James Merrill (1926-95) is about as decorated as an American poet can be, having won the Pulitzer and National Book Award, among countless others. Known by many and praised by almost as many as the consummate stylist, whose intelligent and beautiful poems come from an experienced and virtuosic sense of art, "The Victor Dog" is an example of his deep whimsy and wide-ranging aesthetic. Ange Mlinko has written a wonderful guide to the poem at The Poetry Foundation, and if nothing else, a reading of this lovely poem should send you to your vinyl collection or Spotify for a bit...
For those interested in a deeper dive into James Merrill's life and art, Langdon Hammer's recent biography of the poet is wonderful, and Merrill's papers are housed at Washington University in St. Louis.
For those interested in a deeper dive into James Merrill's life and art, Langdon Hammer's recent biography of the poet is wonderful, and Merrill's papers are housed at Washington University in St. Louis.
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