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James Merrill letter to Hellen Ingram Plummer Typed letter from James Merrill to his mother Hellen Ingram Plummer, explaining the spirit Ephraim and what Merrill is learning about patrons, representatives, and other topics.
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James Merrill postcard to David Jackson This James Merrill postcard to David Jackson is one of the first mentions of Jackson in Merrill's Papers. The postcard was written shortly after they first met, and Merrill is wondering when he will see Jackson again.
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James Merrill letter to Hellen Ingram Merrill James Merrill letter to Hellen Ingram Merrill with a poem draft inspired by Hans Lodeizen, shortly after his death. This later turned into "The Country of a Thousand Years of Peace," a pastoral elegy that imagined a world "under the world."
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Hans Lodeizen silhouette and letter Hans Lodeizen silhouette with correspondence from Lodeizen to James Merrill on verso. The silhouette sat in Merrill's study for many years.
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James Merrill note to Leila "Zelly" Howard A childhood note Merrill wrote to Leila "Zelly” Howard, his governess. This note was among the collection of notes and artwork which Howard's daughter sent back to Merrill as a set in 1977, after Zelly died.
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"Lost in Translation" draft Fragmentary typescript and holograph drafts, dated October 12-15, 1972, with extensive annotations, toward one of Merrill's most highly-regarded poems. The finished poem, dedicated to Richard Howard, recounts Merrill as a boy in 1937 working with his multilingual governess on a jigsaw puzzle, which he uses as a metaphor for poetry, translation and memory.
