Painters

　　 by Muriel Rukeyser

　　 In the cave with a long-ago flare

　　 a woman stands， her arms up. Red twig， black twig， brown twig.

　　 A wall of leaping darkness over her.

　　 The men are out hunting in the early light

　　 But here in this flicker， one or two men， painting

　　 and a woman among them.

　　 Great living animals grow on the stone walls，

　　 their pelts， their eyes， their sex， their hearts，

　　 and the cave-painters touch them with life， red， brown， black，

　　 a woman among them， painting.