Thursday, December 15, 2022

Compasses in our hands

We are asleep with compasses in our hands.
~W. S. Merwin


For Poetry Friday, two poems by W.S. Merwin:


THE DAY

If you could take the day by the hand
even now and say Come Father
calling it by your own name
it might rise in its blindness with all
its knuckles and curtains
and open the eyes it was born with


TRAVELLING TOGETHER

If we are separated I will
try to wait for you
on your side of things

your side of the wall and the water
and of the light moving at its own speed
even on leaves that we have seen
I will wait on one side

while a side is there

**********************

Karen Edmisten has the Poetry Friday round-up. Thanks, Karen!

9 comments:

Linda Mitchell said...

What lovely poems to wake up to. I like thinking that I am the "you" in the poems that these beautiful sentiments are being shared with...someone to wait for me like that. Wow.

Patricia Franz said...


This is a beautiful pairing of poems, TAbatha... A day opening wide and an assurance of someone walking with another. Really touches my heart. Thank you.

jama said...

So lovely and thought provoking. I feel calmer, more centered now. Thanks!

jlcjbuzz said...

These are lovely poems, Tabitha. I like how they remind us (if we are lucky enough) that someone is always waiting. Love - it transcends all. As an aside, I scrolled down and saw your post on Hoar Frost! Love it! While visiting my parents, we had some Rime Ice and Hoar Frost in NY. The two phenomena are of great interest to me! And the beauty the frost creates doesn't hurt either! Thanks!

Michelle Kogan said...

Thank you Tabatha for both of Merwin's poems—I'm especially drawn to "Traveling Together" for it has such love, breath, and openness to another within it, and it does leave you with a sense of calm as Jama mentioned.

Mary Lee said...

The images Ada Limon has posted on IG of visiting The Merwin Conservancy in Hawaii have made me want to read more of his poems and learn more about his life. And now these two from you are reminding me to get going on this mission! Thank you!

Karen Edmisten said...

Oh, how I love Merwin. Thanks for this beautiful pairing. What a way to start my Saturday. ❤️ Thank you, Tabatha.

Susan T. said...

Thank you for starting the morning with these Merwin poems. Lovely. Do you know his book Garden Time? I just read it last summer, and hope to get my own copy.

mbhmaine said...

These are such lovely poems, Tabatha! Whenever I see Merwin's name, I know I'm in for a treat. I don't know why I haven't read more of his work...Thanks for sharing!