Волны

           Thewavesbreakingspreadtheirwhitefansfaroutovertheshore,sentwhiteshadowsintotherecessesofsonorouscavesandthenrolledbacksighingovertheshingle.

           Thetreeshookitsbranchesandascatteringofleavesfelltotheground.Theretheysettledwithperfectcomposureontheprecisespotwheretheywouldawaitdissolution.Blackandgreywereshotintothegardenfromthebrokenvesselthathadonceheldredlight.Darkshadowsblackenedthetunnelsbetweenthestalks.Thethrushwassilentandthewormsuckeditselfbackintoitsnarrowhole.Nowandagainawhitenedandhollowstrawwasblownfromanoldnestandfellintothedarkgrassesamongtherottenapples.Thelighthadfadedfromthetool-housewallandtheadder’sskinhungfromthenailempty.Allthecoloursintheroomhadoverflowntheirbanks.Theprecisebrushstrokewasswollenandlop-sided;cupboardsandchairsmeltedtheirbrownmassesintoonehugeobscurity.Theheightfromfloortoceilingwashungwithvastcurtainsofshakingdarkness.Thelooking-glasswaspaleasthemouthofacaveshadowedbyhangingcreepers.

           Thesubstancehadgonefromthesolidityofthehills.Travellinglightsdroveaplumywedgeamongunseenandsunkenroads,butnolightsopenedamongthefoldedwingsofthehills,andtherewasnosoundsavethecryofabirdseekingsomeloneliertree.Atthecliff’sedgetherewasanequalmurmurofairthathadbeenbrushedthroughforests,ofwaterthathadbeencooledinathousandglassyhollowsofmid-ocean.