Poems Read online

  toimaginedplaces,notjuststayathome?

  OrcouldPascalhavebeennotentirelyright

  aboutjustsittingquietlyinone’sroom?

  Continent,city,country,society:

  thechoiceisneverwideandneverfree.

  Andhere,orthere…No.Shouldwehavestayedathome,

  whereverthatmaybe?”

  Squatter’sChildren

  Ontheunbreathingsidesofhills

  theyplay,aspecklikegirlandboy,

  alone,butnearaspecklikehouse.

  Thesun’ssuspendedeye

  blinkscasually,andthentheywade

  giganticwavesoflightandshade.

  Adancingyellowspot,apup,

  attendsthem.Cloudsarepilingup;

  astormpilesupbehindthehouse.

  Thechildrenplayatdiggingholes.

  Thegroundishard;theytrytouse

  oneoftheirfather’stools,

  amattockwithabrokenhaft

  thetwoofthemcanscarcelylift.

  Itdropsandclangs.Theirlaughterspreads

  effulgenceinthethunderheads,

  weakflashesofinquiry

  directasisthepuppy’sbark.

  Buttotheirlittle,soluble,

  unwarrantableark,

  apparentlytherain’sreply

  consistsofecholalia,

  andMother’svoice,uglyassin,

  keepscallingtothemtocomein.

  Children,thethresholdofthestorm

  hasslidbeneathyourmuddyshoes;

  wetandbeguiled,youstandamong

  themansionsyoumaychoose

  outofabiggerhousethanyours,

  whoselawfulnessendures.

  Itssoggydocumentsretain

  yourrightsinroomsoffallingrain.

  Manuelzinho

  [Brazil.Afriendofthewriterisspeaking.]

  Halfsquatter,halftenant(norent)—

  asortofinheritance;white,

  inyourthirtiesnow,andsupposed

  tosupplymewithvegetables,

  butyoudon’t;oryouwon’t;oryoucan’t

  gettheideathroughyourbrain—

  theworld’sworstgardenersinceCain.

  Tiltedaboveme,yourgardens

  ravishmyeyes.Youedge

  thebedsofsilvercabbages

  withredcarnations,andlettuces

  mixwithalyssum.Andthen

  umbrellaantsarrive,

  oritrainsforasolidweek

  andthewholething’sruinedagain

  andIbuyyoumorepoundsofseeds,

  imported,guaranteed,

  andeventuallyyoubringme

  amysticthree-leggedcarrot,

  orapumpkin“biggerthanthebaby.”

  Iwatchyouthroughtherain,

  trotting,light,onbarefeet,

  upthesteeppathsyouhavemade—

  oryourfatherandgrandfathermade—

  allovermyproperty,

  withyourheadandbackinside

  asoddenburlapbag,

  andfeelIcan’tendureit

  anotherminute;then,

  indoors,besidethestove,

  keeponreadingabook.

  Youstealmytelephonewires,

  orsomeonedoes.Youstarve

  yourhorseandyourself

  andyourdogsandfamily.

  Amongendlessvariety,

  youeatboiledcabbagestalks.

  AndonceIyelledatyou

  soloudtohurryup

  andfetchmethosepotatoes

  yourholeyhatflewoff,

  youjumpedoutofyourclogs,

  leavingthreeobjectsarranged

  inatriangleatmyfeet,

  asifyou’dbeenagardener

  inafairytaleallthistime

  andattheword“potatoes”

  hadvanishedtotakeupyourwork

  offairyprincesomewhere.

  Thestrangestthingshappen,toyou.

  Yourcoweatsa“poisongrass”

  anddropsdeadonthespot.

  Nobodyelse’sdoes.

  Andthenyourfatherdies,

  asuperioroldman

  withablackplushhat,andamoustache

  likeawhitespread-eagledseagull.

  Thefamilygathers,butyou,

  no,you“don’tthinkhe’sdead!

  Ilookathim.He’scold.

  They’reburyinghimtoday.

  Butyouknow,Idon’tthinkhe’s dead. ”

  Igiveyoumoneyforthefuneral

  andyougoandhirea bus

  forthedelightedmourners,

  soIhavetohandoversomemore

  andthenhavetohearyoutellme

  youprayformeeverynight!

  Andthenyoucomeagain,

  sniffingandshivering,

  hatinhand,withthatwistful

  face,likeachild’sfistful

  ofbluetsorwhiteviolets,

  improvidentasthedawn,

  andoncemoreIprovide

  forashotofpenicillin

  downatthepharmacy,or

  onemorebottleof

  ElectricalBabySyrup.

  Or,briskly,youcometosettle

  whatwecallour“accounts,”

  withtwooldcopybooks,

  onewithflowersonthecover,

  theotherwithacamel.

  Immediateconfusion.

  You’veleftoutthedecimalpoints.

  Yourcolumnsstagger,

  honeycombedwithzeros.

  Youwhisperconspiratorially;

  thenumbersmounttomillions.

  Accountbooks?TheyareDreamBooks.

  Inthekitchenwedreamtogether

  howthemeekshallinherittheearth—

  orseveralacresofmine.

  Withbluesugarbagsontheirheads,

  carryingyourlunch,

  yourchildrenscuttlebyme

  likelittlemolesaboveground,

  orevencrouchbehindbushes

  asifIwereouttoshootthem!

  —Impossibletomakefriends,

  thougheachwillgrabatonce

  foranorangeorapieceofcandy.

  Twinedinwispsoffog,

  Iseeyouallupthere

  alongwithFormoso,thedonkey,

  whobrayslikeapumpgonedry,

  thensuddenlystops.

  —Alljuststanding,staring

  offintofogandspace.

  Orcomingdownatnight,

  insilence,exceptforhoofs,

  indimmoonlight,thehorse

  orFormosostumblingafter.

  Betweenusfloatafew

  big,soft,pale-blue,

  sluggishfireflies,

  thejellyfishoftheair…

  Patchuponpatchuponpatch,

  yourwifekeepsallofyoucovered.

  Shehasgoneoverandover

  (forearmedisforewarned)

  yourpairofbright-bluepants

  withwhitethread,andthesedays

  yourlimbsaredrapedinblueprints.

  Youpaint—heavenknowswhy—

  theoutsideofthecrown

  andbrimofyourstrawhat.

  Perhapstoreflectthesun?

  Orperhapswhenyouweresmall,

  yourmothersaid,“Manuelzinho,

  onething:besureyoualways

  paintyourstrawhat.”

  Onewasgoldforawhile,

  butthegoldworeoff,likeplate.

  Onewasbrightgreen.Unkindly,

  IcalledyouKlorophyllKid.

  Myvisitorsthoughtitwasfunny.

  Iapologizehereandnow.

  Youhelpless,foolishman,

  Il
oveyouallIcan,

  Ithink.OrdoI?

  Itakeoffmyhat,unpainted

  andfigurative,toyou.

  AgainIpromisetotry.

  ElectricalStorm

  Dawnanunsympatheticyellow.

  Cra-aack! —dryandlight.

  Thehousewasreallystruck.

  Crack! Atinnysound,likeadroppedtumbler.

  Tobiasjumpedinthewindow,gotinbed—

  silent,hiseyesbleachedwhite,hisfuronend.

  Personalandspitefulasaneighbor’schild,

  thunderbegantobangandbumptheroof.

  Onepinkflash;

  thenhail,thebiggestsizeofartificialpearls.

  Dead-white,wax-white,cold—

  diplomats’wives’favors

  fromanoldmoonparty—

  theylayinmeltingwindrows

  ontheredgrounduntilwellaftersunrise.

  Wegotuptofindthewiringfused,

  nolights,asmellofsaltpetre,

  andthetelephonedead.

  Thecatstayedinthewarmsheets.

  TheLenttreeshadshedalltheirpetals:

  wet,stuck,purple,amongthedead-eyepearls.

  SongfortheRainySeason

  Hidden,ohhidden

  inthehighfog

  thehousewelivein,

  beneaththemagneticrock,

  rain-,rainbow-ridden,

  whereblood-black

  bromelias,lichens,

  owls,andthelint

  ofthewaterfallscling,

  familiar,unbidden.

  Inadimage

  ofwater

  thebrooksingsloud

  fromaribcage

  ofgiantfern;vapor

  climbsupthethickgrowth

  effortlessly,turnsback,

  holdingthemboth,

  houseandrock,

  inaprivatecloud.

  Atnight,ontheroof,

  blinddropscrawl

  andtheordinarybrown

  owlgivesusproof

  hecancount:

  fivetimes—alwaysfive—

  hestampsandtakesoff

  afterthefatfrogsthat,

  shrillingforlove,

  clamberandmount.

  House,openhouse

  tothewhitedew

  andthemilk-whitesunrise

  kindtotheeyes,

  tomembership

  ofsilverfish,mouse,

  bookworms,

  bigmoths;withawall

  forthemildew’s

  ignorantmap;

  darkenedandtarnished

  bythewarmtouch

  ofthewarmbreath,

  maculate,cherished,

  rejoice!Foralater

  erawilldiffer.

  (Odifferencethatkills,

  orintimidates,much

  ofalloursmallshadowy

  life!)Withoutwater

  thegreatrockwillstare

  unmagnetized,bare,

  nolongerwearing

  rainbowsorrain,

  theforgivingair

  andthehighfoggone;

  theowlswillmoveon

  andtheseveral

  waterfallsshrivel

  inthesteadysun.

  SítiodaAlcobaçinha

  FazendaSamambaia

  Petrópolis

  TheArmadillo

  forRobertLowell

  Thisisthetimeofyear

  whenalmosteverynight

  thefrail,illegalfireballoonsappear.

  Climbingthemountainheight,

  risingtowardasaint

  stillhonoredintheseparts,

  thepaperchambersflushandfillwithlight

  thatcomesandgoes,likehearts.

  Onceupagainsttheskyit’shard

  totellthemfromthestars—

  planets,thatis—thetintedones:

  Venusgoingdown,orMars,

  orthepalegreenone.Withawind,

  theyflareandfalter,wobbleandtoss;

  butifit’sstilltheysteerbetween

  thekitesticksoftheSouthernCross,

  receding,dwindling,solemnly

  andsteadilyforsakingus,

  or,inthedowndraftfromapeak,

  suddenlyturningdangerous.

  Lastnightanotherbigonefell.

  Itsplatteredlikeaneggoffire

  againstthecliffbehindthehouse.

  Theflamerandown.Wesawthepair

  ofowlswhonestthereflyingup

  andup,theirwhirlingblack-and-white

  stainedbrightpinkunderneath,until

  theyshriekedupoutofsight.

  Theancientowls’nestmusthaveburned.

  Hastily,allalone,

  aglisteningarmadilloleftthescene,

  rose-flecked,headdown,taildown,

  andthenababyrabbitjumpedout,

  short-eared,tooursurprise.

  Sosoft!—ahandfulofintangibleash

  withfixed,ignitedeyes.

  Toopretty,dreamlikemimicry!

  Ofallingfireandpiercingcry

  andpanic,andaweakmailedfist

  clenchedignorantagainstthesky!

  TheRiverman

  [A man in a remote Amazonian village decides to become a sacaca, a witch doctor who works with water spirits. The river dolphin is believed to have supernatural powers; Luandinha is a river spirit associated with the moon; and the pirarucú is a fish weighing up to four hundred pounds. These and other detailsonwhichthispoemisbasedarefrom AmazonTown, byCharlesWagley.]

  Igotupinthenight

  fortheDolphinspoketome.

  Hegruntedbeneathmywindow,

  hidbytherivermist,

  butIglimpsedhim—amanlikemyself.

  Ithrewoffmyblanket,sweating;

  Ieventoreoffmyshirt.

  Igotoutofmyhammock

  andwentthroughthewindownaked.

  Mywifesleptandsnored.

  HearingtheDolphinahead,

  Iwentdowntotheriver

  andthemoonwasburningbright

  asthegasoline-lampmantle

  withtheflameturneduptoohigh,

  justbeforeitbeginstoscorch.

  Iwentdowntotheriver.

  IheardtheDolphinsigh

  asheslidintothewater.

  Istoodtherelistening

  tillhecalledfromfaroutstream.

  Iwadedintotheriver

  andsuddenlyadoor

  inthewateropenedinward,

  groaningalittle,withwater

  bulgingabovethelintel.

  Ilookedbackatmyhouse,

  whiteasapieceofwashing

  forgottenonthebank,

  andIthoughtonceofmywife,

  butIknewwhatIwasdoing.

  Theygavemeashellof cachaça

  anddecoratedcigars.

  Thesmokeroselikemist

  throughthewater,andourbreaths

  didn’tmakeanybubbles.

  Wedrank cachaçaandsmoked

  thegreencheroots.Theroom

  filledwithgray-greensmoke

  andmyheadcouldn’thavebeendizzier.

  Thenatall,beautifulserpent

  inelegantwhitesatin,

  withherbigeyesgreenandgold

  likethelightsontheriversteamers—

  yes,Luandinha,noneother—

  enteredandgreetedme.

  Shecomplimentedme

  inalanguageIdidn’tknow;

  butwhensheblewcigarsmoke

  intomyearsandnostrils

  Iunderstood,likeadog,

  althoughIcan’tspe
akityet.

  Theyshowedmeroomafterroom

  andtookmefromheretoBelém

  andbackagaininaminute.

  Infact,I’mnotsurewhereIwent,

  butmiles,undertheriver.

  ThreetimesnowI’vebeenthere.

  Idon’teatfishanymore.

  Thereisfinemudonmyscalp

  andIknowfromsmellingmycomb

  thattheriversmellsinmyhair.

  Myhandsandfeetarecold.

  Ilookyellow,mywifesays,

  andshebrewsmestinkingteas

  Ithrowout,behindherback.

  Everymoonlitnight

  I’mtogobackagain.

  Iknowsomethingsalready,

  butitwilltakeyearsofstudy,

  itisallsodifficult.

  Theygavemeamottledrattle

  andapale-greencoraltwig

  andsomespecialweedslikesmoke.

  (They’reundermycanoe.)

  Whenthemoonshinesontheriver,

  oh,fasterthanyoucanthinkit

  wetravelupstreamanddownstream,

  wejourneyfromheretothere,

  underthefloatingcanoes,

  rightthroughthewickertraps,

  whenthemoonshinesontheriver

  andLuandinhagivesaparty.

  ThreetimesnowI’veattended.

  Herroomsshinelikesilver

  withthelightfromoverhead,

  asteadystreamoflight

  likeatthecinema.

  Ineedavirginmirror

  noone’severlookedat,

  that’sneverlookedbackatanyone,

  toflashupthespirits’eyes

  andhelpmerecognizethem.

  Thestorekeeperofferedme

  aboxoflittlemirrors,

  buteachtimeIpickedoneup

  aneighborlookedovermyshoulder

  andthenthatonewasspoiled—

  spoiled,thatis,foranything

  butthegirlstolookattheirmouthsin,

  toexaminetheirteethandsmiles.

  Whyshouldn’tIbeambitious?

  Isincerelydesiretobe

  aserious sacaca

  likeFortunatoPombo,

  orLúcio,oreven

  thegreatJoaquimSacaca.

  Look,itstandstoreason

  thateverythingweneed

  canbeobtainedfromtheriver.

  Itdrainsthejungles;itdraws

  fromtreesandplantsandrocks

  fromhalfaroundtheworld,

  itdrawsfromtheveryheart

  oftheearththeremedy

  foreachofthediseases—

  onejusthastoknowhowtofindit.

  Buteverythingmustbethere

  inthatmagicmud,beneath

  themultitudesoffish,

  deadlyorinnocent,

  thegiant pirarucús,

  theturtlesandcrocodiles,

  treetrunksandsunkcanoes,

  withthecrayfish,withtheworms