| In the Desert | |
|---|---|
| by Stephen Crane | |
| First published in | 1895 |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Black Riders and Other Lines |
| Publisher | Copeland and Day |
| Lines | 10 |
| Preceded by | Three little birds in a row |
| Followed by | Yes, I have a thousand tongues |
In the desert
I saw a creature, naked, bestial,
Who, squatting upon the ground,
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said, “Is it good, friend?”
“It is bitter—bitter,” he answered;
“But I like it
“Because it is bitter,
“And because it is my heart.”
"In the Desert"[1] is the name given to a poem written by Stephen Crane (1871–1900), published in 1895 as a part of his collection, The Black Riders and Other Lines. "In the Desert" is the third of fifty-six short poems published in this volume. The poem is only ten lines and briefly describes an interaction between the speaker and "creature, naked, bestial" encountered "in the desert", eating his heart.