Le sable rouge est comme une mer sans limite,
\nEt qui flambe, muette, affaiss\u00e9e en son lit.
\nUne ondulation immobile remplit
\nL\u2019horizon aux vapeurs de cuivre o\u00f9 l\u2019homme habite.<\/p>\n
Nulle vie et nul bruit. Tous les lions repus
\nDorment au fond de l\u2019antre \u00e9loign\u00e9 de cent lieues,
\nEt la girafe boit dans les fontaines bleues,
\nL\u00e0-bas, sous les dattiers des panth\u00e8res connus.<\/p>\n
Pas un oiseau ne passe en fouettant de son aile
\nL\u2019air \u00e9pais, o\u00f9 circule un immense soleil.
\nParfois quelque boa, chauff\u00e9 dans son sommeil,
\nFait onduler son dos dont l\u2019\u00e9caille \u00e9tincelle.<\/p>\n
Tel l\u2019espace enflamm\u00e9 br\u00fble sous les cieux clairs.
\nMais, tandis que tout dort aux mornes solitudes,
\nLes \u00e9l\u00e9phants rugueux, voyageurs lents et rudes
\nVont au pays natal \u00e0 travers les d\u00e9serts.<\/p>\n
D\u2019un point de l\u2019horizon, comme des masses brunes,
\nIls viennent, soulevant la poussi\u00e8re, et l\u2019on voit,
\nPour ne point d\u00e9vier du chemin le plus droit,
\nSous leur pied large et s\u00fbr crouler au loin les dunes.<\/p>\n
Celui qui tient la t\u00eate est un vieux chef. Son corps
\nEst gerc\u00e9 comme un tronc que le temps ronge et mine
\nSa t\u00eate est comme un roc, et l\u2019arc de son \u00e9chine
\nSe vo\u00fbte puissamment \u00e0 ses moindres efforts.<\/p>\n
Sans ralentir jamais et sans h\u00e2ter sa marche,
\nIl guide au but certain ses compagnons poudreux ;
\nEt, creusant par derri\u00e8re un sillon sablonneux,
\nLes p\u00e8lerins massifs suivent leur patriarche.<\/p>\n
L\u2019oreille en \u00e9ventail, la trompe entre les dents,
\nIls cheminent, l\u2019\u0153il clos. Leur ventre bat et fume,
\nEt leur sueur dans l\u2019air embras\u00e9 monte en brume ;
\nEt bourdonnent autour mille insectes ardents.<\/p>\n
Mais qu\u2019importent la soif et la mouche vorace,
\nEt le soleil cuisant leur dos noir et pliss\u00e9 ?
\nIls r\u00eavent en marchant du pays d\u00e9laiss\u00e9,
\nDes for\u00eats de figuiers o\u00f9 s\u2019abrita leur race.<\/p>\n
Ils reverront le fleuve \u00e9chapp\u00e9 des grands monts,
\nO\u00f9 nage en mugissant l\u2019hippopotame \u00e9norme,
\nO\u00f9, blanchis par la Lune et projetant leur forme,
\nIls descendaient pour boire en \u00e9crasant les joncs.<\/p>\n
Aussi, pleins de courage et de lenteur, ils passent
\nComme une ligne noire, au sable illimit\u00e9 ;
\nEt le d\u00e9sert reprend son immobilit\u00e9
\nQuand les lourds voyageurs \u00e0 l\u2019horizon s\u2019effacent.<\/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":[921],"poems-book":[813],"poemes-theme":[342],"poete":[730],"class_list":["post-15953","poemes","type-poemes","status-publish","hentry","annee-921","poems-book-poemes-barbares","poemes-theme-animaux","poete-charles-leconte-de-lisle"],"yoast_head":"\n