The Merwin Conservancy

Inspiring innovation in the arts and sciences by advancing the ideas of W.S. Merwin

The Shadow of Sirius

“Good Night” by W.S. Merwin

By

GOOD NIGHT


Sleep softly my old love
my beauty in the dark
night is a dream we have
as you know as you know

night is a dream you know
an old love in the dark
around you as you go
without end as you know

in the night where you go
sleep softly my old love
without end in the dark
in the love that you know

– W.S. Merwin, from his Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Shadow of Sirius (2008, Copper Canyon Press). Used by permission of the publishers.

Copyright © 2008 by W. S. Merwin.

To browse through our archive of previously posted Poems of the Week, click here.

To support the preservation of W.S. Merwin’s legacy and our efforts to preserve his living legacy for future generations, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to The Merwin Conservancy.

Featured photo by Mark Hillary used under Creative Commons license CC BY 2.0.

“Lights Out” by W.S. Merwin

By

Photo by Karen Bouris

LIGHTS OUT

 

The old grieving autumn goes on calling to its summer
the valley is calling to other valleys beyond the ridge
each star is roaring alone into darkness
there is not a sound in the whole night

 

– W.S. Merwin, from his Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Shadow of Sirius (2008, Copper Canyon Press). Used by permission of the publishers.

Copyright © 2008 by W. S. Merwin.

To browse through our archive of previously posted Poems of the Week, click here.

To support the preservation of W.S. Merwin’s legacy and our efforts to preserve his living legacy for future generations, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to The Merwin Conservancy.

“Falling” by W.S. Merwin

By

Photo by Ferry Octavian
Photo by Ferry Octavian


FALLING

Long before daybreak
none of the birds yet awake
rain comes down with the sound
of a huge wind rushing
through the valley trees
it comes down around us
all at the same time
and beyond it there is nothing
it falls without hearing itself
without knowing
there is anyone here
without seeing where it is
or where it is going
like a moment of great
happiness of our own
that we cannot remember
coasting with the lights off

 – W.S. Merwin, from his Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Shadow of Sirius** (2008, Copper Canyon Press). Used by permission of the publishers. Copyright © 2008 by W. S. Merwin.

**Through September 30th, in celebration of the 10th Anniversary of The Shadow of Sirius and W.S. Merwin’s 91st birthday, receive this book as a free gift for making a donation of $75 or more. Learn more here. 

 

To browse through our archive of previously posted Poems of the Week, click here.

To support the preservation of W.S. Merwin’s legacy and our efforts to preserve his living legacy for future generations, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to The Merwin Conservancy.

Featured photo by Ferry Octavian used under Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

“Nocturne II” by W.S. Merwin

By

Perseid Meteor Shower
Photo of the Persieds by Tucker Hammerstrom

NOCTURNE II

August arrives in the dark

we are not even asleep and it is here
with a gust of rain rustling before it
how can it be so late all at once
somewhere the Perseids are falling
toward us already at a speed that would
burn us alive if we could believe it
but in the stillness after the rain ends
nothing is to be heard but the drops falling
one at a time from the tips of the leaves
into the night and I lie in the dark
listening to what I remember
while the night flies on with us into itself

 

– W.S. Merwin,  from his Pulitzer Prize winning book The Shadow of Sirius (Copper Canyon Press, 2009)

Photo used under Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic License.