Lots Wife

And the just man trailed God's shining agent,over a black mountain, in his giant track,while a restless voice kept harrying his woman:"It's not too late, you can still look backat the red towers of your native Sodom,the square where once you sang, the spinning-shed,at the empty windows set in the tall housewhere sons and daughters blessed your marriage-bed."A single glance: a sudden dart of painstitching her eyes before she made a sound . . .

Her body flaked into transparent salt,and her swift legs rooted to the ground.

Who will grieve for this woman?

Does she not seemtoo insignificant for our concern?

Yet in my heart I never will deny her,who suffered death because she chose to turn.

Translated by Stanley Kunitz (with Max Hayward)