War and Love/Terror
For works with similar titles, see Terror.
TERROR
IThose of the earth envy us,Envy our beauty and frail strength;Those of the wind and the moonEnvy our pain.
IIFor as a doe that has never born childWe were swift to fly from terror;And as fragile edged steelWe turned, we pierced, we endured.
IIIWe have known terror:The terror of the wind and silent shadows,The terror of great heights,The terror of the worm,The terror of thunder and fire,The terror of water and slime,The terror of horror and fear,The terror of desire and pain—The terror of apathy.
IVAs a beast, as an arrow of pine,Terror cleft us,Tore us in envy away,So that for month upon monthPain wore us, hope left us, despair clutched us. For those of the earth envied us,Envied our beauty and strength.
VYet because, though we faltered and wept,We held fast, clung close to our love,Scorned hate even as they scorned us,Some god has lightened our lives,Given back the cool mouth of songAnd the hands that blossom of fire,Given too the month crushed like a flowerWhich unpetals in marvelous ways,The limbs that are hard and straightWith maidenly thews and blood,Given those so that day is aflameAnd night shot golden with shafts.
VIWe have suffered, we have bled,And those of the wind and the moonEnvy our pain, the pain of the terror,The delight no terror could slay.