Richard Hugo(1923–1982)
The Way a Ghost Dissolves
W h e r e s h e l i v e d t h e c l o s e r e m a i n e d t h e b e s t .
T h e n e a r e s t m u s i c a n d t h e s t a t i c c l o u d ,
s u n a n d d i r t w e r e a l l s h e u n d e r s t o o d .
S h e p l a n t e d c o r n a n d l e f t t h e r e s t
t o e l e m e n t s , c o n v i n c e d t h a t G o d
w i t h g i a n t f a u c e t s r e g u l a t e s t h e r a i n
a n d s a v e s t h e c r o p s f r o m f r o s t o r f o r e i g n w i n d .
F a t e a s s i s t e d h e r w i t h s p e c i a l c u r e s .
R u b a h a l f p o t a t o o n y o u r w a r t
and wrap it in a damp cloth. Close
y o u r e y e s a n d w h i r l t h r e e t i m e s a n d t h r o w .
T h e n b u r y r a g a n d s p u d e x a c t l y w h e r e
t h e y f a l l . T h e o n l y w a r t s t h a t I h a v e n o w
a r e m e m o r i e s o r c o m i c o n m y n o s e .
Up at dawn. The earth provided food
i f w o r k e d a n d w a t e r e d , p l a n t e d g r e e n
w i t h r y e g r a s s e v e r y f a l l . O r d r i v e n w i l d
b y s n a k e s t h a t k e p t t h e c a r r o t s c l e a n ,
s h e b u t c h e r e d s n a k e s a n d c a r r o t s w i t h a h o e .
Her screams were sea birds in the wind,
h e r c h o p p i n g — n o t h i n g l i k e i t n o w .
I w i l l g a r d e n o n t h e d o u b l e r u n ,
m y r h y t h m o b v i o u s i n r i n g i n g r a k e s ,
a n d t r u s t i n f a t e t o k e e p m e p o o r a n d k i n d
and work until my heart is short,
t h e n g o o u t s l o w l y w i t h a f e e b l e g r i n ,
m y f i n g e r s f l e x i n g b u t m y e y e s g o n e g r a y
f r o m c r a m p s a n d t h e l a c k o f o x y g e n .
Forget the tone. Call the neighbor's trumpet
golden as it grates. Exalt the weeds.
S a y t h e l o c a l a n i m a l s h a v e c l a s s
o r h e l p m e s a y t h a t g h o s t h a s g o n e t o s e e d .
A n d w h y a t t e m p t t o s e e t h e c l o u d a g a i n —
the screaming face it was before it cracked
in wind from Asia and a wanton rain.