I Cast My Net into the Sea

In the morning I cast my net into the sea.

I dragged up from the dark abyss things of strange aspect and strange beauty—some shone like a smile, some glistened like tears, and some were flushed like the cheeks of a bride.

When with the day’s burden I went home, my love was sitting in the garden idly tearing the leaves of a flower.

I hesitated for a moment, and then placed at her feet all that I had dragged up, and stood silent.

She glanced at them and said, “What strange things are these? I know not of what use they are!”

I bowed my head in shame and thought, “I have not fought for these, I did not buy them in the market; they are not fit gifts for her.”

Then the whole night through I flung them one by one into the street.

In the morning travellers came; they picked them up and carried them into far countries.