WS Merwin, Robert Graves and Rainer Maria Rilke explore the Wheel of the world, where there is no wheel. Broadcast LIVE Wednesdays, 10 AM on https://player.enlightenradio.org Hosts: Janet Harrison, John Case This Episode Recorded 12/06/2023
The Subject is Poetry
by HS Merwin
On the Subject of Poetry
I do not understand the world, Father.
By the millpond at the end of the garden
There is a man who slouches listening
To the wheel revolving in the stream, only
There is no wheel there to revolve.
He sits in the end of March, but he sits also
In the end of the garden; his hands are in
His pockets. It is not expectation
On which he is intent, nor yesterday
To which he listens. It is a wheel turning.
When I speak, Father, it is the world
That I must mention. He does not move
His feet nor so much as raise his head
For fear he should disturb the sound he hears
Like a pain without a cry, where he listens.
I do not think I am fond, Father,
Of the way in which always before he listens
He prepares himself by listening. It is
Unequal, Father, like the reason
For which the wheel turns, though there is no wheel.
I speak of him, Father, because he is
There with his hands in his pockets, in the end
Of the garden listening to the turning
Wheel that is not there, but it is the world,
Father, that I do not understand.
–W. S. Merwin, from his book The Dancing Bears
Our Blog Our Player Our Podcasts
questions, comments: jcase4218@gmail.com
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: March 21: Luck
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: February 14: Surprising Gifts
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: February 7: Visioning Valentine’s Day
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: January 31: Precious Things
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: January 24: Experiments
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: January 17: Technology 2
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: January 10: Technology
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: January 3: Moving on
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: December 27: Special People’ Special Times
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: December 20: Special People at Christmas Time
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: December 20: Special People at Christmas Time
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: December 13: Relocation, Moving On and New Space
Panel ‘discussion: What Ails US Democracy?
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: December 6: Dates important to nobody else.
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour:November 29: Research
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: November 22; Gratitude
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: November 15: Making Choices
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: November 8: Moving
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: November 1: Halloween Hijinks
Enlighten Radio: The Storytelling Hour: October 25: Embracing the New
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Just Dumb Enough Podcast
Voices of Misery Podcast
House of Whimsical Terror
Stuff You Should Know
Timcast IRL