Christopher Merrill Livres

A striking new collection by a poet W.S. Merwin calls gifted, audacious, and accomplished. schovat popis

Exploring profound existential questions, the author delves into the interplay of terror, modernity, and tradition through three insightful essays. He examines a banned ritual in Malaysia, retraces Saint-John Perse's historical journey from Beijing to Ulan Bator, and reflects on his travels across the Levant amidst the backdrop of recent American wars. Merrill posits that human actions—ceremony, expedition, and war—shape history and suggests that current political, environmental, and social shifts signal the transition from one era to another.

Chronicling ten journeys to the Balkans between 1992 and 1996, this work blends travelogue, war reportage, and a personal narrative. It offers a deeply introspective look at the impact of war on the imagination while exploring the poetry, politics, and culture of the region. Through vivid descriptions, the author provides a compelling portrait of the people and landscapes of the former Yugoslavia, shedding light on the complexities of their history and the ongoing struggles faced by these war-torn lands.

Necessities is a meditation on the deepest promptings of the spirit that could be discovered through language.

Set against the backdrop of war-torn Ukraine, this poem captures a deeply personal journey intertwined with historical events. Written by Christopher Merrill on his 65th birthday, it reflects on the immediate impact of conflict, particularly the devastation in Mariupol. The speaker, a self-aware Westerner, grapples with his role in promoting democracy and civil society amidst the chaos. With its poignant exploration of war crimes and self-reflection, the work stands as a significant contribution to the English-language discourse on Ukrainian history, complemented by Nina Murray's translation.

The richly imagined fables, vignettes, and prose poems of Flares reveal the elementary strangeness of this world.

Was sind die Notwendigkeiten? Eine Folge von Prosagedichten, die sich lesen, als wären Texte von Jack London durch Arthur Rimbaud und Charles Baudelaire gemeinsam neu geschrieben worden. Die Gedichte geben vor, von zukünftigen Zeiten zu berichten, stießen einem die Verweise und Anspielungen nicht immer wieder auf scheinbar Vergangenes, um den Leser plötzlich in manches Unangenehme der Gegenwart hineinzujagen. Und doch ist alles eine Art Theater, vielleicht eine Maskerade, eine Inszenierung? Die Poetik erinnert an einiges, was sich in der östlichen Lyrik nach dem Krieg entwickelt hat und verbindet sich mit einigen Gewohnheiten des altmodischen Surrealismus. Die wiederkehrenden Motive bildenden das strukturierende Prinzip und legen den Verdacht nahe: das Gesagte müsse immer wieder neu formuliert werden, weil es sich der sprachlichen Festlegung entzieht. Die innere Verwandtschaft zu „Paysage Moralisé“ von W. H. Auden ist unübersehbar.