Customer Reviews

The Second Four Books of Poems: The Moving Target / The Lice / The Carrier of Ladders / Writings to an Unfinished Accompaniment

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I had read "The Carrier of Ladders" in a college class in the 1980s, and recall not being particularly impressed. Clearly, I wasn't ready for Merwin's supremely focused and near-mystical artistry. I purchased this collection recently after hearing a recording of Merwin reading "The Last One" from "The Lice." What is most remarkable is his ability to express the most complex thoughts in simple language, and often, in very short pieces. By that I mean, there are probably no words in any of these poems that would not be readily understood by an intelligent ten-year-old. Merwin's sentence structure and imagery, however, are of the highest order, and merit the most careful reading to fully absorb his meaning. The overall effect is so unique and astonishing, as to be akin to magic, especially in the later books when Merwin eschews punctuation. After reading these remarkable works, I have no doubt as to Merwin's place in the canon of great poets.

Merwin touches the universal with specifics. Merwin's book bears a simplicity lacking in much of what we do today. His word choice in these poems rarely indicates they were written in the 1970's, but the style is poignantly modern nonetheless. As subjects, Merwin takes nature, aging and friendships. He peppers these with haunting feelings of hollowness, biblical allusions, and the occasional phrase that I cannot reconcile to the poems containing it. With Merwin, though, I remains content and know that a little ambiguity at the edges will keep me returning to the poem year after year.

Well, nothing to say except "this is my all time
favourite book of poems". Mervin is the universe
on his own term.

Merwin's second books including the popular The Lice and the Pulitzer winning The carrier of Ladders. An introduction to Merwin writing without full-stops, commas but deep in pauses. Sometimes allegorical, definitely some of the poems especially in The Lice seem to have be written while on LSD but definitely intriguing. I think Carriers of Ladders possesses the most depth. His collection have poems in his books than other poetry collections but the poems are also much shorter seeking impact in brevity of statement. An interesting collection for maybe America's most renowned living poet.

Length:: 4:27 Mins

This poem represents Merwin at his insidious best, the conversational tone of the poem slowly leading to something imminently and undefinably dark, doom-laden. The poem was originally published in "The Lice" a book of poems written in the French countryside where, Merwin says, "I felt at once a profound attraction to the rural world in which I was living and a disquieting recognition of the fragility and uncertainty of my relation to it."

"The Last One" ominously conveys that disquiet.

I suggest reading on, because I have a small but appropriate few sentences to write about Merwin. I first came across Merwin when I was assigned to find a poet I liked who was still living for a poetry class. That is to say, not living for my poetry class in particular, but, a poet still alive, so my known favorites, Solomon of the Superlative Song, William Morris, Eugene Fields or Henry W. Longfellow, writers of, among other things nursey rhymes from my chldhood, nor John Keats fulfilled this alive requirement. As a result, I found myself looking to the song lyrics of the 60s and 70s I'd listened to growing up, my father being a pseudo-hippie, him not knowing that I was actually listening to the words. I say this because it is precisely this music which encouraged me to look into poetry. Unfortunately, my professor was not about to accept song lyrics from Jethro Tull or Queen, though members of the bands might still be living, which was good for me, or I never would have discovered Merwin. It was the first time I opened a book of poetry and found what I was feeling written the way I thought. Suddenly whatever feelings merely drifting at the edges of my subconscious which I had no real way of dealing with were right there on the page before me as though someone had read my mind. It was not eerie, at all, either -- it was just like being an adolescent and literally feeling one's feelings being relayed by rock and roll, or any kind of music for all the world to hear, and glad someone finally understood and was on your side. And so you go out and buy the tape, becasue it's like hearing a good friend's voice, perhaps one that relieves you of tension, or helps you formulate thoughts on the order of the world and your place in things, a friend to reassure and support you. That's what these poems are like, friends that you can read again and again, and be reassured that there is someone out there who understands you, and who can voice what you are thinking when you can't, and these revelations you can keep to yourself, or more likely share with the world, for everyone should have such a friend.

this book was like merwin pouring his heart and soul onto paper, evoked emotions and memories of long ago!