Merrill was known for the autobiographical element in his work and here, we are introduced to the over thirty years of Ouija board sessions that brought gods and ghosts into his and David Jackson's lives, and also into Merill's brilliant book length poem, The Changing Light at Sandover . Lurie suggests that Jackson's contribution to this work was so great that he might, in a sense, be recognized as Merrill's coauthor. Her account of Merrill and Jackson's long and inspired relationship with the supernatural and its tragic end will not only surprise many readers, but stand as a poignant memorial to her lost friends. These poems are the last polished, published works of a poet who took full advantage of his gifts and lived an observant, responsive, and loving life. In his fourteenth book of poetry, Merrill sees the world from unexpected vantage points and is bemused by the antics of cats and dogs, men, boys, and women.
Age is a surprise, music a blessing, the sea a magnet.
The tragic and the absurd are blown about together in a gritty whirlwind as science and politics distract us from the ancient sanctity of earth, and poetry reclaims it.