Selected Poetry, 1937–1990

O urubu mobilizado / The Drafted Vulture

O urubu mobilizado i. Durante as secas do Sertao, o urubu, de urubu livre, passa a funcionario. O urubu nao retira, pois prevendo cedo que Ihe mobilizarao a tecnica e o tacto, cala os services prestados e diplomas, que o enquadrariam num melhor salario, e vai acolitar os empreiteiros da seca, veterano, mas ainda com zelos de novato: aviando com eutanasia o morto incerto, ele, que no civil quer o morto claro. 2. Embora mobilizado, nesse urubu em agao reponta logo o perfeito profissional. No ar compenetrado, curvo e conselheiro, no todo de guarda-chuva, na unqao clerical, com que age, embora em posto subalterno: ele, um convicto profissionalliberal. 146 o urubu mobilizado 1. Durante as secas do Sertao, 0 urubu, de urubu livre, passa a funcionario. a urubu nao retira, pois prevendo cedo que the mobilizario a tecnica e 0 tacto, cala os servi~os prestados e diplomas, que 0 enquadrariam num m~lhor salario, e vai acolitar os empreiteiros da seca, veterano, mas ainda com zelos de novato: aviando com eutanasia 0 morto incerto, ele, que no civil quer 0 morto claro. 2. Embora mobilizado, nesse urubu em a~ao reponta logo 0 perfeito profissional. No ar compenetrado, curvo e conselheiro, no todo de guarda-chuva, na un~ao clerical, com que age, embora em posta subalterno: ele, urn convicto profissionalliberal. The Drafted Vulture i. When the droughts hit the backland they make the vulture into a civil servant—free no more. He doesn't try to escape. He's known for a long time that they'd put his technique and his touch to use. He says nothing of services rendered, of diplomas which entitle him to better pay. He serves the drought-dealers like an altar-boy, with a green-horn zeal, veteran though he is, mercifully dispatching some who may not be dead, when in private life he cares only for bona fide corpses. 2. Though the vulture's a conscript, you can soon tell from his demeanor that he's a real professional: his self-conscious air, hunched and advisory, his umbrella-completeness, the clerical smoothness with which he acts, even in a minor capacity— an unquestioning liberal professional. Translated by W. S. Merwin 147 The Drafted Vulture I. When the droughts hit the backland they make the vulture into a civil servant-free no more. He doesn't try to escape. He's known for a long time that they'd put his technique and his touch to use. He says nothing of services rendered, of diplomas which entitle him to better pay. He serves the drought-dealers like an altar-boy, with a green-horn zeal, veteran though he is, mercifully dispatching some who may not be dead, when in private life he cares only for bona fide corpses. 2. Though the vulture's a conscript, you can soon tell from his demeanor that he's a real professional: his self-conscious air, hunched and advisory, his umbrella-completeness, the clerical smoothness with which he acts, even in a minor capacityan unquestioning liberal professional. Translated by W S. Merwin 147 ...