Sunday, February 17, 2013

Fallow

A wet colt trembles
pushing for the teat;

snail paths, old tears, run down
from the corners of his eyes.

There is no sky but iron,
there is no rain but pours;

the fields are pale yellow or red
as withered grass or leaves.

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(Bosworth-Toller: FEALO, fealu, feale; def. se fealwa; adj. FALLOW, pale yellow or red coloured as withered grass or leaves, dusky, bay? flāvus, gilvus, fuscus :-- Fealo líg feormaþ and fénix byrneþ the yellow flame consumes and burns the Phœnix, Exon. 59a; Th. 213, 1; Ph. 218: 104b; Th. 396, 8; Rä. 16, 1. Fealu busius? [= fuscus?], Ælfc. Gl. 79; Som. 72, 81;Wrt. Voc. 46, 38. Se fealwa holen the fallow or withered holly leaf, Exon. 114a; Th. 437, 19; Rä. 56, 10.)

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