Saturday Poem

TROIS-PISTOLES

Parliament of seals
lounging on the stones
deep gurglings of ocean
cormorants roosting to dry
fly-catchers and wild cranberries
the sand-pipers of Trois-Pistoles
diving loons and yellowlegs
flights of ducks
skimming the waves
harvest of leeches
from under the stones
and the setting sun
spreading its sheets upon the sea
Saguenay of the banner and pennons
jagged Laurentians
and the house we called
La Renardiere home of departures
and of returns
mon vieux Marcel
please save me my hammock
on the second floor

From Evenings at Loose Ends (1991) by Gérald Godin, translated by Judith Cowan.