W.S. Merwin - April 6, Iyengar II & I

More than a year ago I went to Portland, OR for a Patricia Walden workshop. I believe I went to the amazing Powell’s Books 4 days in a row. I sent home a crate of books. Still making my way through the pile. This piece attracted my attention because I have lived most of my life in New Mexico. In all that time I have lived on a dirt road. For some bizarre reason that’s a point of pride. Merwin lived on a dirt road too, in Hawaii. The same and different!

To the Dust of the Road

And in the morning you are up again

with the way leading through you for a while

longer if the wind is motionless when

the cars reach where the asphalt ends a mile

or so below the main road and the wave

you rise into is different every time

and you are one with it until you have

made your way up to the top of your climb

and brightened in that moment of that day

and then you turn as when you rose before

in fire or wind from the ends of the earth

to pause here and you seem to drift away

on into nothing to lie down once more

until another breath brings you to birth