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.
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,
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