Nature that day a woman was in weakness, br A woman in her impotent high wrath. br At the dawn we watched it, a low cloud half seen br Under the sun; an innocent child's face br It seemed to us rose--red and fringed with light br Boding no hurt, a pure translucent cloud, br Deep in the East where the Sun's disk began. br We did not guess what strengths in it were pent, br What terrors of rebellion. An hour more, br And it had gathered volume and the form br Of a dark mask, the she--wolf's of old Rome, br The ears, the brow, the cold unpitying eyes, br Through which gleams flashed. And, as we watched, the roll br Of thunder from a red throat muttering br Gave menace of the wild beast close at hand. br Anon a wall of darkness in the South br Black to the Zenith, and a far--off wail, br The wind among the trees.--And then, behold, br Flying before it a mad clamorous rout br Of peewits, starlings, hawks, crows, dishwashers, br Blackbirds and jays, by hundreds, scattering, br While the Earth trembled holding as it were its breath; br Till suddenly an answer from the ground, br And the fields shook and a new mighty roar br Crashed through the oaks, and in a pent--up flow br The storm's rage broke in thunder overhead, br And all the anger of the passionate heaven br Burst into tears.