Beyond the great valley an odd instinctive rising br Begins to possess the ground, the flatness gathers br to little humps and br barrows, low aimless ridges, br A sudden violence of rock crowns them. The crowded br orchards end, they br have come to a stone knife; br The farms are finished; the sudden foot of the br slerra. Hill over hill, br snow-ridge beyond mountain gather br The blue air of their height about them. br br Here at the foot of the pass br The fierce clans of the mountain you'd think for br thousands of years, br Men with harsh mouths and eyes like the eagles' hunger, br Have gathered among these rocks at the dead hour br Of the morning star and the stars waning br To raid the plain and at moonrise returning driven br Their scared booty to the highlands, the tossing horns br And glazed eyes in the light of torches. The men have br looked back br Standing above these rock-heads to bark laughter br At the burning granaries and the farms and the town br That sow the dark flat land with terrible rubies... br lighting the dead... br It is not true: from this land br The curse was lifted; the highlands have kept peace br with the valleys; no br blood in the sod; there is no old sword br Keeping grim rust, no primal sorrow. The people are br all one people, their br homes never knew harrying; br The tribes before them were acorn-eaters, harmless br as deer.