Rita Dove(b. 1952)
Dusting
Every day a w i l d e r n e s s — - n o
s h a d e i n sight. B e u l a h
p a t i e n t a m o n g k n i c k n a c k s ,
t h e s o l a r i u m a rage
of light, a g r a i n s t o r m
as h e r gray c l o t h brings
dark w o o d to life.
U n d e r h e r h a n d scrolls
a n d crests g l e a m
darker still. What
w a s his n a m e , that
silly b o y at t h e fair w i t h
t h e rifle b o o t h ? A n d his kiss a n d
t h e clear b o w l w i t h o n e bright
fish, rippling
woun d!
N o t M i c h a e l —
s o m e t h i n g f i n e r . E a c h d u s t
stroke a d e e p b r e a t h a n d
t h e c a n a r y in b l o o m .
W a v e r y m e m o r y : h o m e
f r o m a d a n c e , t h e f r o n t d o o r
b l o w n o p e n a n d t h e parlor
i n s n o w , s h e r u s h e d
t h e b o w l to t h e stove, w a t c h e d
a s t h e l o c k e t o f i c e
d i s s o l v e d a n d h e
s w a m free.
T h a t w a s years b e f o r e
F a t h e r g a v e h e r up
w i t h h e r n a m e , years b e f o r e
h e r n a m e g r e w t o m e a n
P r o m i s e , t h e n
D e s e r t - i n - P e a c e . 7
L o n g b e f o r e t h e s h a d o w a n d
sun's a c c o m p l i c e , t h e tree.
M a u r i c e .