News at Eleven: [W. S. Merwin] said that he always

looked to be taken by surprise--"surprise that it happens at all and surprise that it works and that it's complete." After writing several new poems, he continued, "I suddenly think there are quite a few poems and I want to see if they have any relation to each other and begin to see what order they might be in and see if they really come to a collection. I wouldn't make any rules about how it happens any more than you can do about what makes a birdsong complete or anything else."

from The New York Times: Paper Cuts: Pleased by His Pulitzer, Surprised by Poetry
also One Poet's Notes: W.S. Merwin Wins Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
also Peninsula Daily News: Port Townsend publisher's poet wins Pulitzer Prize

~~~~~~~~~~~