Poems Page 4

withbrightgreenleavesedgedneatlywithbird-droppings

likeilluminationinsilver,

anddowntothesuggestivelyGothicarchesofthemangroveroots

andthebeautifulpea-greenback-pasture

whereoccasionallyafishjumps,likeawild-flower

inanornamentalsprayofspray;

thiscartoonbyRaphaelforatapestryforaPope:

itdoeslooklikeheaven.

Butaskeletallighthousestandingthere

inblackandwhiteclericaldress,

wholivesonhisnerves,thinksheknowsbetter.

Hethinksthathellragesbelowhisironfeet,

thatthatiswhytheshallowwaterissowarm,

andheknowsthatheavenisnotlikethis.

Heavenisnotlikeflyingorswimming,

buthassomethingtodowithblacknessandastrongglare

andwhenitgetsdarkhewillremembersomething

stronglywordedtosayonthesubject.

LittleExercise

forThomasEdwardsWanning

Thinkofthestormroamingtheskyuneasily

likeadoglookingforaplacetosleepin,

listentoitgrowling.

Thinkhowtheymustlooknow,themangrovekeys

lyingoutthereunresponsivetothelightning

indark,coarse-fibredfamilies,

whereoccasionallyaheronmayundohishead,

shakeuphisfeathers,makeanuncertaincomment

whenthesurroundingwatershines.

Thinkoftheboulevardandthelittlepalmtrees

allstuckinrows,suddenlyrevealed

asfistfulsoflimpfish-skeletons.

Itisrainingthere.Theboulevard

anditsbrokensidewalkswithweedsineverycrack

arerelievedtobewet,theseatobefreshened.

Nowthestormgoesawayagaininaseries

ofsmall,badlylitbattle-scenes,

eachin“Anotherpartofthefield.”

Thinkofsomeonesleepinginthebottomofarow-boat

tiedtoamangroverootorthepileofabridge;

thinkofhimasuninjured,barelydisturbed.

TheFish

Icaughtatremendousfish

andheldhimbesidetheboat

halfoutofwater,withmyhook

fastinacornerofhismouth.

Hedidn’tfight.

Hehadn’tfoughtatall.

Hehungagruntingweight,

batteredandvenerable

andhomely.Hereandthere

hisbrownskinhunginstrips

likeancientwallpaper,

anditspatternofdarkerbrown

waslikewallpaper:

shapeslikefull-blownroses

stainedandlostthroughage.

Hewasspeckledwithbarnacles,

finerosettesoflime,

andinfested

withtinywhitesea-lice,

andunderneathtwoorthree

ragsofgreenweedhungdown.

Whilehisgillswerebreathingin

theterribleoxygen

—thefrighteninggills,

freshandcrispwithblood,

thatcancutsobadly—

Ithoughtofthecoarsewhiteflesh

packedinlikefeathers,

thebigbonesandthelittlebones,

thedramaticredsandblacks

ofhisshinyentrails,

andthepinkswim-bladder

likeabigpeony.

Ilookedintohiseyes

whichwerefarlargerthanmine

butshallower,andyellowed,

theirisesbackedandpacked

withtarnishedtinfoil

seenthroughthelenses

ofoldscratchedisinglass.

Theyshiftedalittle,butnot

toreturnmystare.

—Itwasmorelikethetipping

ofanobjecttowardthelight.

Iadmiredhissullenface,

themechanismofhisjaw,

andthenIsaw

thatfromhislowerlip

—ifyoucouldcallitalip—

grim,wet,andweaponlike,

hungfiveoldpiecesoffish-line,

orfourandawireleader

withtheswivelstillattached,

withalltheirfivebighooks

grownfirmlyinhismouth.

Agreenline,frayedattheend

wherehebrokeit,twoheavierlines,

andafineblackthread

stillcrimpedfromthestrainandsnap

whenitbrokeandhegotaway.

Likemedalswiththeirribbons

frayedandwavering,

afive-hairedbeardofwisdom

trailingfromhisachingjaw.

Istaredandstared

andvictoryfilledup

thelittlerentedboat,

fromthepoolofbilge

whereoilhadspreadarainbow

aroundtherustedengine

tothebailerrustedorange,

thesun-crackedthwarts,

theoarlocksontheirstrings,

thegunnels—untileverything

wasrainbow,rainbow,rainbow!

AndIletthefishgo.

LateAir

Fromamagician’smidnightsleeve

theradio-singers

distributealltheirlove-songs

overthedew-wetlawns.

Andlikeafortune-teller’s

theirmarrow-piercingguessesarewhateveryoubelieve.

ButontheNavyYardaerialIfind

betterwitnesses

forloveonsummernights.

Fiveremoteredlights

keeptheirneststhere;Phoenixes

burningquietly,wherethedewcannotclimb.

Cootchie

Cootchie,MissLula’sservant,liesinmarl,

blackintowhiteshewent

belowthesurfaceofthecoral-reef.

Herlifewasspent

incaringforMissLula,whoisdeaf,

eatingherdinneroffthekitchensink

whileLulaatehersoffthekitchentable.

Theskieswereegg-whiteforthefuneral

andthefacessable.

Tonightthemoonlightwillalleviate

themeltingofthepinkwaxroses

plantedintincansfilledwithsand

placedinalinetomarkMissLula’slosses;

butwhowillshoutandmakeherunderstand?

Searchingthelandandseaforsomeoneelse,

thelighthousewilldiscoverCootchie’sgrave

anddismissallastrivial;thesea,desperate,

willprofferwaveafterwave.

SongsforaColoredSinger

I

Awashinghangsupontheline,

butit’snotmine.

NoneofthethingsthatIcansee

belongtome.

Theneighborsgotaradiowithanaerial;

wegotalittleportable.

Theygotalotofclosetspace;

wegotasuitcase.

Isay,“LeRoy,justhowmuchareweowing?

SomethingIcan’tcomprehend,

themorewegotthemorewespend.…”

Heonlyanswers,“Let’sgetgoing.”

LeRoy,you’reearningtoomuchmoneynow.

Isitandlookatourbackyard

andfinditveryhard.

Whathavewegotforallhisdollarsandcents?

—Apileofbottlesbythefence.

He’sfaithfulandhe’skind

buthesurehasaninquiringmind.

He’sseenalot;he’sboundtoseetherest,

andifIprotest

LeRoyanswerswithafrown,

“Darling,whenIearnsIspends.

Theworldiswide;itstillextends.…

I’mgoingtogetajobinthenexttown.”

LeRoy,you’reearningtoomuchmoneynow.

II

Thetimehascometocallahalt;

andsoitends.

He’sgoneoffwithhisotherfriends.

Heneedn’ttrytomakeamends,

thisoccasion’sallhisfault.

ThroughrainanddarkIseehisface

acrossthestreetatFlossie’splace.

He’sdrinkinginthewarmpinkglow

toth’accompanimentofthepiccolo.*

Thetimehascometocallahalt.

ImethimwalkingwithVarella

andhithimtwicewithmyumbrella.

Perhapsthatoccasionwasmyfault,

butthetimehascometocallahalt.

Godrinkyourwineandgogettight.

Letthepiccoloplay.

I’msickofallyourfussinganyway.

NowI’mpursuingmyownway.

I’mleavingonthebustonight.

Fardownthehighwaywetandblack

I’llrideandrideandnotcomeback.

I’mgoingtogoandtakethebus

andfindsomeonemonogamous.

Thetimehascometocallahalt.

I’veborrowedfifteendollarsfare

anditwilltakemeanywhere.

Forthisoccasion’sallhisfault.

Thetimehascometocallahalt.

III

Lullaby.

Adultandchild

sinktotheirrest.

Atseathebigshipsinksanddies,

leadinitsbreast.

Lullaby.

Letnationsrage,

letnationsfall.

Theshadowofthecribmakesanenormouscage

uponthewall.

Lullaby.

Sleeponandon,

war’soversoon.

Dropthesilly,harmlesstoy,

pickupthemoon.

Lullaby.

Iftheyshouldsay

youhavenosense,

don’tyoumindthem;itwon’tmake

muchdifference.

Lullaby.

Adultandchild

sinktotheirrest.

Atseathebigshipsinksanddies,

leadinitsbreast.

IV

What’sthatshiningintheleaves,

theshadowyleaves,

liketearswhensomebodygrieves,

shining,shiningintheleaves?

Isitdeworisittears,

dewortears,

hangingthereforyearsandyears

likeaheavydewoftears?

Thenthatdewbeginstofall,

rolldownandfall.

Maybeit’snottearsatall.

Seeit,seeitrollandfall.

Hearitfallingontheground,

hear,allaround.

Thatisnotatearfulsound,

beating,beatingontheground.

Seeitlyingtherelikeseeds,

likeblackseeds.

Seeittakingrootlikeweeds,

faster,fasterthantheweeds,

alltheshiningseedstakeroot,

conspiringroot,

andwhatcuriousflowerorfruit

willgrowfromthatconspiringroot?

Fruitorflower?Itisaface.

Yes,aface.

Inthatdarkanddrearyplace

eachseedgrowsintoaface.

Likeanarmyinadream

thefacesseem,

darker,darker,likeadream.

They’retoorealtobeadream.

Anaphora

inmemoryofMarjorieCarrStevens

Eachdaywithsomuchceremony

begins,withbirds,withbells,

withwhistlesfromafactory;

suchwhite-goldskiesoureyes

firstopenon,suchbrilliantwalls

thatforamomentwewonder

“Whereisthemusiccomingfrom,theenergy?

Thedaywasmeantforwhatineffablecreature

wemusthavemissed?”Ohpromptlyhe

appearsandtakeshisearthlynature

instantly,instantlyfalls

victimoflongintrigue,

assumingmemoryandmortal

mortalfatigue.

Moreslowlyfallingintosight

andshoweringintostippledfaces,

darkening,condensingallhislight;

inspiteofallthedreaming

squandereduponhimwiththatlook,

suffersourusesandabuses,

sinksthroughthedriftofbodies,

sinksthroughthedriftofclasses

toeveningtothebeggarinthepark

who,weary,withoutlamporbook

preparesstupendousstudies:

thefieryevent

ofeverydayinendless

endlessassent.

AColdSpring(1955)

TODR.ANNYBAUMANN

AColdSpring

forJaneDewey,Maryland

Nothingissobeautifulasspring.—Hopkins

Acoldspring:

thevioletwasflawedonthelawn.

Fortwoweeksormorethetreeshesitated;

thelittleleaveswaited,

carefullyindicatingtheircharacteristics.

Finallyagravegreendust

settledoveryourbigandaimlesshills.

Oneday,inachillwhiteblastofsunshine,

onthesideofoneacalfwasborn.

Themotherstoppedlowing

andtookalongtimeeatingtheafter-birth,

awretchedflag,

butthecalfgotuppromptly

andseemedinclinedtofeelgay.

Thenextday

wasmuchwarmer.

Greenish-whitedogwoodinfiltratedthewood,

eachpetalburned,apparently,byacigarette-butt;

andtheblurredredbudstood

besideit,motionless,butalmostmore

likemovementthananyplaceablecolor.

Fourdeerpractisedleapingoveryourfences.

Theinfantoak-leavesswungthroughthesoberoak.

Song-sparrowswerewoundupforthesummer,

andinthemaplethecomplementarycardinal

crackedawhip,andthesleeperawoke,

stretchingmilesofgreenlimbsfromthesouth.

Inhiscapthelilacswhitened,

thenonedaytheyfelllikesnow.

Now,intheevening,

anewmooncomes.

Thehillsgrowsofter.Tuftsoflonggrassshow

Whereeachcow-floplies.

Thebull-frogsaresounding,

slackstringspluckedbyheavythumbs.

Beneaththelight,againstyourwhitefrontdoor,

thesmallestmoths,likeChinesefans,

flattenthemselves,silverandsilver-gilt

overpaleyellow,orange,orgray.

Now,fromthethickgrass,thefireflies

begintorise:

up,thendown,thenupagain:

litontheascendingflight,

driftingsimultaneouslytothesameheight,

—exactlylikethebubblesinchampagne.

—Laterontheyrisemuchhigher.

Andyourshadowypastureswillbeabletooffer

theseparticularglowingtributes

everyeveningnowthroughoutthesummer.

Over2,000IllustrationsandaCompleteConcordance

Thusshouldhavebeenourtravels:

serious,engravable.

TheSevenWondersoftheWorldaretired

andatouchfamiliar,buttheotherscenes,

innumerable,thoughequallysadandstill,

areforeign.Oftenthesquatting
Arab,

orgroupofArabs,plotting,probably,

againstourChristianEmpire,

whileoneapart,withoutstretchedarmandhand

pointstotheTomb,thePit,theSepulcher.

Thebranchesofthedate-palmslooklikefiles.

Thecobbledcourtyard,wheretheWellisdry,

islikeadiagram,thebrickworkconduits

arevastandobvious,thehumanfigure

fargoneinhistoryortheology,

gonewithitscameloritsfaithfulhorse.

Alwaysthesilence,thegesture,thespecksofbirds

suspendedoninvisiblethreadsabovetheSite,

orthesmokerisingsolemnly,pulledbythreads.

Grantedapagealoneorapagemadeup

ofseveralscenesarrangedincattycorneredrectangles

orcirclessetonstippledgray,

grantedagrimlunette,

caughtinthetoilsofaninitialletter,

whendweltupon,theyallresolvethemselves.

Theeyedrops,weighted,throughthelines

theburinmade,thelinesthatmoveapart

likeripplesabovesand,

dispersingstorms,God’sspreadingfingerprint,

andpainfully,finally,thatignite

inwateryprismaticwhite-and-blue.

EnteringtheNarrowsatSt.Johns

thetouchingbleatofgoatsreachedtotheship.

Weglimpsedthem,reddish,leapingupthecliffs

amongthefog-soakedweedsandbutter-and-eggs.

AndatSt.Peter’sthewindblewandthesunshonemadly.

Rapidly,purposefully,theCollegiansmarchedinlines,

crisscrossingthegreatsquarewithblack,likeants.

InMexicothedeadmanlay

inabluearcade;thedeadvolcanoes

glistenedlikeEasterlilies.

Thejukeboxwentonplaying“Ay,Jalisco!”

AndatVolubilistherewerebeautifulpoppies

splittingthemosaics;thefatoldguidemadeeyes.

InDingleharboragoldenlengthofevening

therottinghulkshelduptheirdrippingplush.

TheEnglishwomanpouredtea,informingus

thattheDuchesswasgoingtohaveababy.

AndinthebrothelsofMarrakesh

thelittlepockmarkedprostitutes

balancedtheirtea-traysontheirheads

anddidtheirbelly-dances;flungthemselves

nakedandgigglingagainstourknees,

askingforcigarettes.Itwassomewherenearthere

Isawwhatfrightenedmemostofall:

Aholygrave,notlookingparticularlyholy,

oneofagroupunderakeyhole-archedstonebaldaquin

opentoeverywindfromthepinkdesert.

Anopen,gritty,marbletrough,carvedsolid

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