David, while I don't agree that density is the definition of poetry, it's certainly a frequent characteristic of the good stuff. And you're right that this poem has it, as so many of Merrill's do. For me there's a sense that I'm overhearing a monologue, maybe even a train of thought, and can only guess at the context. Yet the context is so strongly implicit that the poem's weight isn't lessened by my not knowing the specifics.
Richard
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