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At Aunt Pearl’s kiss the pointed head
Extruded glistening pale red
From the jet sheath where it was housed
Looked like our Labrador, aroused.

This Issue

January 30, 1986

Image of the January 30, 1986 issue cover.
James Merrill

James Merrill (1926–1995) was an American poet whose major work The Changing Light at Sandover describes a series of spirit communications conducted over many years. He won the National Book Award from his collections Nights and Days and Mirabell: Books of Number.

This Issue

January 30, 1986

Image of the January 30, 1986 issue cover.

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