Extravagant Centrality

Abstract

James Merrill's work—whether poem or narrative or oeuvre—springs from the intuition that its subjects, ranging from the physical phenomena involved to the language expressing them, are intimately connected. His worldview and his poetics share a reticulated holism. His writing implies A. R. Ammons's insight that “reality is abob with centers: indeed there is / nothing but centers.” Italo Calvino defines that “reality” as “a system of infinite relationships between everything and everything else.” It is not surprising that among Merrill's chief techniques are epitome and oxymoron, fractal image and synecdoche, polarity and paradox. One paradox is that general ideas (like these) pale in comparison with sensory particulars embodying them. Other infrastructural polarities include depth and surface and labor and play. Merrill, who operates in the overlap of tragedy and comedy, would appreciate the fact that work and orgy come from one etym.