A friend sends this on, his translation of an Oscar Hahn poem from his newest book, “ashes in love.” Hahn is a contemporary Chilean poet. Jim Hoggard is his translator and a poet in his own right.

Secretary of State

You washed your conscience
and hung it up on a line
where the clean clothes dry

But drops of dirty water fell
and formed a pool
and then a muddy river
that flowed out to sea

Through that sea battleships sail
destroyers aircraft carriers
atomic submarines
that spit out radioactive fire

Those who have nothing
have only had their blood to wash
and their wounded to gather
and their dead to bury