God lay in the sunshine watching too.
Then there rose one among the feasters, who said, “My brethren, let us
pray!”
And all the men and women rose: and strong men bowed their heads, and
mothers folded their little children’s hands together, and turned their
faces upwards, to the roof. And he who first had risen stood at the
table head, and stretched out both his hands, and his beard was long
and white, and his sleeves and his beard had been dipped in wine; and
because the sleeves were wide and full they held much wine, and it
dropped down upon the floor.
And he cried, “My brothers and my sisters, let us pray.”
And all the men and women answered, “Let us pray.”
He cried, “For this fair banquet-house we thank thee, Lord.”
And all the men and women said “We thank thee, Lord.”
“Thine is this house, dear Lord.”
“Thine is this house.”
“For us hast thou made it.”
“For us.”
“Oh, fill our jars with wine, dear Lord.”
“Our jars with wine.”
“Give peace and plenty in our time, dear Lord.”
“Peace and plenty in our time”--I said to God, “Whom is it they are
talking to?” God said, “Do I know whom they speak of?” And I saw they
were looking up at the roof; but out in the sunshine, God lay.
“--dear Lord!”
“Dear Lord.”
“Our children’s children, Lord, shall rise and call thee blessed.”
“Our children’s children, Lord.”--I said to God, “The grapes are
crying!” God said, “Still! I hear them”--“shall call thee blessed.”
“Shall call thee blessed.”
“Pour forth more wine upon us, Lord.”
“More wine.”
“More wine.”
“More wine!”
“Wine!!”
“Wine!!”
“Wine!!!”
“Dear Lord!”
Then men and women sat down and the feast went on. And mothers poured
out wine and fed their little children with it, and men held up the
cup to women’s lips and cried, “Beloved! drink,” and women filled their
lovers’ flagons and held them up; and yet the feast went on.
And after a while I looked, and I saw the curtain that hung behind the
house moving.