The Youngstown Vindicator

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO

September 26, 1941

Mr. Robert Penn Warren
The Southern Review
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, La.

Dear Mr. Warren:

Your note, with the enclosure of the "Atlantic Poems" and "Walden" was forwarded to me from Boston, where I no longer reside. The above is my new address.

This letter may surprise you -- pleasantly, I hope. After reading your note, I wrote to Poetry, where I have appeared fairly frequently in the past, and asked for a release of the "Atlantic Poems". Mr. Dillon very kindly understood my reasons for the request. I have never appeared in the *Southern Review*, and should like to.

Therefore I'm returning the "Atlantic Poems" to you, since I gathered from your note that only their earlier disposition prevented you from accepting them. I hope -- needless to say -- that you will take them now.

Perhaps you'll let me know about this very soon, to clear up the matter.

## IV. THE GRAVES -11c lv#

Now the sea moved without torsion, and the long
Synchronous swell ran out towards Europe under
Sky's breastal evening bones: two stars
Lit brittle semaphores through space, the acronic
Hush: and the tide's vast thrashing body hung
In dye of lights. Hear the wind, hear
Its basso requiem over toss, slap, splitting collision
Waves make: trough and vortex lost, white crater
Boiling in ferment. But the stone needle reared
On spouting ledges, riveted to rock, sewed sea to heaven.
Somewhere beyond its light the sounding whale
Crashed slowly down to silt; beam scrutinized
The mile of silence, pointed the last smudge ship
North past Gloucester. Blink, the metronome
Timed riptide's music, and a white burn graved
Night sea's long agitated throat through mist: but now
Strength-sure, two stars and lighthouse formed a trinity.

—William Fitzgerald—