Dan used the opening lines of T. S. Eliot's monumental poem, "The Waste Land": April is the cruellest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain.
Eliot's crafts envisoned a poem nearly twice as long as its final version, but Ezra Pound suggested severe cuts. For example, the famous opening lines (above) didn't appear until the typescript's 2nd page; the 1st page contained 54 lines that resembled what became the end of the poem's 2nd section. When the manuscript finally met Pound's approval he sent Eliot a letter that included "Sage Homme," a 48-line poem that began: These are the poems of Eliot By the Uranian Muse begot; A Man their Mother was, A Muse their Sire. How did the printed Infancies result From Nuptials thus doubly difficult? If you must needs enquire Know diligent Reader That on each Occasion Ezra performed the Caesarean Operation.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDan used the opening lines of T. S. Eliot's
ReplyDeletemonumental poem, "The Waste Land":
April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Eliot's crafts envisoned a poem nearly twice as long as its final version, but Ezra Pound suggested severe cuts. For example, the famous opening lines (above) didn't appear until the typescript's 2nd page; the 1st page contained 54 lines that resembled what became the end of the poem's 2nd section. When the manuscript finally met Pound's approval he sent Eliot a letter that included "Sage Homme," a 48-line poem that began:
These are the poems of Eliot
By the Uranian Muse begot;
A Man their Mother was,
A Muse their Sire.
How did the printed Infancies result
From Nuptials thus doubly difficult?
If you must needs enquire
Know diligent Reader
That on each Occasion
Ezra performed the Caesarean Operation.