The past 20 months have been very painful for me. Although I do everything I need to do and am required to do to be part of society, the very core of my individuality is shaken, and I die a little every day, as such moments come uninvited at times, over which I have no control. 

These days, I often hum a three-line poem by WS Merwin.

William J. Dean had introduced me to William Stanley Merwin (1927 – 2019), who was his friend, but only after the poet's death. He was sad and wrote about his ‘dear friend’.

Dean was impressed with “the much-married poet because he was a highly skilled translator of Spanish, French, Latin, Italian, Sanskrit, Yiddish, and Japanese.” 

This American poet authored over 50 books of poetry and prose, as well as numerous translations. 

His work was shaped by Buddhist philosophy and deep ecology. He also served as the 17th United States Poet Laureate. Merwin participated in the anti-war movement and composed poems addressing the Vietnam War. 

Merwin appeared in the PBS documentary The Buddha. The book ‘The Essential W. S. Merwin’ traces the seven-decade legacy of Merwin's poetry.

Dean was a regular visitor to his Merwin Conservancy, dedicated to preserving his 18-acre restored property in Haiku, which was transformed from an agricultural wasteland and is renowned worldwide for its biodiverse palm collections.

In the poem “Separation” I am sharing here, Merwin captures the aftermath of parting and the relentless associations that persist after separating from a loved one. 

The simple, heartrending three lines express me far better.

Your absence has gone through me
Like thread through a needle.
Everything I do is stitched with its color.