L' AVENTURE AMERICAINE : POEME DE COUNTEE CULLEN

                FROM THE DARK TOWER

  WE SHALL NOT ALWAYS PLANT WHILE OTHERS REAP

  THE GOLDEN INCREMENT OF BURSTING FRUIT

   NOT ALWAYS COUNTENANCE, ABJECT AND MUTE

   THAT LESSER MEN SHOULD HOLD THEIR BROTHER CHEAP

   NOT EVERLASTINGLY WHILE OTHERS SLEEP

   SHALL WE BEGUILE THEIR LIMBS WITH MELLOW FLUTE

   NOT ALWAYS BEND TO SOME MORE SUBTILE BRUTE

   WE WERE NOT MADE ETERNALLY TO WEEP

   THE NIGHT WHOSE SABLE BREAST RELIEVE THE STARK

    WHITE STARS IS NO LESS LOVELY BEING DARK

    AND THERE ARE BUDS THAT CANNOT BLOOM AT ALL

    IN LIGHT, BUT CRUMPLE, PITEOUS, AND FALL

    SO IN THE DARK WE HIDE THE HEART THAT BLEEDS

     AND WAIT, AND TEND OUR AGONIZING SEEDS

                 COUNTEE CULLEN