Peasant and Donkey Returning Home at Dusk. — ca. 1866-68 —

Between raised ochre plains and low slate skies Pressing against stray clustered tufts of trees A tapered wedge is driven blue through light Flaring from clouds that tatter in the air. And on a scarred black path that blindly winds Unoutlined at the utmost edge of dusk A peasant, brown and dark on dark brown earth Draws his tired donkey, burdened in the murk. Cross-hatched, then rubbed and blended, well-stumped lines Show sun-flecks streaming home from cloud and plain, Escaping wraiths both...