James Merrill

The simplest science book is over my head.

In life, there are no perfect affections.

Knowing some Greek helped defuse forbidding words - not that I counted much on using them. You'll find only trace elements of this language in the poem.

Two more years were to go by before I knew anything about William Blake. Many years later, when his wife died, my godfather gave me the two books as a remembrance.

In big science, the role of the individual scientist must be carefully preserved. So is the one of original ideas and of contributions.

You can't please everyone, and trying to is the kiss of death. I don't care about Wayne Newton's demographics. When I do, I'll know that it's time to quit.