She brought the wrong clothes to Paris,
which wasn't as warm as imagination.
She borrowed a sweater and a coat
from me; also shoes, and the heavy socks
that made them fit. My sweater, especially,
seemed to enjoy having her wear it
in cafes, brasseries, and markets. I
explained all this to Balzac's ghost
at the writer's home on Rue Raynouard.
Even though I wasn't speaking French,
Balzac understood immediately. I went
on to observe that almost everyone
almost everywhere works hard and life
slips by so quickly and then all of a sudden
you're a ghost listening to a tourist.
Yes, yes, said Balzac's ghost, but
tell me, what color is the sweater she
borrowed from you? Green, I said.
That, he said, is today's crucial detail.
Hans Ostrom
from The Coast Starlight: Collected Poems 1976-2006
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
It's the little things that are important..the bigger events happen on their own..nice poem a ten..