  | Poem forest : Poet W. S. Merwin and the palm tree forest he grew from scratch Author: Fountain, Carrie | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
The enchanting story of famed US Poet Laureate and ecologist W. S. Merwin, who planted nearly three thousand palm trees on his property in Hawaii, leaving as his legacy a wild space for everyone.
| Illustrator: | Turnham, Chris |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (08/01/22)
Booklist (08/01/22)
The Hornbook (00/09/22)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 08/01/2022 William Stanley Merwin became poet laureate of the U.S. in 2010. As a child, he lived in a town, but he always felt more at home where his family lived each summer, in a cabin within a forest. When he grew up, he moved to the Hawaiian island of Maui and bought property that was regarded as a wasteland. He built a house and began planting trees. Palm trees grew best there, so he planted more, at least one each day in the rainy season. Gradually, the soil recovered. Merwin and his wife continued to plant trees daily during the rainy season. Before his death, he gave the land to a conservancy that continues to tend the trees. Biographical information and Merwin’s short poem “Palms” are appended. Fountain relates Merwin’s poems’ effect on readers to his work healing the forest. Her precise, well-worded text is both dignified and accessible. Primarily using forms and colors found in nature, Turnham’s digital art creates a quiet tone while showcasing Merwin’s forest. An unusual picture-book biography of a poet-conservationist. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.
