James Merrill's Divorce

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The poem is a description of James Merrill’s account of his childhood experience through his parents’ divorce. His words, while brief, provided thorough descriptions of his experiences. He describes his parents by taking the reader through specific details that tell of their activities. His dad seemed to enjoy the party life and women in the personal setting and professionally attempting to make history and a lot of money. His mother is described as a person who enjoys the party lifestyle but become weary of it. Merrill describes himself as being guarded and weighed down from the events of this divorce, even after his parents have died. His hope is that others will learn from his experience and not repeat the folly of his parents.
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