Brad Leithauser(b. 1953)
The Buried Graves
F r o m t h e pier, at dusk, t h e d i m
B i l l o w i n g arms of kelp
S e e m t h e tops o f trees, a s t h o u g h
N o t l o n g a g o
A s u m m e r w o o d s t o o d here, b e f o r e a d a m
W a s built, a valley f l o o d e d .
S u c h a forest w o u l d r e l e a s e
Its c o l o r o n l y slowly,
A n d t h e l e a f y b r a n c h e s sway, as they'd
More lightly swayed
U n d e r a less distant s u n a n d far l e s s
E v e n w e a t h e r . N o w , d e e p e r d o w n ,
T h o s e g l i m m e r s o f coral m i g h t
B e t h e lots o f s o m e h a r d - l u c k
T o w n , o r — d e p o s i t i n g on t h e d e a d
A s e c o n d b e d —
A s u b m e r g e d c e m e t e r y . . . . T o this m u t e ,
E n v i s i o n e d , birdless w o o d w o u l d
C o m e a kind of a u t u m n , a t a m e
S e a - s e a s o n , w i t h foliage t u m b l i n g
T h r o u g h a w e i g h t y , trancelike fall;
A n d c o m e , a s well,
S o o n i n t h e e m p t y i n g f u l l n e s s o f time,
A m i l d b u t an e n d l e s s winter.