When we have reached a point where our own kind is steadily destroying the rest of life on earth and some of us are anxious not to do that, our relation to the earth begins to be that of a gardener to a garden.
W.S. MERWIn, from his essay “THE SHAPE OF WATER”
When W.S. Merwin died in March 2019, he left behind a legacy of boundless imagination, insight, and literary genius. He wrote over thirty books of poetry and prose, won two Pulitzer Prizes, the National Book Award, and was appointed U.S. Poet Laureate under President Barack Obama.
William, together with his wife Paula, also left a second gift: the exuberant, ever-evolving palm forest and home they created together and lived in on Maui for over forty years.
This December, The Merwin Conservancy, a non-profit the couple founded together, will become permanent custodians of this extraordinary place and its clear, unequivocal message of environmental renewal, possibility, and integrity.
GROVE GIVING CIRCLE
In the palm forest, near the garden shed and dojo, potted young palms remain on the shelves of the shade house where William grew them. These are the last unplanted trees in his collection.
You can help to plant these palms, and help The Merwin Conservancy make an important step toward its future by joining the Grove Giving Circle.
Early next year, we will gather Grove Giving Circle friends to plant these palms in a memorial grove at the edge of the forest. Together we will honor William and Paula’s vision to expand and share their beloved garden, and bring needed support to The Merwin Conservancy at this vital moment.
Your gift through our Grove Giving Circle is an investment in our future. You will enable us to:
- Begin restoration and preservation of the Merwin house, dojo, potting shed, and caretaker’s cottage. These improvements will allow us to welcome visitors, accommodate artists and writers in residence, and integrate office space;
- Design and offer programs that enrich lives, in the garden and well beyond. Among these programs will be a residency program that nurtures the work of those who, like William, challenge us to see the possibilities of our world;
- Ensure that the land and beloved palms are tended in perpetuity, with the same care and attention that William and Paula devoted to their garden.
Early next year, we will welcome you in the garden to plant a palm in honor of your gift and stewardship. Your palm will be labeled with your name, and will be recognized long into the future as a gesture of your commitment to William and Paula’s vision. As the Conservancy flourishes, so too will the Grove of palms we plant together to mark this occasion.
Please join us in the memorial Grove Giving Circle, and as a custodian of this extraordinary place. With your support, it will continue to thrive as a living expression of the imagination, and as a testament to what can happen when one person’s care for the world is put into action.
Membership in the Grove Giving Circle is a contribution of $15,000 or more, and can be made at one time or over three years. To learn more, please contact our Executive Director, Sonnet Coggins, at (808) 873-6196 or scoggins@merwinconservancy.org.
