 At Gresham's School Medley was the friend of W. H. Auden, and first suggested that Auden might write poetry, although Medley did not know at the time that he had this effect.As described in his memoir, "Drawn from the Life", in his early years Medley believed he was heterosexual and therefore did not understand Auden's erotic intentions toward him until they spent a single weekend together after both had left school.Until he was seduced at 19, he recalled later, "I was still under the illusion that I was entirely heterosexual."