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October 14, 2010 • KR Blog • KR

Till There Is No Night: W.S. Merwin’s Writing Prompt For You

By Tyler Meier

Here is how a tongue becomes a bell.

Below is the text of a post post-script in a letter W.S. Merwin set to John Crowe Ransom in 1953. The occasion for the letter was both disappointment and business; Merwin was responding to the news that he had not received a fellowship from KR (he would receive it when he reapplied for the fellowship in 1954, along with a fiction writer named Flannery O’Connor.)

The business was about a poem that Ransom had accepted for The Kenyon Review entitled “Canso.” You can find the published version in Autumn 1953 issue of KR, which has been scanned and is available via the KR archives on JSTOR.

But enough factual context. Here’s another truth: Below, in an ancient script, on brittle parchment, W.S. Merwin had given a writing prompt FOR YOU! Could you make a poem that follows the changes he’s specified here? Permission granted to skip the page/strophe/line directions he makes, but bonus points if you can make a poem that follows these changes exactly.

Post results!–either full poems, or just bits that could collaboratively complete the task with other’s help.

(Materials reprinted with permission of the Greenslade Special Collections and Archives at Kenyon College. Special thanks to Ethan Henderson.)

About the Program

The Kenyon Review Associates Program provides Kenyon students with valuable experience in literary editing, publishing, and programming. KR Associates work closely with Kenyon Review staff, gaining valuable experience in a number of editing, publishing, and programming areas including manuscript evaluation, publicity and marketing, copy editing, developing web site and social media content, outreach programming, event planning and promotion, and other creative and editorial projects

KR Associates attend regular seminars conducted by Kenyon Review editorial staff, visiting readers, and publishing industry professionals. These seminars cover a wide range of topics including editorial philosophy, evaluation of submissions, print and electronic production, marketing, and design.

KR Associates also enjoy exclusive access to visiting writers and speakers, free issues of The Kenyon Review, and valuable work experience and employment references.

This program is made possible through an initiative of the Kenyon Review, part of the mission of which is to contribute to the enrichment of the academic, cultural, and artistic life of the Kenyon College community.

Requirements and Expectations

  • Submission Evaluation: All Associates are required to read and evaluate eight Kenyon Review submissions per week. Associates who are not able to complete their weekly submission assignments for more than two weeks in a row may not be allowed to continue in the program.
  • Trainings and Seminars: In-person attendance is mandatory at all trainings and seminars. We plan on scheduling six to eight seminars per semester, and most will take place on Thursdays during common hour.
  • Literary Engagement: Associates are expected to participate in literary events on campus and throughout the local community.

Application Details

Applications for the Associates Program are accepted each fall. Kenyon students will receive more information about the program and a link to the application via campus email near the beginning of the fall semester.

Questions? Please contact Jamie Lyn Smith for more information.

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