STRING TOO SHORT TO BE SAVED

The poet (Exiles and Marriages (1955 Lamont Poetry Selection) and he ark Houses (1958) displays an affecting picture of New Hampshire and a dying way of life, seen through the years he spent with his grandparents during the summer. Through his grandfather's stories he learns of ancestors, relatives and neighbors, of the lives of casual waste; through the boy's eyes are loving views of the geography and topography of the country and the orderly life of a farm; there are experiences with the animals, a day of blueberrying and a sense of sanctuary. The boy grows older and realizes that the country is emptying, that the grandparents are mortal and that he -- and his children are sharing in a long history. Reflective and effective, this is also an affectionate tribute and family portrait, and a glowing landscape.