Tortoises

By D.H. Lawrence, 1921

Download Tortoises by D.H. Lawrence. Available in PDF, EPUB, and MOBI formats. Explore a collection of poetic reflections on resilience and the human condition.

Tortoises

Tortoises Summary

Tortoises is a collection of poems by D.H. Lawrence, published in 1921. The poems reflect on resilience and patience, using tortoises as a metaphor for endurance in the face of life's challenges. With vivid imagery, Lawrence contrasts the slow, deliberate life of tortoises with the frantic, often unexamined pace of human endeavors.

eBook download options

FormatPriceDownload
azw3Free
MobiFree
EpubFree
pdfFree

Tortoises Excerpt

Short Summary: D.H. Lawrence uses tortoises as a metaphor in this poetic collection to explore themes of patience, endurance, and the natural rhythm of life, contrasting with human struggle and haste.

Excerpt from 'Baby Tortoise':

You know what it is to be born alone,
Baby tortoise! The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell,
Not yet awake, and remain lapsed on earth, not quite alive.

A tiny, fragile, half-animate bean. To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open,
Like some iron door; to lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base,
And reach your skinny little neck to take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage,
Alone, small insect, tiny bright-eye, slow one.

To take your first solitary bite and move on your slow, solitary hunt.
Your bright, dark little eye, your eye of a dark disturbed night,
Under its slow lid, tiny baby tortoise, so indomitable.

The touch of sun excites you, and the long ages, and the lingering chill make you pause to yawn,
Opening your impervious mouth, suddenly beak-shaped and very wide,
Like some suddenly gaping pincers; soft red tongue, and hard thin gums.

Challenger.

Little Ulysses, fore-runner, no bigger than my thumb-nail,
Buon viaggio. All animate creation on your shoulder, set forth, little Titan, under your battle-shield.

The ponderous, preponderate, inanimate universe;
And you are slowly moving, pioneer, you alone.

Stoic, Ulyssean atom; suddenly hasty, reckless, on high toes.

Voiceless little bird, resting your head half withdrawn, like a hooded mountain peak. Small bird, how can you persist?

Other books you may like

BookAuthor
AmoresD.H. Lawrence
Look We Have Come ThroughD.H. Lawrence