by Muriel Rukeyser
In the cave with a long-ago flare
a woman stands， her arms up. Red twig， black twig， brown twig.
A wall of leaping darkness over her.
The men are out hunting in the early light
But here in this flicker， one or two men， painting
and a woman among them.
Great living animals grow on the stone walls，
their pelts， their eyes， their sex， their hearts，
and the cave-painters touch them with life， red， brown， black，
a woman among them， painting.
In the cave with a long-ago flare
a woman stands， her arms up. Red twig， black twig， brown twig.
A wall of leaping darkness over her.
The men are out hunting in the early light
But here in this flicker， one or two men， painting
and a woman among them.
Great living animals grow on the stone walls，
their pelts， their eyes， their sex， their hearts，
and the cave-painters touch them with life， red， brown， black，
a woman among them， painting.