Teachers
Pain is in this dark room like many speakers
of a costly set though mute
as here the needle and the turning
the night lengthens it is winter
a new year
what I live for I can seldom believe in
who I love I cannot go to
what I hope is always divided
but I say to myself you are not a child now
if the night is long remember your unimportance
sleep
then toward morning I dream of the first words
of books of voyages
sure tellings that did not start by justifying
yet at one time it seems
had taught me
***
Hello Friends,
“Teachers” is from The Carrier of Ladders (1970) by W.S. Merwin, one of the most punctuation-free poets.
When The Carrier of Ladders won the Pulitzer Prize in 1971, Merwin donated 100% of the prize money (all $1,000) to anti-war efforts.
Enjoy.
Ellen
Poems by W.S. Merwin were also featured for Poem-a-Day April 7, 2007; Poem-a-Day April 9, 2009; and Poem-a-Day April 16, 2010.