massive blood
moves as the moon-tides, near, more near
     till they touch in flood.

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From The Complete Poems of D. H. Lawrence, edited by V. De Sola Pinto & F. W. Roberts.

Copyright © 1964, 

1971 by Angela Ravagli and C. M. Weekly, Executors of the Estate of Frieda Lawrence Ravagli

Used by permission of Viking Penguin, a division of Penguin Books USA Inc.