background image
white river poems 407
Meeker --
The Ute
and this woman
are well-matched
for defi niteness.
And I --
A quality
to be prized
in elegies.
I asked him, `Did you fi nd them?'
He said, `Too many snows.'
`Do you think you found the place
where he was buried?' I asked,
`And how do you know for sure?'
He said, `Indian boys so high'
and he put his hand just above his waist.
`Boys cut horses and crows in the rock.
Now crows and horses very high.
Ground wash away.' Again
he used his hands to show me.
I said, `You found no grave.'
`Oh, too many snows. Too much
agua. No, grave gone.
Maybe so coyote get arm bones,
and bear get head. All vamoose.'