Touching

1.

A pine board: the grain a white

shine under dull

gold. And where I

touch it, I leave a mark.

The salts and acids of my

sweat eat in.

But I will leave it

out in the weather, and the

rain and wind will

wash out my stain. Most

of it.

2.

And three days after, a fine

dust, a faint smell of

rosin still lingers on my

fingertips.

University of Maine English professor Burton Hatlen died last week at age 71, after five decades as a widely respected and influential teacher, scholar and poet. His literary understanding and insight and his humanity ran deep, and will linger, even as he is greatly missed.