The Moon Before Morning

The Moon Before Morning is W.S. Merwin's collection of poems published in 2014. The volume contains works written during his time living in Hawaii, where he maintained a palm tree sanctuary. The poems focus on nature, memory, and the passage of time across different locations and periods. Merwin writes about his experiences in Hawaii, France, and other places that shaped his perspective. The collection reflects themes of environmental preservation and humanity's relationship with the natural world. Through observations of plants, weather, and landscapes, Merwin explores mortality and permanence while questioning what remains after we are gone.

Readers note that Merwin's contemplative poems in this collection focus heavily on aging, nature, and memory. The straightforward language and lack of punctuation creates a meditative flow that many readers found engaging. Readers appreciated: - The accessibility of the language despite complex themes - Detailed observations of Hawaiian landscapes - Poems that deal with mortality without being depressing - The musical quality of the verses Common criticisms: - Some poems felt repetitive in theme and imagery - The lack of punctuation made certain passages hard to follow - A few readers found the tone too melancholic Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (124 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (11 ratings) One reader noted: "His descriptions of light, plants, and weather connect directly to deeper human experiences." Another commented: "The poems blend together too much due to similar themes and style."

Nine Horses by Billy Collins A collection of poems that shares Merwin's contemplative observations of nature and time's passage through accessible, image-rich language.

Given Sugar, Given Salt by Jane Hirshfield These meditative poems explore Buddhist philosophy and humanity's connection to the natural world through spare, precise language.

Time and Materials by Robert Hass The poems examine ecological concerns and personal memory with attention to the intersection of language and experience.

Migration: New and Selected Poems by W.S. Merwin This earlier collection presents Merwin's development as a poet through works that established his themes of environmental consciousness and temporal reflection.

The Wild Iris by Louise Glück Garden imagery and plant voices create a dialogue about existence and mortality in poems that echo Merwin's environmental focus.

🌙 W.S. Merwin wrote this collection in his mid-80s while living in Hawaii, where he cultivated one of the world's largest palm forests on a former pineapple plantation. 🖋️ The book's poems reflect Merwin's lifelong commitment to environmental conservation and his Buddhist practice, themes that became increasingly central to his later work. 🏆 Merwin served as U.S. Poet Laureate twice (1999-2000 and 2010-2011) and won nearly every major poetry prize, including two Pulitzer Prizes. 📝 The poems in this collection often appear without punctuation—a signature style Merwin adopted in the 1960s to create a more fluid, organic reading experience. 🌿 Many of the poems draw inspiration from Merwin's daily walks through his palm forest sanctuary, which contains over 2,740 individual palm trees representing more than 400 species.