Les jours d\u2019hiver quand le froid serre
\nLes bourgs, le clos, le bois, la fagne,
\nPoteaux de haine et de mis\u00e8re,
\nPar l\u2019infini de la campagne,
\nLes mendiants ont l\u2019air de fous.<\/p>\n
Dans le matin, lourds de leur nuit,
\nIls s\u2019enfoncent au creux des routes,
\nAvec leur pain tremp\u00e9 de pluie
\nEt leur chapeau comme la suie
\nEt leurs grands dos comme des vo\u00fbtes
\nEt leurs pas lents rythmant l\u2019ennui ;
\nMidi les arr\u00eate dans les foss\u00e9s
\nMatelass\u00e9s de feuilles, pour leur sieste ;
\nIls sont les \u00e9ternellement lass\u00e9s
\nDe leur pri\u00e8re et de leur geste,
\nSi bien qu\u2019au seuil des fermes solitaires
\nIls apparaissent, tels des filous,
\nLe soir, dans la brusque lumi\u00e8re
\nD\u2019une porte ouverte tout \u00e0 coup.<\/p>\n
Les mendiants ont l\u2019air de fous.<\/p>\n
Ils s\u2019avancent, par l\u2019\u00e2pret\u00e9
\nEt la st\u00e9rilit\u00e9 du paysage,
\nQu\u2019ils refl\u00e8tent, au fond des yeux
\nTristes de leur visage ;
\nAvec leurs hardes et leurs loques
\nEt leur marche qui les disloque,
\nL\u2019\u00e9t\u00e9, parmi les champs nouveaux,
\nIls \u00e9pouvantent les oiseaux ;
\nEt maintenant que d\u00e9cembre sur les bruy\u00e8res
\nS\u2019acharne et mord
\nEt g\u00e8le, au fond des bi\u00e8res
\nDu cimeti\u00e8re,
\nLes morts,
\nUn \u00e0 un, ils s\u2019immobilisent
\nSur des chemins d\u2019\u00e9glise,
\nMornes, t\u00eatus et droits,
\nLes mendiants, comme des croix.<\/p>\n
Les mendiants ont l\u2019air de fous.<\/p>\n
Avec leur dos comme un fardeau
\nEt leur chapeau comme la suie,
\nIls habitent les carrefours
\nDu vent et de la pluie.<\/p>\n
Ils sont le monotone pas
\n\u2014 Celui qui vient et qui s\u2019en va
\nToujours le m\u00eame et jamais las \u2014
\nDe l\u2019horizon vers l\u2019horizon.<\/p>\n
Ils sont les b\u00e9quillants,
\nLes chavir\u00e9s et les bancroches ;
\nEt leurs b\u00e2tons sont les battants
\nDes cloches de mis\u00e8re
\nQui sonnent \u00e0 mort sur la terre.<\/p>\n
Ils sont les \u00e9ternels stigmatis\u00e9s
\nPar la piti\u00e9 et les mis\u00e9ricordes
\nLes \u00e9puis\u00e9s et les us\u00e9s
\nD\u2019\u00e2me et de corps
\nJusqu\u2019\u00e0 la corde.<\/p>\n
Aussi, lorsqu\u2019ils tombent enfin,
\nS\u00e9ch\u00e9s de soif, trou\u00e9s de faim,
\nEt se terrent comme des loups,
\nLe soir,
\nAu fond d\u2019un trou,
\nLe d\u00e9sespoir
\nPlus vieux que n\u2019est la mer
\nSe fixe en leurs grands yeux ouverts.<\/p>\n
Et ceux qui viennent
\nApr\u00e8s les besognes quotidiennes,
\nEnsevelir \u00e0 la h\u00e2te leur corps
\nOnt peur de regarder en face
\nL\u2019\u00e9ternelle menace
\nQui luit sous leur paupi\u00e8re, encor.<\/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":[259],"poems-book":[683],"poemes-theme":[],"poete":[654],"class_list":["post-14935","poemes","type-poemes","status-publish","hentry","annee-259","poems-book-les-campagnes-hallucinees","poete-emile-verhaeren"],"yoast_head":"\n