D\u00e8s cinq heures, sit\u00f4t que l\u2019aurore fit tache
\nSur l\u2019ent\u00e9n\u00e8brement nocturne, piqu\u00e9 d\u2019or,
\nUn gars tra\u00e7a des croix sur le front de la vache.
\nEt, le licol tendu, la mena vers la mort.<\/p>\n
Partout dans les clochers sonnaient les r\u00e9veill\u00e9es ;
\nLes champs riaient, malgr\u00e9 les brouillards \u00e9tendus
\nSur la campagne, ainsi que des laines mouill\u00e9es,
\nEt les froids, qui la nuit \u00e9taient redescendus.<\/p>\n
Des ouvriers lourds et mous \u00e0 leurs travaux rev\u00eaches,
\nAllaient, b\u00e2illant encor, muets, presque dolents,
\nSur leur \u00e9norme dos luisait l\u2019acier des b\u00eaches,
\nPlaquant le jour brumeux et gris de miroirs blancs.<\/p>\n
On entendait gronder des fracas de roulages
\nSur les pav\u00e9s, des bruits de vieux chariots pleins ;
\nAu loin se balan\u00e7aient des charges de fourrages
\nEntre les coins de bl\u00e9s et les recoins de lins.<\/p>\n
Les poternes s\u2019ouvraient partout, au long des routes,
\nAvec des grincements de clefs et de verroux.
\nEt les b\u00eates de clos \u00e0 clos s\u2019appelaient toutes,
\nEt la vache passait tr\u00e8s lente et beuglait doux.<\/p>\n
\u00c0 droite \u2014 on voit blondir l\u2019immensit\u00e9 de plaines :
\nDes carr\u00e9s roux, faisant des angles dans les verts,
\nDes villages par tas, des hameaux par vingtaines,
\nAvec de grands zigzags de routes \u00e0 travers.<\/p>\n
\u00c0 gauche \u2014 les vergers rajeunis, qu\u2019effiloque
\nLe vent de Juin, soufflant sur les massifs fleuris,
\nToute l\u2019explosion de l\u2019estivale \u00e9poque,
\nBlanche sous un azur jeune, brouill\u00e9 de gris.<\/p>\n
Enfin par un dernier d\u00e9tour de sente verte,
\nOn parvient au village assis sur un plateau :
\nLa boucherie est l\u00e0, tout en haut, large ouverte,
\nDans un encadrement plaqu\u00e9 de champs et d\u2019eau.<\/p>\n
La vache brusquement s\u2019arr\u00eate au seuil du porche.
\nTout est rouge autour d\u2019elle et fumant, sur le sol
\nUn taureau tachet\u00e9 de rousseurs, qu\u2019on \u00e9corche
\nEt dont coule le sang par un trou fait au col.<\/p>\n
Des moutons appendus au mur, t\u00eates fendues,
\nDes porcs, gisant sur la paille, moignons en l\u2019air,
\nUn veau noir sur un tas d\u2019entrailles r\u00e9pandues
\nAvec le coutelas profond fouillant la chair.<\/p>\n
Et plus loin, au-del\u00e0 de ces visions rouges,
\nCe sont des coins verdis de bl\u00e9s qu\u2019elle entrevoit,
\nO\u00f9 des b\u0153ufs laboureurs, que b\u00e2tonnent des gouges,
\nEntaillent le terreau gluant d\u2019un sillon droit.<\/p>\n
Et voici que se fait la lumi\u00e8re compl\u00e8te,
\nLe creusement profond des lointains horizons,
\nLe grand jour triomphal et dor\u00e9, qui projette
\nSes flammes d\u2019incendie au ras des floraisons,<\/p>\n
Qui baigne les champs gras d\u2019une sueur fumante,
\nLes p\u00e9n\u00e8tre, \u00e0 plein feu, de ses rayons mordants,
\nLes br\u00fble de baisers d\u2019amour, comme une amante,
\nEt leur gonfle le sein de germes f\u00e9condants.<\/p>\n
La vache voit bleuir le grand ciel qui surplombe
\nL\u2019embrasement du sol o\u00f9 luit l\u2019Escaut vermeil,
\nLorsqu\u2019un coup de maillet l\u2019\u00e9tourdit ; \u2014 elle tombe,
\nMais son dernier regard s\u2019est empli de soleil.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"annee":[444],"poems-book":[679],"poemes-theme":[],"poete":[654],"class_list":["post-14814","poemes","type-poemes","status-publish","hentry","annee-444","poems-book-les-flammandes","poete-emile-verhaeren"],"yoast_head":"\n