James Merrill letter to Peter Hooten

Item

Merrill, James. 1986. “James Merrill Letter to Peter Hooten”. Series_I_Correspondence, James Merrill: Life and Archive, accessed February 11, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.wustl.edu/s/james-merrill-life-and-archive/item/38393

Title: James Merrill letter to Peter Hooten
Description: James Merrill letter to Peter Hooten written in Key West to be read when Hooten wakes up. Merrill is begging Hooten to "get a hold of [his] feelings" and states that "the only permitted feeling is loyal clear-eyed love." This is one of the first times Merrill addresses Hooten's anger and emotional outbursts in writing.
Subject: Merrill, James, 1926-1995
Creator: Merrill, James
Source: James Merrill Papers (MSS083) - Box 4, Folder 76
Date: 1986: January 5
Relation: Series_I_Correspondence; Exhibit Cases 9-10: Love and Death; James Merrill: Life and Art, pp. 688-9; See also Love and Death: Audiovisual and March 8, 1986 seance.
Language: English
Type: Correspondence
Identifier: JM_to_Peter_Hooten_Jan_5_1986_001 .jpg
Format: 1 Leaf. Recto.; 1 jpeg. 600 dpi.
Rights Holder: Washington University in St. Louis
Rights: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Item sets: Merrill; Merrill Life Archive

Site pages: Love and Death - Correspondence

Media: JM_to_Peter_Hooten_Jan_5_1986_001 .jpg