"Place" by W.S. Merwin p. 716

I think that this poem is one of passion. If you read the biography about Merwin and his strong feelings towards the earth, and conservation of the rain forests, I think it is apparent that he cares a lot about nature. This poem is not necessarily about the tree, or the last day of the world, but how the author feels about this day. The narrator of this poem is not sad, because on the last day on earth he will have the opportunity to see life among the "devastation" surrounding it. The narrator also feels a connection to the tree, and seems to be able to feel the water on the roots and the clouds passing through the leaves along with the tree. On the last day on earth, the author would want to have that feeling one more time, through the tree.