Dans la cit\u00e9 hagarde,
\nO\u00f9 la r\u00e9clame aboie,
\nLe ch\u0153ur des bateleurs
\nS\u2019installe et crie au ciel \u00ab Regarde
\nNous soulevons, \u00e0 bras tendus, la joie ! \u00bb<\/p>\n
Et leur baraque ostentatoire et colossale
\nS\u2019\u00e9rige, au carrefour des cent routes paradoxales.<\/p>\n
\u2014 La joie h\u00e9las ! est au del\u00e0 de l\u2019\u00e2me humaine :
\nLes mains les plus hautes n\u2019ont arrach\u00e9 que plumes
\n\u00c0 cet oiseau qui vole, en tourbillons d\u2019\u00e9cumes,
\nAvec son ombre seule, \u00e0 fleur de nos domaines.
\nLa joie, elle est l\u00e0-bas, la ville en or bougeant
\nQue les marins des anciens \u00e2ges,
\nLe soir, ont vu monter et s\u2019exalter
\nEt s\u2019effacer, de plage en plage,
\nVers les nuages.<\/p>\n
Ils sont l\u00e0 tous, qui crient et qui aboient :
\n\u00ab Nous soulevons, \u00e0 bras tendus, la joie ! \u00bb<\/p>\n
\u2014 Pourtant la peine en nous double la force,
\nL\u2019arbre ne vit que dans sa m\u00e2le \u00e9corce
\nEt vibre au vent, des pieds jusqu\u2019\u00e0 la t\u00eate.
\nLe vieil hiver le sacre de temp\u00eates
\nEt le grandit, immense et nu,
\nDans quelque plaine au loin de pays inconnu.<\/p>\n
Tristesse, affres, sanglots, martyre,
\nSpasmes ardents et merveilleuses voix,
\nAu fond de la torture, on voit des yeux sourire,
\nNous sommes tous des Christs qui embrassons nos croix.<\/p>\n
H\u00e9las ! vivre et souffrir sont un.
\nMais se m\u00ealer, comme d\u2019aucuns,
\n\u00c0 l\u2019infini du monde,
\n\u00c0 son myst\u00e8re, \u00e0 ses conflits ;
\nNourrir, avec ferveur, les angoisses profondes
\nDont s\u2019effare l\u2019instinct, mais dont vibre l\u2019esprit ?
\nMais, \u00e0 travers des mers de lassitudes,
\nPlonger pour arracher aux solitudes
\nOc\u00e9anes, leurs fleurs,
\nQui donc ne sentirait son c\u0153ur,
\nQui donc ne sentirait son \u00e2me \u00e9lucid\u00e9e
\nS\u2019illuminer \u00e0 cette id\u00e9e ?<\/p>\n
\u00d4 la haute existence infrangible et tragique
\nJamais \u00e0 bout de son effort,
\nQui se replie et se cramponne et qui se tord
\nSous la voracit\u00e9 des destins h\u00e9ro\u00efques !<\/p>\n
La force la plus belle est la force qui pleure
\nEt qui reste tenace et marche d\u2019un pas droit,
\nDans sa propre douleur, qu\u2019elle con\u00e7oit
\nSublime et n\u00e9cessaire, \u00e0 chaque appel de l\u2019heure.<\/p>\n
Il faut vouloir l\u2019\u00e9preuve et non la gloire ;
\nCasque ferm\u00e9, mais pennon haut,
\nPrendre chaque bonheur d\u2019assaut,
\nPar \u00e0 travers une victoire.<\/p>\n
Partir les bras tendus vers n\u2019importe o\u00f9,
\nJeter son \u00e2me aux orages qui passent,
\nSous la croix d\u2019or des \u00e9clairs fous
\nQui balafrent l\u2019espace.<\/p>\n
Aimer le sort, jusqu\u2019en ses rages,
\nAvoir la foi toute en soi-m\u00eame,
\nF\u00fbt on l\u2019\u00e9pave, o\u00f9 se d\u00e9m\u00e8ne
\nLa haine en rut des vieux naufrages.<\/p>\n
Et si tout sombre et si tout casse enfin,
\nRester celui de la lutte obstin\u00e9e,
\nPauvre et vaincu, mais la t\u00eate acharn\u00e9e
\nQuand m\u00eame \u2014 et claire encor de l\u2019effort vain.<\/p>\n
La joie ? \u2014 Elle est au loin et qu\u2019elle y reste
\nEt son p\u00e2le reflet et sa timide f\u00eate ;
\nLa joie \u00e0 tout jamais d\u00e9poss\u00e9d\u00e9e,
\nPar la banale id\u00e9e
\nQue les hommes s\u2019en sont faite.<\/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":[482],"poems-book":[691],"poemes-theme":[],"poete":[654],"class_list":["post-15251","poemes","type-poemes","status-publish","hentry","annee-482","poems-book-les-visages-de-la-vie","poete-emile-verhaeren"],"yoast_head":"\n