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Finding a Teacher

W. S. Merwin, W. S. Merwin poetry, Secular or Eclectic, Secular or Eclectic poetry,  poetry, [TRADITION SUB2] poetry, Buddhist poetry by W. S. Merwin
(1927 - ) Timeline

Original Language
English

Secular or Eclectic
Buddhist
Contemporary

In the woods I came on an old friend fishing
and I asked him a question
and he said Wait

fish were rising in the deep stream
but his line was not stirring
but I waited
it was a question about the sun

about my two eyes
my ears my mouth
my heart the earth with its four seasons
my feet where I was standing
where I was going

it slipped through my hands
as though it were water
into the river
it flowed under the trees
it sank under hulls far away
and was gone without me
then where I stood night fell

I no longer knew what to ask
I could tell that his line had no hook
I understood that I was to stay and eat with him

 

 

-- from Migration: New & Selected Poems, by W. S. Merwin

Amazon.com

 

Themes

  Bower
  Food
  Heart
  Night
  Sun


Recommended Books


East Window: Poems from Asia, Translated by W. S. Merwin
The First Four Books of Poems, by W. S. Merwin
Flower & Hand: Poems, 1977 - 1983, by W. S. Merwin
Migration: New & Selected Poems, by W. S. Merwin
Present Company, by W. S. Merwin

More >>

 

| More Poems by W. S. Merwin | Next Poem >>

 

 


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Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are Copyright © 2002 - 2011 by Ivan M. Granger.
All other material is copyrighted by the respective authors, translators and/or publishers.