James Merrill
He crafted exquisite, formal lyrics before embarking on a breathtaking metaphysical epic, channeling otherworldly voices through a Ouija board to explore the universe's mysteries.
1926–1995 (age 69)·American poet·Birthday: March 3·The Greatest Generation
Biography
James Merrill wrote with a jeweler's precision and an astronomer's ambition. The son of a founding partner of Merrill Lynch, he was born into immense wealth, a background that provided the leisure for his art but also the complex emotional material he would mine. His early poetry was celebrated for its flawless technique, wit, and emotional restraint—masterful works that seemed to capture life in a perfect, shimmering snow globe. Then, in mid-life, he and his partner David Jackson began experimenting with a Ouija board. What began as a parlor game evolved into a two-decade project, 'The Changing Light at Sandover,' a sprawling, cosmic poem dictated by otherworldly spirits. This astonishing work, which won the National Book Award, fused autobiography, mythology, and science in a quest for cosmic truth. Merrill thus produced two separate, monumental bodies of work: one a testament to human craft, the other a daring voyage into the unknown, securing his place as one of the most inventive and visionary poets of the American century.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
James was born in 1926, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When James Was Born
The biggest hits of 1926
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
James's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1926Born
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1931Started school
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1939Became a teenager
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Could drive
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1944Could vote
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Turned 21
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1956Turned 30
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 40
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 50
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 60
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1995Died at 69
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
Key Achievements
- Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1977 for his collection 'Divine Comedies.'
- Wrote the epic trilogy 'The Changing Light at Sandover,' a 560-page poem based on Ouija board communications, which won the National Book Award.
- Received the first Bobbitt National Prize for Poetry from the Library of Congress in 1988.
- His early collection 'Nights and Days' won the National Book Award in 1967.
Did You Know?
He used part of his inheritance to establish the Ingram Merrill Foundation, which granted funds to writers and artists.
He was fluent in French and Italian and lived for extended periods in Greece and Connecticut.
His father, Charles Merrill, was the co-founder of the Merrill Lynch financial firm.
The poet and critic John Hollander called 'The Changing Light at Sandover' 'the most remarkable long poem of our time.'
“The world is the mirror of myself dying.”
