EN
During his life in America Czesław Miłosz met numerous people, but few were more important to him than a man whom he saw only twice – Thomas Merton. Miłosz and Merton corresponded regularly for almost ten years (1959–1968) and their letters, published in Polish and English, display two great minds involved in a deep and sincere dialogue which reveals their most intimate thoughts as well as hopes and fears. Although close, the two remained independent in their thinking and free from false flatteries. The article presents their exchanges on political issues such as the Cold War, the Civil Right Movement or the communist Russia as well as the transformations in the Catholic Church initiated by the Second Vatican Council. Intriguing similarities between their biographies are also mentioned.