<DIV>Reflecting 50 years of friendship, these letters record a lively conversation between two equally strong female writers; both relished the play and beauty of words, and their first and most powerful link was through poetry. Within their correspondence—which encompasses lovers, husbands, children, books, art, writing, music, politics, gardens, and travel—there is joy and sadness, chaos and loneliness, success and failure, gossip and philosophy. More than 300 of their letters have survived, providing a rare and deeply moving insight into a long-standing female friendship.</DIV>