Typed Letter Signed, 1 Page, Oct. 17, 1986 to Valerie Gates Stevens

The poet-author has written a 50 line letter in response to Valerie Gates Steven who he knew in Michigan in the late 1920's, he even has a copy of her poem in "Poet Folio"'s final issue (May-June 1929). He reminds them of his poor friend Tony who had died of throat cancer. He then refers to his last published book of poems "In the Terrified Radiance" (Barzillier, 1972), and points to page 55 which memorializes his oldest and closest friend. He writes that he was died in 1908 and died in 1967. He then writes about Tony's extended family. He goes on to say he is glad she read his "My Friend, My Father" (1981) which he says was Leon Edel's idea and he is pleaded [Leon] wrote the introduction. He writes of her later poems which were never published, and kindly suggests that his own succes was largely luck. He notes his forthcoming "Robert Frost Himself" which is already in the bookstore though the release was supposed to be November 10 [a nearly three week pre-issue of his book]. He thinks she will find the Frost book much to her interest. Note: she had a correspondence with Frost, Wallace Stevens, and John Hall Wheelock (the latter who had written dozens of letters to her). Burnside now mentions that the Forst book will be of interest since it deals also with their mutual old friend Tony and someone she might have known at Michigan, Wade Van Dore. He writes it was largely through Tony and Wade that and what I call the 'Michigan network' that I learned so much of Frost in the years before I came to know him intimately. I was his friend and editor for the past five years of his life, and just before he died he urged me to write a book about him. He thought it was impossible but now the book is just out. He writes about his wife's surgery, he signs the letter Stanley and notes in a [p.s.] that his only living daughter is also named Valerie.