Poem Response #1: To Myself by W.S. Merwin

To Myself by W.S Merwin

Even when I forget you

I go on looking for you

I believe I would know you

I keep remembering you

sometimes long ago but then

other times I am sure you

were here for a moment before

and the air is still alive

around where you were and I

think then I can recognize

you who are always the same

who pretend to be time but

you are not time and who speak

in the words but you are not

what they say you who are not

lost when I do not find you

     To Myself by W.S. Merwin, is a man looking back and realizing he has lost who he really is and is trying to find himself again. The he remembers who he used to be and can still feel that part of himself inside while pretending to be something else. We see him struggling, noticing as he seems to be someone he isn't, "who pretend to be time but you are not time and who speak in the words but you are not what they say." He is searching for who he was, his true self, but have seemed to have lost who he was and can't find or pull himself to be how he used to. He continues to look for who he was and though the struggle it concludes with him not being able to grasp onto who he really was. This poem took awhile to understand as well as if they title is not read a different meaning may come from the poem. Without the title it could seem as if it was a relationship rather than a meaningful poem about himself. Over all, a very meaningful poem!