I'm hurt, hurt and humiliated beyond endurance, seeing the wheat ripening, the fountains never ceasing to give water, the sheep bearing hundreds of lambs, the she-dogs, until it seems the whole country rises to show me its tender sleeping young while I feel two hammer-blows here instead of the mouth of my child.

Summary

This quote expresses the intense pain, humiliation, and despair felt by the speaker. They observe the abundance and beauty of life around them, such as the growing wheat, flowing fountains, and thriving animals. However, their personal suffering, indicated metaphorically as two hammer-blows, overwhelms any solace these natural wonders may bring. The quote expresses the contrast between the external world's fertility and the speaker's inner anguish, particularly in reference to the absence of their child's presence. We sense the speaker's profound grief and longing for their child, which intensifies their emotions in the face of the surrounding prosperity.

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