The Merwin Conservancy presents Edward Hirsch, Jane Hirshfield, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Kevin Young in the Green Room. These renowned poets and tireless poetry advocates convene for an evening dedicated to the life and literary legacy of W.S. Merwin, concluding the Memorial Series of the Merwin Conservancy's popular Green Room arts and ecology salons.
Three of the evening’s guests are returning Green Room alumni: Edward Hirsch, poet, educator, and devoted poetry advocate spoke at the “90th Birthday Tribute to W.S. Merwin” edition in September 2017; Jane Hirshfield, poet and translator, was a presenter in 2016; Naomi Shihab Nye makes her third return to the series, this time as the “Young People’s Poet Laureate,” appointed to the post in 2019 by the Poetry Foundation.
Joining these alumni in the Green Room for the first time is The New Yorker poetry editor Kevin Young, who also directs the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and is widely considered one of the leading poets of his generation.
All four poets will read from their own work, and will also read and reflect on selections from W.S. Merwin’s prolific career as a poet and translator in this evening held in his memory. A 42-year Maui resident and fierce advocate for the environment, W.S. Merwin died on March 15th, 2019 at his home in Ha‘iku.
The presentation will be followed by a book-signing at a courtyard reception with refreshments.