As I find my way back to getting words on paper, this poem by W.S. Merwin caught my eye this week. Enjoy. Then stop visit Tara, our host for the Poetry Friday Roundup at A Teaching Life.
by W. S. Merwin
Inside this pencil
crouch words that have never been written
never been spoken
never been taught
they're hiding
they're awake in there
dark in the dark
hearing us
but they won't come out
not for love not for time not for fire
even when the dark has worn away
they'll still be there
hiding in the air
multitudes in days to come may walk through them
breathe them
be none the wiser
what script can it be
that they won't unroll
in what language
would I recognize it
would I be able to follow it
to make out the real names
of everything
maybe there aren't
many
it could be that there's only one word
and it's all we need
it's here in this pencil
every pencil in the world
is like this
Tara host the Poetry Friday Roundup at A Teaching Life.
This is a lovely poem, Dori. I've used it often with my students, too. I hope you find lots of words inside your pencil!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda. I'd love to see you teaching this one to students. You're such a creative teacher.
DeleteOh, I love this poem too! Hadn't read in a while, and it's a perfect nudge for writers here in the new year. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteNudge, nudge, nudge. Write, write, write. ;) See you soon.
DeleteI don't know very much of Merwin's work, and some of his poems have left me wondering -- but this one is very accessible and I like it! Happy Writing to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jama. I need a few of your world peace cookies beside my pen and paper!
DeleteMmm, I hope my computer works the same as that pencil. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYes, ma'am. I had that same thought!
DeleteI love the idea of words hiding in pencils! Thanks for sharing this today.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. I hope you find some words hiding in yours.
DeleteThe words are clearly ready to come out of that boy's pencil. I hope they'll find their way out of yours soon, too.
ReplyDelete