Living

In the Rangitaki Valley

by Katherine Mansfield 1888–1923

From Poems (1923): 1909–1910

Living

O valley of waving broom,
O lovely, lovely light,
O heart of the world, red-gold!
Breast high in the blossom I stand;
It beats about me like waves
Of a magical, golden sea.

The barren heart of the world
Alive at the kiss of the sun,
The yellow mantle of Summer
Flung over a laughing land,
Warm with the warmth of her body,
Sweet with the kiss of her breath.

O valley of waving broom,
O lovely, lovely light,
O mystical marriage of Earth
With the passionate Summer sun!
To her lover she holds a cup
And the yellow wine o’erflows.
He has lighted a little torch
And the whole of the world is ablaze.
Prodigal wealth of love!
Breast high in the blossom I stand.

MLA

Mansfield, Katherine. “In the Rangitaki Valley.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/mansfield_k/0/.

Chicago

Mansfield, Katherine. “In the Rangitaki Valley.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/mansfield_k/0/.

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