FIRST POEMS

by James E. Merrill ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 8, 1950

Mr. Merrill uses a poet's palette of minutiae here -- birds, eyes, statues, sea shells, sands and a black swan. The images collected are hard, sharp, brilliant and the arrangement shows a clever wit and facile imagination. However, one has the feeling that the poet never really does touch the ground. Each poem is a glittering flight of attitudes, metaphors, and well-schooled phrases (excluding something like ""our poppied summers"" or ""spiral staircase of association""). Stimulating, with much handsome ado.

Pub Date: Jan. 8, 1950

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Knopf

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1950

Categories: NONFICTION