Song for Nobody: A Memory Vision of Thomas Merton

Ron Seitz is a poet who was befriended by Thomas Merton during the last 10 years Of Mertons life. He recorded this "memory vision" about Merton, and it is a delight. He wonders early on why Merton seeks him out and confides in him, then a series of meetings over the final 10 years of his life are explained, full of imagery and delightful wordplay between the two poets. Setz is firm in his belief that Merton was first and foremost a poet, and a poet of the first order, and this is where the initial identification tales place. They became so close that it was Seitz who drove Merton to the Louisville airport as he began his "Asian Journey" which eventually led to his all to early death in Thailand on Dec 10th, 1968. The volume is illustrated with many photographs by the author, and decribes some delightful anecdotal moments. Meton at a jazz club with the author and his wife, The author trying to impress Mertons publisher, the legendary j. laughlin of New Directions{and failing,miserably, until a wonderful musical moment brings it all together], merton and seitz meeting the wonderful minimalist poet {and Mertons best frind] Robert Lax, Merton doing an impromptu dance with Seitz three children around the dinner table to a Jimmy smyth organ piece,and toher such memories.Mention is made of the affair Merton had with margie Smith, a young nurse who attended him in a Louisville hospital after back surgery,without anything salacious... Seitz is a good writer,his memories are heartfelt and above all honest, and has honored his friend by this book. And us, too.

This is not a book to learn about Thomas Merton the thelogian, Thomas Merton the literary figure, or Thomas Merton the Catholic monk. In these pages, you learn from a close friend about Merton the human being.Seitz takes pains to recall Merton's gestures, speech patterns and poeticism so the reader can sense why the Trappist monk was an imposing world figure: because he lived and perceived the world in a remarkable, creative, insightful, intelligent, earthy, human way.But this is Seitz's book, not Merton's. By the final pages, you get a sense of what Seitz lost when Merton died in Bangkok, 1968. And through his sad remembrance, you feel what the world lost too.