Some highlights from our annual board retreat last weekend which included a trip to Lyon Arboretum, a special event with poet and editor Kevin Young at the beautiful home of Breeze Giannasio and a day spent at the extraordinary Shangri La. Big mahalo to everyone who made this time together so special. (fb)

"A Black Kite" by W.S. Merwin These long cool days at the end of spring begin with a soundless blaze at sunrise above the distant rim of the valley all day clouds gather and clear again as I remember other cold springtimes here through the coming and going of years the losses the changes the long love come to at last with the river down there flowing through it all under the clear moment that never changed in all that time not asking for anything still the wren sings and the oriole remembers and every evening now a black kite glides low overhead coming from the upland alone not climbing the thermals not hunting not calling not busy about anything wings and tail scarcely moving as he slips out above the open valley filled with the long gold light before sunset sailing into it only to be there . . . From The Moon Before Morning (Copper Canyon Press, 2014) Copper Canyon Press #themerwinconservancy #wsmerwin #poetry #poetrydaily #readpoetry #poem #writingcommunity #poetrycommunity #poets #rain #poetrylovers #alwaysreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booksbooksbooks #currentlyreading #IGreads #read #may #spring #poemaday #birds #coppercanyonpress #naturepoem (fb)