Heading] Reflections in a Square added above title then del
Title Debate] Reconciliation (uncertain reading) ms1
1 down] up 1st reading
2] A blind old man groans and mutters 1st reading
3 ^ 4] four- or five-line space with pencil marks as though for a couplet ms1
6 The] In the 1st reading
9 One sits] Sits one 1st reading
10 the blind inconscient] their every leering 1st reading ‖ their disconcerting 2nd reading
11] A score of houses that exude 1st reading, not del leering] battered 1st reading houses] housefronts alt
12 turpitude] conscious turpitude 1st reading with leering above conscious but ringed to move to 11 ‖ conscient turpitude 2nd reading
14] That are hinting: “Accept this position”— 1st reading
17 wheeze] wheeze. March Hare (error)
22 eye] brain 1st reading
23 brain] intellect 1st reading
24 Nor distils] Will not distil 1st reading
26] The muddy emphasis of sense! alt
27] 1st reading, after which readings proliferated:
Eternal. Here’s
Cosmic, immense
marginal alts cosmic] 1st reading del ‖ indifferent / careless 2nd reading alts ‖ callous further alt, ringed to move to replace enormous
28] following 25 there had been a version of this line, erased: [indecipherable] goes on posting bills.
29 soul] sanctuary of the soul 1st reading soul] 1st and final reading ‖ brain alt del And always come] originally a new line
30–31] The street pianos through the trees | Whine and wheeze. 1st reading ‖ Whine and wheeze | And street pianos through the trees 2nd reading
36 Absolute! complete] a line looped under these two words idealist] with “assist” (see 40)
[Poem I 239–40 · Commentary I 1085–88]
37 supersubtle] supersensitive 1st reading
38 (Conception] (No 1st reading
40 the] thy 1st reading
44] And life evaporating in a smile 1st reading
49 Defecations] or desquamations added (presumably as alt)
Easter: Sensations of April
Published in March Hare. Part II had appeared in Letters (1988), with a facsimile of the page from the Notebook.
ms1 (Berg): part [I]: Notebook 14; title and first three lines in blue ink, then twelve lines in pencil, the final one deleted. Part II: leaf laid into Notebook; pencil. It is unclear whether (a) the poem was to begin and end with lines about “The little negro girl”; or (b) TSE, when he took up his pencil, started the poem again with “Geraniums” and concluded by adapting what had been the opening; or (c) at the end he was starting the poem again, in revision. The move from ink to pencil is germane. In favour of (b), beginning with “Geraniums” and the heat, is the parallel then with the beginning of part II, with “Daffodils” and the heat. In favour of (a) is the fact that TSE did not delete the opening lines about “The little negro girl”, or delete—as possibility (c) would have asked—the first twelve lines.
after [I] 14] She is very sure of God. ms1 del
Ode (“For the hour that is left us Fair Harvard”)
Published in Harvard Class Day, programme of events for Commencement Day, 24 June 1910, and in Harvard Advocate the same day. Also published in Boston Evening Transcript and Boston Evening Herald. Repr. in Adv 1948, Undergrad. Poems, Early Youth 1950+.
No ms or ts known.
Text as Harvard Advocate and Early Youth 1950+.
Title] The Ode Harvard Class Day
Author’s name] not Adv 1948
1 us Fair] us, fair Harvard Class Day
7 From the] The Harvard Class Day
8 past as we] past, as we Harvard Class Day ‖ past we Adv 1948, Undergrad. Poems
9 these years] the years Harvard Class Day
[Poems I 240–42 · Commentary I 1088–93]
Silence
Published in March Hare.
ms1 (Berg): Notebook 9. Blue ink. No variants
Mandarins
Published in March Hare.
ms1 (Berg): Notebook 10–13; blue ink with pencil additions. Each part begins on a new page.
1 7 Of] For 1st reading
3 4 nose;] nose— 1st reading
3 8] bracketed probably for reconsideration ‖ Attentive intuitionist alt del idealist] intellectualist alt del
4 2 Though] But 1st reading
4 3] How few (of even those who think) 1st reading ‖ But few (of even those who think) 2nd reading
4 4] Are conscient of what they mean. 1st reading ‖ Arrange and comprehend the scene. 2nd reading ‖ Arrange their outlines on the screen 3rd reading
4 5 find] think 1st reading
4 7 demoiselles] stately dames 1st reading ‖ all our dames 2nd reading (second word uncertain, third word del)
Goldfish (Essence of Summer Magazines)
Published in March Hare.
ms1 (Berg): Notebook 18–21, black ink and pencil; plus excised leaf in pencil only (supplying IV 18–37; Beinecke). Parts III and IV finally all cancelled.
I 12] For meanings that we not discern. 1st reading ‖ For meanings we cannot discern. 2nd reading
II 1 its] his 1st reading
II 9 must] should 1st reading
[Poems I 243–47 · Commentary I 1093–1104]
II 10 should] do 1st reading
III 5 eternal] immortal 1st reading
III 21–22] Bays and rose. 1st reading (one line)
IV 7 which October] all the answ 1st reading (uncertain) ‖ all the senses (?) March Hare
IV 9 headed] labeled 1st reading
IV 10] opening quotation marks apparently not closed. Along] Among 1st reading (uncertain)
IV 14] added winds] waves 1st reading
IV 19 beg] humbly beg ms 1st reading
IV 29 At] And 1st reading (uncertain)
IV 36 —I am off] And lay my course 1st reading
IV 37] one or two indecipherable words written above street may be off for from the previous line
Suite Clownesque
Published in March Hare.
ms1 (Berg): Notebook 24–27, plus excised leaf (supplying the last line of III and the whole of IV; Beinecke); black ink. Fragments (“There was a jolly tinker came across the sea”) appears on the verso.
Title] Suite 1st reading
I 8 Impressive] Infinite alt, with both readings apparently del, but sceptic not accordingly capitalised
I 9 The most] Most 1st reading expressive, real] ringed
I 11 without] that lacks 1st reading
I 13 Just while he] The while the 1st reading
I 18 still continue] are always 1st reading
II 4] brackets added
II 8 stools] a stool 1st reading
II 15 When] written over And (uncertain reading)
III 10 time] world 1st reading
III 11] Improvement on the high sublime 1st reading
III 12 in] at 1st reading
III 12 ^ 13] Seen from the depths of a New York street, added then del
III 14 It’s] Its ms1
[Poems I 247–51 · Commentary I 1104–13]
III 16] erroneously III 19 in March Hare (now corrected by Jayme Stayer) girls] little girls 1st reading
III 20] originally written 16 ^ 17, then bracketed, del and reinstated, with arrow indicating new position, perhaps replacing a line that had been added and del: (I’m such a rover)
III 21] with “?”
IV 3 smiling] Broadway 1st reading rattan] the rattan 1st reading
IV 9] not 1st reading
IV 10 And the] The 1st reading
IV 10 ^ 11] And del
IV 12 falls] leans 1st reading
IV 15] brackets added
The Triumph of Bullshit
Published in March Hare.
ms1 (Beinecke): leaf excised from Notebook. Dated Nov 1910.
1 Ladies] Critics 1st reading my attentions have] my 1st reading ‖ I have patiently 2nd reading
2 If you] Those who 1st reading are] too 1st reading
16 your] my 1st reading
16, 24, 28 Christ’s] Christs ms1
17 me unduely] I am merely 1st reading
21] Teddy bears carnivorous, engines califerous 1st reading
23 only] merely 1st reading
26 Theories scattered] guests star-scattered 1st reading ‖ Theories, star-scattered alt ‖ Theories, scatter scatteredly 2nd reading
27 Take up my good intentions] Then take my good intentions 1st reading ‖ Take up this set of verses 2nd reading
28] You have the right to stick them up my ass. 1st reading
Fourth Caprice in Montparnasse
Published in March Hare.
ms1 (Berg): Notebook 5; black ink.
Title Montparnasse] North Cambridge 1st reading
[Poems I 251–53 · Commentary I 1113–16]
6 mass] mess perhaps
10 unpaid] all their 1st reading
12 derided.] derided, chided; ms1
13] not 1st reading
15] But why] Why 1st reading
after 15] 1st reading:
The world is full of journalists,
And full of universities.
with And ringed ‖ 2nd reading:
And the world is full of journalists,
Full of universities.
then all del
Inside the gloom
Published in March Hare.
ms1 (Berg): pencil on the verso of a loose leaf accompanying Notebook. Couplets are scattered down and across the page, and then numbered for reordering.
1 gloom] tomb 1st reading
2 garret] furnished 1st reading
4 Took up] Assumed alt
5–6] before 3–4, then transposed
7 Scorpion] scorpion 1st reading
11–12] added
13 Major Bear] dancing bear 1st reading. (TSE may have intended to delete The when making the revision.)
14 Balanced] Stood on 1st reading
15–16] added
15 direction] effect alt
16 intellection] intellect alt
18 scheme] notion (or perhaps nature ?) 1st reading
19 too] then 1st reading
21 while the debate was rife] with a fork and knife alt
25 Said] Cried 1st reading all] del and restored
27 So they] They 1st reading
[Poems I 253–55 · Commentary I 1116–19]
Entretien dans un parc
Published in March Hare.
ms1 (Berg): Notebook 39–40; black ink.
Title] Situation 1st reading
1–2] TSE’s square brackets
4 uncertainties] certain uncertainties 1st reading
13 as if, perhaps,] perhaps as if 1st reading
26 broken] 1st and final reading ‖ tumbling (doubtful reading; possibly trembling) 2nd reading
34 opening out] laying out / laying open alts
Interlude: in a Bar
Published in March Hare.
ms1 (Berg): Notebook 48. Pencil.
Bacchus and Ariadne: 2nd Debate between the Body and Soul
Published in March Hare.
ms1 (Berg): loose leaf of lightweight wove typing paper, accompanying Notebook; formerly folded together with The smoke that gathers blue and sinks. Pencil, with some readings doubtful.
Title] preceded by Fragment (overlooked by March Hare). See textual headnote to He said: this universe is very clever. Ariadne:] Ariade ms1
3 might have broken] might have happened / should have broken! alts
4 unknown] suppressed 1st reading
5 drums] floods 1st reading
8 insights] incidents 1st reading ‖ intuitions alt marched] moved 1st reading (uncertain)
11] The life that breathed across had left no trace 1st reading, with life revised to wind wind] winds March Hare (error)
12] The world began again its even slow 1st reading ‖ I saw the world begin again its slow 2nd reading ‖ And I saw that Time began again its slow 3rd reading
13 Attrition] Rasping 1st reading (uncertain)
[Poems I 256–58 · Commentary I 1119–24]
14 burst] spring alt del pure] fresh and pure 1st reading
15 triumph] alt to a deleted word possibly victory (although it is also possible that triumph was intended as alt to it is and that the deletion leaves the line Surprised, but knowing—triumph unendurable to miss!) unendurable] not endurable March Hare (with “unendurable perhaps”)
15 ^ 16] For purity is not del
16] To have found free the purity that springs 1st reading
18 meditates] underlined with “?”
18, 19] originally in reverse order
20 sure] 1st and final reading ‖ sure that 2nd reading like] not 1st reading
The smoke that gathers blue and sinks
Published in March Hare.
ms1 (Berg): loose leaf of lightweight wove typing paper, accompanying Notebook; formerly folded together with Bacchus and Ariadne: 2nd Debate between the Body and Soul. Pencil.
7 die] stop 1st reading
7 ^ 8] Machinery del
8 Stifled] Choaked up 1st reading. TSE continued to be uncertain of this spelling, writing “choaked” in a letter to Robert Waller, 21 Sept 1942, before emending to “choked”.
12 Some attraction?] Here’s the attraction 1st reading
21 that’s quite] that ought to be 1st reading
He said: this universe is very clever
Published in March Hare.
ms1 (Berg): loose leaf of lightweight wove typing paper, accompanying Notebook. Pencil, with “Fragment” written diagonally in the top right-hand corner and a head sketched upside down. Paper and writing match Bacchus and Ariadne: 2nd Debate between the Body and Soul. The indenting of even numbered lines to 12 is imprecise but probably intentional, although March Hare indents only 2.
3 goes on working out its law] has its Place in Life alt
5 it is] it’s 1st reading
6 like a syphilitic] with flattened (perhaps for flattened like or as alt to syphilitic) syphilitic] spongy 1st reading (uncertain) ‖ bloated 2nd reading
[Poems I 258–59 · Commentary I 1125–27]
8 ourselves] our lives 1st reading (uncertain)
8 ^ 9] TSE’s rule
9 “this] they 1st reading ‖ “that alt
10 on officechairs] upon [indecipherable] chairs 1st reading ‖ in wearing out of chairs alt del
12 six abysmal] three unending alt del
Interlude in London
Published in March Hare (facsimile 99).
ms1 (Berg): Notebook 7; black ink.
10 broken] timid / furtive alts del (uncertain readings)
Ballade pour la grosse Lulu
Published in March Hare.
ms1 (Beinecke): leaf excised from Notebook. Dated July 1911. The stanzas are arranged in a square and were numbered subsequently:
I IV
III II
That is, the order of composition was probably I, III, IV, II. They are printed according to the roman numerals. Stanzas I and IV were finally cancelled. The first line of each stanza was originally “The papers give an interview”; when TSE revised it to “The Outlook …”, he made the consequential change to “gives” in 1 but neglected to do so in the other stanzas.
ms McCouch (Huntington): st. II only, on the notepaper and in the hand of Conrad Aiken’s friend Dr. Grayson P. McCouch. A note in another hand adds that it is “from a letter to C. A. which he sent on to McCouch”.
1 Outlook gives] papers give ms1 1st reading
6 call,”] call;” March Hare (error)
7 But, My Lulu] But, I say ms1 1st reading
10 Booker T.] Edward Bok ms1 1st reading
11–12] Called 50 kinds of Irish Stew | And “How to fill a Christmas Sock” ms1 1st reading
11 Stew!
”] Stew ms1, ms McCouch
12 Or “How] Or How ms McCouch nigger free!”] Nigger free” ms McCouch
13 papers say “the] Outlook said the ms McCouch
[Poems I 259–61 · Commentary I 1128–31]
14 Key,] Key ms McCouch stall.”] stall ms1 ‖ stall. ms McCouch
15 My Lulu “Put] I say “Put ms1 1st reading ‖ I say: put ms McCouch
16 Whore House Ball!”] whore house ball! ms McCouch
23 My Lulu] I say ms1 1st reading
The Little Passion: From “An Agony in the Garret”
Published in March Hare.
ms1 (Berg): leaf laid into Notebook (with 17–21 on verso). Pencil. The hand resembles that of poems from Paris, 1911. (In March Hare, this draft, beginning “Of those ideas in his head”, is printed beneath ms2 rather than in the textual apparatus.)
ms2 (Berg): Notebook 52. Black ink. No variants. The hand resembles that of poems of 1914–15 (Afternoon, Suppressed Complex and Morning at the Window). Presumably TSE’s distillation of ms1, “Of those ideas in his head”.
Text from ms2.
Title] not ms1
ms1:
Of those ideas in his head
Which found me always interested
Though they were seldom well digested—
I recollect one thing he said
5
After those hours of streets and streets
That spun around him like a wheel
He finally remarked: “I feel
As if I’d been a long time dead.”