第5部分(第1/7 页)

dumping　of　dirt…cars；　the　triple　blows　of　vulcan　hammers。　I　can　also

smell　the　fire…pots；　the　tar　and　cement。　So　I　have　a　vivid　idea　of

mighty　labours　in　steel　and　stone；　and　I　believe　that　I　am　acquainted

with　all　the　fiendish　noises　which　can　be　made　by　man　or　machinery。　The

whack　of　heavy　falling　bodies；　the　sudden　shivering　splinter　of　chopped

logs；　the　crystal　shatter　of　pounded　ice；　the　crash　of　a　tree　hurled　to

the　earth　by　a　hurricane；　the　irrational；　persistent　chaos　of　noise　made

by　switching　freight…trains；　the　explosion　of　gas；　the　blasting　of

stone；　and　the　terrific　grinding　of　rock　upon　rock　which　precedes　the

collapse……all　these　have　been　in　my　touch…experience；　and　contribute　to

my　idea　of　Bedlam；　of　a　battle；　a　waterspout；　an　earthquake；　and　other

enormous　accumulations　of　sound。

Touch　brings　me　into　contact　with　the　traffic　and　manifold　activity　of

the　city。　Besides　the　bustle　and　crowding　of　people　and　the　nondescript

grating　and　electric　howling　of　street…cars；　I　am　conscious　of

exhalations　from　many　different　kinds　of　shops；　from　automobiles；　drays；

horses；　fruit　stands；　and　many　varieties　of　smoke。

Odours　strange　and　musty；

The　air　sharp　and　dusty

With　lime　and　with　sand；

That　no　one　can　stand；

Make　the　street　impassable；

The　people　irascible；

Until　every　one　cries；

As　he　trembling　goes

With　the　sight　of　his　eyes

And　the　scent　of　his　nose

Quite　stopped……or　at　least　much　diminished……

〃Gracious！　when　will　this　city　be　finished？〃＇B＇

＇Illustration：　Copyright；　1907；　by　The　Whitman　Studio

〃Listening〃　to　the　Trees

To　face　page　70＇