[A. E. Stallings]

I admire much of Merrill, particularly the exquisite early poems, but must confess I've never read the longer narrative ouija stuff (a failure of attention span?). I have only the most superficial familiarity with <u>The Changing Light at Sandover</u> (flipping through it at bookstores or libraries), and have only read snatches. (And it would be impossible to lay my hands on it here--so perhaps next time in the States will buy a copy. Now that it has Gail's imprimitur, it sounds much more interesting!)

I must say that Ephraim sounds like a character straight out of Cavafy. And of course, Cavafy was a big influence on Merrill.