Poems Read online

  wretcheduneasybuildings

  veinedwithpipes

  attempttheirwork.

  Tryingtobreathe,

  theelongatednostrils

  hairedwithspikes

  giveoffsuchstenches,too.

  AndIshallsellyousellyou

  sellyouofcourse,mydear,andyou’llsellme.

  Oncertainfloors

  certainwonders.

  Paledirtylight,

  somecapturediceberg

  beingpreventedfrommelting.

  Seethemechanicalmoons,

  sick,beingmade

  towaxandwane

  atsomebody’sinstigation.

  AndIshallsellyousellyou

  sellyouofcourse,mydear,andyou’llsellme.

  Lightsmusicoflove

  workon.Thepresses

  printcalendars

  Isuppose;themoons

  makemedicine

  orconfectionery.Ourbed

  shrinksfromthesoot

  andhaplessodors

  holdusclose.

  AndIshallsellyousellyou

  sellyouofcourse,mydear,andyou’llsellme.

  FourPoems

  I/ Conversation

  Thetumultintheheart

  keepsaskingquestions.

  Andthenitstopsandundertakestoanswer

  inthesametoneofvoice.

  Noonecouldtellthedifference.

  Uninnocent,theseconversationsstart,

  andthenengagethesenses,

  onlyhalf-meaningto.

  Andthenthereisnochoice,

  andthenthereisnosense;

  untilaname

  andallitsconnotationsarethesame.

  II/ RainTowardsMorning

  Thegreatlightcagehasbrokenupintheair,

  freeing,Ithink,aboutamillionbirds

  whosewildascendingshadowswillnotbeback,

  andallthewirescomefallingdown.

  Nocage,nofrighteningbirds;therain

  isbrighteningnow.Thefaceispale

  thattriedthepuzzleoftheirprison

  andsolveditwithanunexpectedkiss,

  whosefreckledunsuspectedhandsalit.

  III/ WhileSomeoneTelephones

  Wasted,wastedminutesthatcouldn’tbeworse,

  minutesofabarbariccondescension.

  —Stareoutthebathroomwindowatthefir-trees,

  attheirdarkneedles,accretionstonopurpose

  woodenlycrystallized,andwheretwofireflies

  areonlylost.

  Hearnothingbutatrainthatgoesby,mustgoby,liketension;

  nothing. Andwait:

  maybeevennowtheseminutes’host

  emerges,somerelaxeduncondescendingstranger,

  theheart’srelease.

  Andwhilethefireflies

  arefailingtoilluminatethesenightmaretrees

  mighttheynotbehisgreengayeyes.

  IV/ OBreath

  Beneaththatlovedandcelebratedbreast,

  silent,boredreallyblindlyveined,

  grieves,maybelivesandlets

  live,passesbets,

  somethingmovingbutinvisibly,

  andwithwhatclamorwhyrestrained

  Icannotfathomevenaripple.

  (Seethethinflyingofnineblackhairs

  fouraroundonefivetheothernipple,

  flyingalmostintolerablyonyourownbreath.)

  Equivocal,butwhatwehaveincommon’sboundtobethere,

  whateverwemustownequivalentsfor,

  somethingthatmaybeIcouldbargainwith

  andmakeaseparatepeacebeneath

  withinifneverwith.

  LettertoN.Y.

  forLouiseCrane

  InyournextletterIwishyou’dsay

  whereyouaregoingandwhatyouaredoing;

  howaretheplays,andaftertheplays

  whatotherpleasuresyou’repursuing:

  takingcabsinthemiddleofthenight,

  drivingasiftosaveyoursoul

  wheretheroadgoesroundandroundthepark

  andthemeterglareslikeamoralowl,

  andthetreeslooksoqueerandgreen

  standingaloneinbigblackcaves

  andsuddenlyyou’reinadifferentplace

  whereeverythingseemstohappeninwaves,

  andmostofthejokesyoujustcan’tcatch,

  likedirtywordsrubbedoffaslate,

  andthesongsareloudbutsomehowdim

  anditgetssoterriblylate,

  andcomingoutofthebrownstonehouse

  tothegraysidewalk,thewateredstreet,

  onesideofthebuildingsriseswiththesun

  likeaglisteningfieldofwheat.

  —Wheat,notoats,dear.I’mafraid

  ifit’swheatit’snoneofyoursowing,

  neverthelessI’dliketoknow

  whatyouaredoingandwhereyouaregoing.

  Argument

  Daysthatcannotbringyounear

  orwillnot,

  Distancetryingtoappear

  somethingmorethanobstinate,

  arguearguearguewithme

  endlessly

  neitherprovingyoulesswantednorlessdear.

  Distance:Rememberallthatland

  beneaththeplane;

  thatcoastline

  ofdimbeachesdeepinsand

  stretchingindistinguishably

  alltheway,

  allthewaytowheremyreasonsend?

  Days:Andthink

  ofallthoseclutteredinstruments,

  onetoafact,

  cancelingeachother’sexperience;

  howtheywere

  likesomehideouscalendar

  “ComplimentsofNever&Forever,Inc.”

  Theintimidatingsound

  ofthesevoices

  wemustseparatelyfind

  canandshallbevanquished:

  DaysandDistancedisarrayedagain

  andgone

  bothforgoodandfromthegentlebattleground.

  InvitationtoMissMarianneMoore

  FromBrooklyn,overtheBrooklynBridge,onthisfinemorning,

  pleasecomeflying.

  Inacloudoffierypalechemicals,

  pleasecomeflying,

  totherapidrollingofthousandsofsmallbluedrums

  descendingoutofthemackerelsky

  overtheglitteringgrandstandofharbor-water,

  pleasecomeflying.

  Whistles,pennantsandsmokeareblowing.Theships

  aresignalingcordiallywithmultitudesofflags

  risingandfallinglikebirdsallovertheharbor.

  Enter:tworivers,gracefullybearing

  countlesslittlepellucidjellies

  incut-glassepergnesdraggingwithsilverchains.

  Theflightissafe;theweatherisallarranged.

  Thewavesarerunninginversesthisfinemorning.

  Pleasecomeflying.

  Comewiththepointedtoeofeachblackshoe

  trailingasapphirehighlight,

  withablackcapefulofbutterflywingsandbon-mots,

  withheavenknowshowmanyangelsallriding

  onthebroadblackbrimofyourhat,

  pleasecomeflying.

  Bearingamusicalinaudibleabacus,

  aslightcensoriousfrown,andblueribbons,

  pleasecomeflying.

  Factsandskyscrapersglintinthetide;Manhattan

  isallawashwithmoralsthisfinemorning,

  sopleasecomeflying.

  Mountingtheskywithnaturalheroism,

  abovetheaccidents,
abovethemalignantmovies,

  thetaxicabsandinjusticesatlarge,

  whilehornsareresoundinginyourbeautifulears

  thatsimultaneouslylistento

  asoftuninventedmusic,fitforthemuskdeer,

  pleasecomeflying.

  Forwhomthegrimmuseumswillbehave

  likecourteousmalebower-birds,

  forwhomtheagreeablelionslieinwait

  onthestepsofthePublicLibrary,

  eagertoriseandfollowthroughthedoors

  upintothereadingrooms,

  pleasecomeflying.

  Wecansitdownandweep;wecangoshopping,

  orplayatagameofconstantlybeingwrong

  withapricelesssetofvocabularies,

  orwecanbravelydeplore,butplease

  pleasecomeflying.

  Withdynastiesofnegativeconstructions

  darkeninganddyingaroundyou,

  withgrammarthatsuddenlyturnsandshines

  likeflocksofsandpipersflying,

  pleasecomeflying.

  Comelikealightinthewhitemackerelsky,

  comelikeadaytimecomet

  withalongunnebuloustrainofwords,

  fromBrooklyn,overtheBrooklynBridge,onthisfinemorning,

  pleasecomeflying.

  TheShampoo

  Thestillexplosionsontherocks,

  thelichens,grow

  byspreading,gray,concentricshocks.

  Theyhavearranged

  tomeettheringsaroundthemoon,although

  withinourmemoriestheyhavenotchanged.

  Andsincetheheavenswillattend

  aslongonus,

  you’vebeen,dearfriend,

  precipitateandpragmatical;

  andlookwhathappens.ForTimeis

  nothingifnotamenable.

  Theshootingstarsinyourblackhair

  inbrightformation

  areflockingwhere,

  sostraight,sosoon?

  —Come,letmewashitinthisbigtinbasin,

  batteredandshinylikethemoon.

  QuestionsofTravel(1965)

  FORLOTADEMACEDOSOARES

  … Odar-vosquantotenhoequantoposso,

  Quequantomaisvospago,maisvosdevo.

  —Camões

  BRAZIL

  ArrivalatSantos

  Hereisacoast;hereisaharbor;

  here,afterameagerdietofhorizon,issomescenery:

  impracticallyshapedand—whoknows?—self-pityingmountains,

  sadandharshbeneaththeirfrivolousgreenery,

  withalittlechurchontopofone.Andwarehouses,

  someofthempaintedafeeblepink,orblue,

  andsometall,uncertainpalms.Oh,tourist,

  isthishowthiscountryisgoingtoansweryou

  andyourimmodestdemandsforadifferentworld,

  andabetterlife,andcompletecomprehension

  ofbothatlast,andimmediately,

  aftereighteendaysofsuspension?

  Finishyourbreakfast.Thetenderiscoming,

  astrangeandancientcraft,flyingastrangeandbrilliantrag.

  Sothat’stheflag.Ineversawitbefore.

  Isomehowneverthoughtofthere beingaflag,

  butofcoursetherewas,allalong.Andcoins,Ipresume,

  andpapermoney;theyremaintobeseen.

  Andgingerlynowweclimbdowntheladderbackward,

  myselfandafellowpassengernamedMissBreen,

  descendingintothemidstoftwenty-sixfreighters

  waitingtobeloadedwithgreencoffeebeans.

  Please,boy,dobemorecarefulwiththatboathook!

  Watchout!Oh!IthascaughtMissBreen’s

  skirt!There!MissBreenisaboutseventy,

  aretiredpolicelieutenant,sixfeettall,

  withbeautifulbrightblueeyesandakindexpression.

  Herhome,whensheisathome,isinGlensFall

  s,NewYork.There.Wearesettled.

  ThecustomsofficialswillspeakEnglish,wehope,

  andleaveusourbourbonandcigarettes.

  Portsarenecessities,likepostagestamps,orsoap,

  buttheyseldomseemtocarewhatimpressiontheymake,

  or,likethis,onlyattempt,sinceitdoesnotmatter,

  theunassertivecolorsofsoap,orpostagestamps—

  wastingawayliketheformer,slippingthewaythelatter

  dowhenwemailtheletterswewroteontheboat,

  eitherbecausethegluehereisveryinferior

  orbecauseoftheheat.WeleaveSantosatonce;

  wearedrivingtotheinterior.

  January1952

  Brazil,January1,1502

  …embroiderednature…tapestriedlandscape.

  — LandscapeintoArt, bySirKennethClark

  Januaries,Naturegreetsoureyes

  exactlyasshemusthavegreetedtheirs:

  everysquareinchfillinginwithfoliage—

  bigleaves,littleleaves,andgiantleaves,

  blue,blue-green,andolive,

  withoccasionallighterveinsandedges,

  orasatinunderleafturnedover;

  monsterferns

  insilver-grayrelief,

  andflowers,too,likegiantwaterlilies

  upintheair—up,rather,intheleaves—

  purple,yellow,twoyellows,pink,

  rustredandgreenishwhite;

  solidbutairy;freshasifjustfinished

  andtakenofftheframe.

  Ablue-whitesky,asimpleweb,

  backingforfeatherydetail:

  briefarcs,apale-greenbrokenwheel,

  afewpalms,swarthy,squat,butdelicate;

  andperchingthereinprofile,beaksagape,

  thebigsymbolicbirdskeepquiet,

  eachshowingonlyhalfhispuffedandpadded,

  pure-coloredorspottedbreast.

  StillintheforegroundthereisSin:

  fivesootydragonsnearsomemassyrocks.

  Therocksareworkedwithlichens,graymoonbursts

  splatteredandoverlapping,

  threatenedfromunderneathbymoss

  inlovelyhell-greenflames,

  attackedabove

  byscaling-laddervines,obliqueandneat,

  “oneleafyesandoneleafno”(inPortuguese).

  Thelizardsscarcelybreathe;alleyes

  areonthesmaller,femaleone,back-to,

  herwickedtailstraightupandover,

  redasared-hotwire.

  JustsotheChristians,hardasnails,

  tinyasnails,andglinting,

  increakingarmor,cameandfounditall,

  notunfamiliar:

  nolovers’walks,nobowers,

  nocherriestobepicked,nolutemusic,

  butcorresponding,nevertheless,

  toanolddreamofwealthandluxury

  alreadyoutofstylewhentheylefthome—

  wealth,plusabrand-newpleasure.

  DirectlyafterMass,hummingperhaps

  L’Hommearméorsomesuchtune,

  theyrippedawayintothehangingfabric,

  eachouttocatchanIndianforhimself—

  thosemaddeninglittlewomenwhokeptcalling,

  callingtoeachother(orhadthebirdswakedup?)

  andretreating,alwaysretreating,behindit.

  QuestionsofTravel

  Therearetoomanywaterfallshere;thecrowdedstreams

  hurrytoorapidlydowntothesea,

  andthepressureofsomanycloudsonthemountaintops

  makesthemspilloverthesidesinsoftslow-motion,

  turningtowaterfallsunderourveryeyes.

  —Forifthosestrea
ks,thosemile-long,shiny,tearstains,

  aren’twaterfallsyet,

  inaquickageorso,asagesgohere,

  theyprobablywillbe.

  Butifthestreamsandcloudskeeptravelling,travelling,

  themountainslooklikethehullsofcapsizedships,

  slime-hungandbarnacled.

  Thinkofthelongtriphome.

  Shouldwehavestayedathomeandthoughtofhere?

  Whereshouldwebetoday?

  Isitrighttobewatchingstrangersinaplay

  inthisstrangestoftheatres?

  Whatchildishnessisitthatwhilethere’sabreathoflife

  inourbodies,wearedeterminedtorush

  toseethesuntheotherwayaround?

  Thetiniestgreenhummingbirdintheworld?

  Tostareatsomeinexplicableoldstonework,

  inexplicableandimpenetrable,

  atanyview,

  instantlyseenandalways,alwaysdelightful?

  Oh,mustwedreamourdreams

  andhavethem,too?

  Andhaveweroom

  foronemorefoldedsunset,stillquitewarm?

  Butsurelyitwouldhavebeenapity

  nottohaveseenthetreesalongthisroad,

  reallyexaggeratedintheirbeauty,

  nottohaveseenthemgesturing

  likenoblepantomimists,robedinpink.

  —Nottohavehadtostopforgasandheard

  thesad,two-noted,woodentune

  ofdisparatewoodenclogs

  carelesslyclackingover

  agrease-stainedfilling-stationfloor.

  (Inanothercountrytheclogswouldallbetested.

  Eachpairtherewouldhaveidenticalpitch.)

  —Apitynottohaveheard

  theother,lessprimitivemusicofthefatbrownbird

  whosingsabovethebrokengasolinepump

  inabamboochurchofJesuitbaroque:

  threetowers,fivesilvercrosses.

  —Yes,apitynottohavepondered,

  blurr’dlyandinconclusively,

  onwhatconnectioncanexistforcenturies

  betweenthecrudestwoodenfootwear

  and,carefulandfinicky,

  thewhittledfantasiesofwoodencages.

  —Nevertohavestudiedhistoryin

  theweakcalligraphyofsongbirds’cages.

  —Andnevertohavehadtolistentorain

  somuchlikepoliticians’speeches:

  twohoursofunrelentingoratory

  andthenasuddengoldensilence

  inwhichthetravellertakesanotebook,writes:

  “Isitlackofimaginationthatmakesuscome