THE ETERNAL RETURN
Because it is not here it is eternal
the stars we consider have long been gone
I cannot recall what I was saying
while clouds melted over the morning sea
here is the same child without a childhood
the whole sentence present in the last word
and the morning of what I do not know
brings back everything that I remember
even what is gone and I know it is gone
and know I will never look on it again
appears to me once more almost complete
in its own time and then gone again
it was watching over me while I slept
–W. S. Merwin, from his book “The Moon Before Morning”
Edward Joseph Israel says
There is nothing new under the sun. No, not one ting.
Edward Joseph Israel says
It SHOULD read There is nothing new under the sun. No, not one thing! I love his poetry, I drink it in.He has an unparalleled command of the language. He is my favorite poet!
Merwin Conservancy says
Thank you for your interest in our mission and work. He is our favorite poet too!
Jacqueline Santos says
I love this poetry, I read this words carefully, (english is not my mother tongue), but I can feel the time passing slowly as I read, and I think, this is the right way to enjoy it.
Thanks for posting this poems