W.S Merwin at 90, in Maui, Hawaii – 2017
During the 1960s anti-war movement, Merwin’s unique craft was thematically characterized by indirect, unpunctuated narration. In the 1980s and 1990s, Merwin’s writing influence derived from his interest in Buddhist philosophy and deep ecology. Residing in a rural part of Maui, Hawaii, he writes prolifically and is dedicated to the restoration of the islands’ rainforests.
The Ascetic Insight of W. S Merwin (New Yorker)
“For the Anniversary of My Death”:
Every year without knowing it I have passed the day
When the last fires will wave to me
And the silence will set out
Tireless traveler
Like the beam of a lightless starThen I will no longer
Find myself in life as in a strange garment
Surprised at the earth
And the love of one woman
And the shamelessness of men
As today writing after three days of rain
Hearing the wren sing and the falling cease
And bowing not knowing to what
Maui Now birthday tribute to W.S. Merwin
The State of Hawaiʻi will also be present, issuing a Gubernatorial Proclamation proclaiming Sept. 30, 2017, as “W.S. Merwin Day” in Hawaiʻi and presenting Merwin with a special Gubernatorial Commendation for his life-long achievements.
On reading slowly and reading what you want and the beauty of trees.
A Great American Poet in Conversation with Paul Holdengraber