Ringing in the New Year with W.S. Merwin

[aquamarcia.livejournal.com]

Two options for the new year with W.S. Merwin: melancholy, or melancholy but hopeful. Happy New Year to everyone!


Another Year Come

I have nothing new to ask of you,
Future, heaven of the poor.
I am still wearing the same things.

I am still begging the same question
By the same light
Eating the same stone,

And the hands of the clock still knock without entering.

by W.S. Merwin


To the New Year

With what stillness at last
you appear in the valley
your first sunlight reaching down
to touch the tips of a few
high leaves that do not stir
as though they had not noticed
and did not know you at all
then the voice of a dove calls
from far away in itself
to the hush of the morning

so this is the sound of you
here and now whether or not
anyone hears it this is
where we have come with our age
our knowledge such as it is
and our hopes such as they are
invisible before us
untouched and still possible

by W.S. Merwin