The Essential W.S. Merwin

As well as being such a good book it is also so attractive. A joy.

W. S. Merwin has been writing poetry every day, then publishing it, for over sixty-five years: an astonishing productivity of excellence. Michael Wiegers's collection, reaching back to 1952 and extending to 2016, offers the essence of Merwin: his piquant clarity, a palette of many emotions, his remarkable juxtapositions of simple images into something incandescent, and his famous "turns": those moments when the poem's subject changes direction, often surprisingly, toward something unexpected. Lovers of poetry will want this on their shelves. Those who think they do not love poetry may themselves be turned by Merwin. "It is always for the animals that I grieved most / . . . the old words all deepen the great absence / the vastness of all that has been lost / it is still there when the poet in exile / looks up long ago hearing the voices / of wild geese far above him flying home" ("The Wild Geese," 2016).

Fenomenal poetry!

Some may say W.S Merwin was ahead of his time and I say he was right on time. His poetry is a special kind of magic that should set your soul ablaze. May I also suggest you learn about his life because he was, is and will always be the kind of person that I wanna be when I grow up.

Poetry is not for everyone. And, Merwin's writing exists in a rarified atmosphere. If you're familiar with Merwin as an environmentalist, or you want to "read his mind," this sampling of his various poetic output is exceptional. It is a wonderfully produced book and worth having for that alone. Interestingly, the one poem he is probably most famous (or, infamous) for in popular literature - the one about the elephant - is excluded. I believe that the decision to leave it out was a wise one. Take a chance on this collection.

Merwin is an American national treasure and a sublime poet of nature and memory. This is a representative sample of his work. Excellent introduction.