Edwin Morgan(b. 1920)
The Dowser
W i t h m y f o r k e d b r a n c h o f L e b a n e s e c e d a r
I q u a r t e r t h e d u n e s like d o w n s a n d g u i d e
a n i n v i s i b l e p l o u g h far o v e r t h e s a n d .
B u t h o w t o q u a r t e r s u c h s h i f t i n g a c r e s
when the wind melts their shapes, and shadows
mass where all was bright before,
a n d l a n d m a r k s w a l k like w r a i t h s 0 a t n o o n ?ghosts
A l l I k n o w i s t h a t u n d e r n e a t h ,
h o w m a n y m i l e s n o o n e c a n say,
an u n b r o k e n w a t e r - t a b l e w a i t s
like a lake; it h a s s e e n no bird or sail
i n its l o n g d a r k n e s s , a n d n o m a n ;
n o t e v e n p h a r a o h s d u g s o far
f o r all t h e i r thirst, or thirst of glory,
or t h r u s t - p o w e r of t e n t h o u s a n d s l a v e s .
I t e l l y o u I c a n s m e l l it t h o u g h ,
t h a t w a t e r . I a m o l d a n d b l a c k
a n d I k n o w t h e m a n n e r s o f t h e s u n
w h i c h m a k e s m e b e n d , n o t b r e a k . I l o s e
my ghostly footprints without complaint.
I p u t e v e r y m i r a g e in its p l a c e .
I w a t c h t h e lizard m a k e its l a c e .
L i k e o n e n o t q u i t e b l i n d I g o
f e e l i n g f o r t h e s u n k e n f a c e .
So hot the days, the nights so cold,
I g a t h e r m y w h i t e rags a n d s i g h
b u t s i g h i n g s t e p s o s t e a d i l y
t h a t a n y v i b r a n c e i n s o d e e p
a lake w o u l d n e v e r fail to rise
t o w a r d s t h e s n o w y c e d a r ' s bait.
G r e a t d e s e r t , let y o u r s w e e t n e s s w a k e .
1988