How It Is by Samuel Beckett Read Free Book Online

shout no sound plant her there and run cut your throat
    brief black and there we are again on the summit the dog askew on its hunkers in the
     heather it lowers its snout to its black and pink penis too tired to lick it we on
     the contrary again about turn introrse fleeting face to face transfer of things swinging
     of arms silent relishing of sea and isles heads pivoting as one to the city fumes
     silent location of steeples and towers heads back front as though on an axle
    suddenly we are eating sandwiches alternate bites I mine she hers and exchanging endearments
     my sweet girl I bite she swallows my sweet boy she bites I swallow we don’t yet coo with our bills full
    my darling girl I bite she swallows my darling boy she bites I swallow brief black
     and there we are again dwindling again across the pastures hand in hand arms swinging
     heads high towards the heights smaller and smaller out of sight first the dog then
     us the scene is shut of us
    some animals still the sheep like granite outcrops a horse I hadn’t seen standing
     motionless back bent head sunk animals know
    blue and white of sky a moment still April morning in the mud it’s over it’s done
     I’ve had the image the scene is empty a few animals still then goes out no more blue
     I stay there
    way off on the right in the mud the hand opens and closes that helps me it’s going
     let it go I realize I’m still smiling there’s no sense in that now been none for a
     long time now
    my tongue comes out again lolls in the mud I stay there no more thirst the tongue
     goes in the mouth closes it must be a straight line now it’s over it’s done I’ve had
     the image
    that must have lasted a good moment with that I have lasted a moment they must have
     been good moments soon it will be Pim I can’t know the words can’t come solitude soon
     over soon lost those words
    I have had company mine because it amuses me I say it as I hear it and a little girl
     friend’s under the sky of April or of May we are gone I stay there
    way off on the right the tugging hand the mouth shut grim the staring eyes glued to
     the mud perhaps we shall come back it will be dusk the earth of childhood glimmering
     again streaks of dying amber in a murk of ashes the earth must have been on fire when
     I see us we are already at hand
    it is dusk we are going tired home I see only the naked parts the solidary faces raised
     to the east the pale swaying of the mingled hands tired and slow we toil up towards
     me and vanish
    the arms in the middle go through me and part of the bodies shades through a shade
     the scene is empty in the mud the sky goes out the ashes darken no world left for
     me now but mine very pretty only not like that it doesn’t happen like that
    I wait for us perhaps to come back and we don’t come back for the evening perhaps
     to whisper to me what the morning had sung and that day to that morning no evening
    find something else to last a little more questions who were they what beings what
     point of the earth that family whence this dumb show better nothing eat something
    that must have lasted a moment there must be worse moments hope blighted is not the
     worst the day is well advanced eat something that will last a moment they will be
     good moments
    then if necessary my pain which of my many the deep beyond reach it’s preferable the
     problem of my pains the solution last a moment with that then go not because of the
     shit and vomit something else it’s not known not said end of the journey
    right leg right arm push pull ten yards fifteen yards arrival new place readaptation
     prayer to sleep pending which questions if necessary who they were what beings what
     point of the earth
    they will be good moments then less good that too must be expected it will be night
     present formulation I can sleep and if ever I wake
    and if ever mute laugh I wake forthwith catastrophe Pim and end of part one leaving
     only part two leaving only part three and