名人诗歌|Navigating in the Dark

Papua， Indonesia

In this mining town in Papua the electricity Has a habit of giving up at night， and this

Is a miracle of modern stasis， a secular^{1 Shabbat，Reminding us of what is expendable， of how so few}

Of us ever truly experience the dark. We are amazed，My wife and I， with the heavy darkness

Of the no moon jungle， insect sounds lacerating All illusions of silent places. Its so absolute，

My wife says， and I like to think she means More than the darkness； the naked places

Of ourselves we dress in sunlight， lamps，And recorded music like antithetical

Blanche DeBoiss fearing a different sort Of scrutiny^{2. We could pretend its 1940，}

I say， put a Jack^{3 Benny tape on the short wave And drink coffee， light candles. She suggests}

A walk outside instead， where there are dozens Of others already out on paths bounded by jungle，

Stepping small and laughing loudly through various Uncertainties^{4； flashlights as eyes， ears like animals。}

Soon we are trying only to remember not to disappear Altogether； everything is so absolutely， so darkly possible