Leda

When the god, needing something, decided to become a swan,
he was astounded how lovely the bird was;
he was dizzy as he disappeared into the swan.
But his deceiving soon pulled him into the doing,

before he had a chance to test all the new feelings
inside the being. And the woman, open to him,
recognized the One Soon To Be in the swan
and she knew: what he asked for

was something which, confused in her defending, she
could no longer keep from him. He pressed closer
and pushing her neck through her less and less firm hand

let the God loose into the heavenly woman.
Then for the first time he found his feathers marvelous
and lying in her soft place, he became a swan.

-- Ranier Maria Rilke

 


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