Duporte the roofer that calm voice br those sure hands gentling weathered tiles br into new generations or br half of him rising through a roof br like some sea spirit from a wave br to turn shaped slates into fish scales br that would swim in the rain Duporte br who seemed to smooth arguments by br listening and whom they sent for br when a bone was broken or when br they had a pig to kill because br of the way he did it only br yesterday after all these years br I learned that he had suddenly br gone blind while still in his sixties br and died soon after that while I br was away and I never knew br and it seemed as though it had just br happened and it had not been long br since we stood in the road talking br about owls nesting in chimneys br in the dark in empty houses br br br From 'The Shadow Of Sirius' br Publisher: Copper Canyon Press (September 1, 2008)br br William Stanley Merwinbr br