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He thought he kept the universe alone;He thought he kept the universe alone
He thought he kept the universe alone; For all the voice in answer he could wake Was but the mocking echo of his own From some tree-hidden cliff across the lake. Some morning from the boulder-broken beach He would cry out on life, that what it wants Is not its own love back in copy speech, But counter-love, original response. And nothing ever came of what he cried Unless it was the embodiment that crashed In the cliff's talus on the other side, And then in the far distant water splashed, But after a time allowed for it to swim, Instead of proving human when it neared And someone else additional to him, As a great buck it powerfully appeared, Pushing the crumpled water up ahead, And landed pouring like a waterfall, And stumbled through the rocks with horny tread, And forced the underbrush—and that was all.
He believed he was the only one in the universe; For all the responses he could evoke Were merely the taunting reflection of himself From a cliff hidden by trees across the lake. One morning from the rocky beach He would shout at life, that what it desires Is not just its own love echoed back in words, But a love in return, a genuine response. And nothing ever resulted from his cries Unless it was the form that fell On the slope of the cliff on the opposite side, And then splashed in the faraway water, But after some time allowed for it to float, Instead of showing human traits as it approached And someone else added to his being, It appeared as a great buck, strong and powerful, Pushing the disturbed water ahead, And landed like a waterfall, And stumbled through the rocks with heavy steps, And pushed through the underbrush—and that was all.