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white river poems 335
From the post-testimony
murk and untidy silence
I see the shade of Meeker
emerging. When he sees me
he begins talking at once --
`The lyric declaration
of that Ute makes a clear place
in this air. Not that his words
do not come out of feelings
anyone may sink into
(for instance, Heraclitus)
upon occasion; even
a government offi
cial,
perhaps.' Now he watches me
for a reaction. I say,
falling in with what appears
to be his contentious mood,
`Offi
cials don't sound like that.'
And he, `Not as offi
cials,
true. But then do not take it
as expressing the Ute view
of the nature of things,
either.' I say, `Well, a Ute
said it, it rang true to me.'
And he: `Contradictory
proverbs can be discovered
among the Utes as quickly
as among the rest of us -- '
-- `Contradictory, of course,
but never incongruous.'
Meeker is continuing
without regard for my nice
distinction. -- `At least the Utes
were no more resigned to change