Bert Swope
Inside this pencil
— W. S. Merwin
couch words that have
never been written
never been spoken
never been thought
they’re hiding.
The concept of the poem “The Unwritten”.
The poem, “Inside this pencil couch words that have never been written, never been spoken, never been thought, they’re hiding,” seems to express the idea that within a pencil, there is a reservoir of untapped thoughts, ideas, and expressions that have yet to be revealed or shared with the world. It suggests the potential for new and unexplored concepts exists within the instrument.
By using the word “couch,” the quote may imply that the words are concealed or lying dormant within the pencil, waiting to be brought forth through writing. The repetition of “never been written, never been spoken, never been thought” emphasizes that these words are completely original and have not been expressed in any form.
The poem conveys the idea of untapped creativity and the limitless possibilities within the human mind, symbolized by the pencil. It suggests an entire world of unexplored ideas is waiting to be discovered and shared with others.
