Tom Swift Writer’s Notebook

I have read this poem several times and each time I do my reaction is no less acute. After this morning’s rereading I tried to figure out why. An obvious explanation — the father-son relationship — is not right, as mine is not this one. Merwin’s ability, as brilliant as is his ability, to make me feel as though I know these men is ample reason, but not a full answer. Instead I’m taken by how this string of short lines of small words subtly and powerfully shows one of the saddest things in life — human beings unable to hold one another close.

This post was added on Monday, July 28, 2008 by Tom Swift at 12:07 and is filed under Reading Material.