Correspondence, Earle Birney

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CAN AD’A•Ralph Gustafson, ^sq, 70 Central Park West New York City U.S.A.
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45 Isabella, Toronto. Feb. 20 1943' "Dear Ralph,Glad you want to f&ake use of ,T°oe Harris". Aftea talking it over with Lome Pierce, have agreed to hold off any book publication of it until your lenguin is out', but in view of uncertainty of its publication date, and immediate possibility of good sale, feel I cannot hold back from magazine publication in Canada. Sorry,Today is your deadline for ,rVoices" and my only possible contribution lies half-written. Have been out of trwfn on a night-and-day job for last month and had no time even to write my wife let alone a poem. If I get anything finished in the next few days, will send it to you in case the deadline happens to have been «xtended.With best wishes for,your projects...I have the radioscript of Sedgewick s review of you & me i’6otern Can.hooku'D./ant a nnnv?
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\70 Central Park West New York. N,Y,February 23, 1943Dear Earle,Many thanks for your card. Yes, the deadline for the Canadian Issue of "Voices" magazine has been set forward until March 1st. I do hope you will be able to let me have a poem or poems-- so that you may be represented.I’m sorry "Joe Harris” Is to be published elsewhere first. Almost all the prosein the Anthology Is spoken for first publication— which apart from war exigencies, should see light of day the end of the year— but I know "Joe Harris* has immediate success implicit in it.All fche best, and I shall hold space for you In "Voicesn. I should Indeed like a copy of Sedgewick's review of you and ne... could you send me a copy?Sincerely,3
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Dear Ralph, jThis was returned, owing to ray inability to memorize ypur address properly. Sorry about the delay. Am in a great rush packing as I’m bound overseas next week* If you get to England, look me up at C.M.H.o., London; in meantime would be glad to hear from you, via my Toronto address. Perhaps I111 see you over there?I want a copy of tfee new renguin when it's out. Wish I had time to write you at more length.zzazreaz All Itfie best,
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May Z , 194cDear Earle,I hope this reaches you before you weigh anchor— to wi«h you well.I also send along the Canadian I save of ''Voices" magazine, which you might like to have. I regret exceedingly that you could not xn&nage to set me a roerr in time.Let me ht»ve any thing you write-- in c«se another pisject comes my way— and I have time to turn to it.The Canadian issue of Poets of the Year came through all right. If you remember, I included your poem IN THIS VVKAh'DAH a long time ago. As it was before DAVID was done by Ryereon’s, I trust I need not worry about copyright.Many thanks for sending along the copy of the broadcast review of the Anthology. If all goes well with the 2nd Penguin antholfcgy in England, perhaps you will see it before I qo.AH the best, and let me hear once in a while If you can find time.
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June 1, 1945Dear Dr Pierce,It was moat kind of you to write about LYRICS UNROMANTIC and "Voices." I greatly appreciate your words.I find Birney*s IN THIS VERANDAH in his collection which you did, "David." He had contributed this poem to my projected booklet CANADIAN POKTS 1943 well over a year ago, and It has been in the typescript. I assume the poem is clear— but I thought I would mention it to you.With kindest personalregards,Sincerely yours,44 .
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OFFICE OF THE EDITOR 299 Queen Street West TORONTOJune 3, 1943Mr. Ralph Gustafson,70 Central Park West,New York,N. Y.Dear Mr, Gustafson,-Dr. Pierce dropped in the office today and dropped out again very soon afterward. If Earle Birney granted you permission to use "In This Verandah," which appeared sonce in DAVID there will be no difficulty here. Did Birney suggest any fee ? Who will be the publisher of the book ? This is just for the record.Kindest regards,Sincerely yours,
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70 Central Park West New York, N.Y. January ?, 1944Dear Earle Birney/-,I enclosra ray cheque for $2.00 In pavment of IN THIS VEfcNHDaH which I included in my "Little Anthology of Canadian Po^ts" published b- New Directions Press. The book appeared jU3t before Christmas end I have had a copy forwarded to you.The typescript of ny anthology of Canadian prose, CANADIAN ACCENT, has been sent off to Penguin's in England (including your JO?’ HARRIS). Wa^ glad to see you well represented in Smith's anthology.I hop*'', all goep we 13. with you? -- and that this letter catches ur> vrith your travels. Many thanks for your cooperation. Would you have time for a note of news of your welfare and whereabouts? With all best wishes for the new year,
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7 Aor 44-Dear Ralph G-u-staf’son,any thanks for t.. cheque C. copy of■■ r "Little Antholo y",v;hicn I’ve er jioyed reading.. I like the s:':.-up.There is a ;:o,od variety--botli sid:;s of rart,a fluent pane of Scott, and so o ftrt ' hdut, Ilennedy’s piece greened to "date" but per-lia s because it * f been so of .en printed,Does lie,,‘.'rite ho tiling at all these days? Your ^’Excelling... " has real power ' verve- I liked it.I do. nothin*, myself 'these days except. issas. ;j*$ih aside tho -:hts of r,he thin gs I’d like to rite if I had he. tire, ‘ y vork keeps ne well occupied,but :'t is fr splnating &,if- I ever ;et free, fro it, should.provide e with :.n e. barrass: ent of riches so far cs Canadian chvr .cter I biography is concerned,. I spend'-y days inlie-r vie wing candidates' for con issims in the Cd.n Ajiy overseas, or probin" into the gloomy nin-s of"unsatisfactory officers return ed from the ields, or trying to weed out the psychopaths fron the legitimate adventurers among the ap- licants for paratroops,etc. In the last 8 os, I’ e listen to the life-tal^ of about 700 of my fellow-Canadians,every one different fron each other yet al ost ev ryo ^ in sone subtle way Canadian rather than anything else. I begin to get a feeling of an incipient national character that nothing else ever gave me. It is like sitting & let ing Canada troop by in si m panorara. I gait away notes think -of stories but can do no ora at the o ent. I live a few lies from the old Temple estate & often cycle down past Stella's cottage for tea and regard the solemn front behind which S ift fought his battle of the books. Gilbert Thite live nearby and I’ve been enjoying his . atural History for the first time > painfully trying to identify the kgs baffling birds of this island. I see th . occasional play in London
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but find it an expensive town to lin ;er in these days,though as compelling & ancient as ever,despite the 'aps. bo far bombs have done no . ore than rock 1 e a little and ry experiences have been tar e, except for a brief Channel.'excursion in a sub.Let me hear fro you sore time, lien do you expect your enguin prose collection to a ; ear4? I saw so e of the fashionable lads of literary London when I first bn: e over but I dont care : uch for them h vent gone back. Lehman is pleasant to meet but I have, ho great r^grrcL; for his editorial taste. Connolly is a witty egoist surrounded by a lit le f'roup of effete obscurantists who .re anxious to bel' eye v.-hatev..- r is TEslSSffltjabli at the 1 o; ent.. *Ph y see: to lack; the courage ither to oppose or to help the war stru le. The really pro '.sin ' peo le se to be lost in tli forces, scattered, to the v.dnds or^ fllre: d^ flead, 1 Ice poor Mun Leads,
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70 Central Park WestNew York, N.Y.May 1?., 1944Dear Earle,utarw thanks ior your letter of -^pril seventh.It was pood Indeed to hear fro.-n vou. I am glad you liked the Mew Directions LlTi Jl.£. A-ViHOJuOGY. It h«a had a good recer«iion and it now seems that Canadian poetry is breaking through and getting itself noticed In good auarters dovm here-- New Yorker. N.Y. Herald Tribune,New Republic, etc. Your n«me h^s frequently been mentioned in reviews! -me1 always, as it should be, with warmest appreciation. The selections, on the whole, I think, were right. No, nn'-T '-ntlv, Kennedy does not write anything new thesR days. 1 t,*-ied to get fresh work from hi’.- without succe ss.i'f-npri’in Books have my -prose antnology, CANADIAN aCC^NT, in active production. I heard from alien Lane the other dwy. 1 imagine you will sea oopy befor® I will.I expect it will se» 1 j rht of day toward the end of this year. Ihe Penguin Ant hoi opy 5 s roing into a third edition and I am told has set some record or other for poetry in Canada.I should llkf> the insight voxi have acquired into what 18 Canadian. I have been plagued by that question a lorr- while. Some day do send me fa. few of the accurate adjectives you know for this "incipient national character."I have tried to define it in CANADIAN ACCENT by my selections. Will be interested to kno?. rhat you tnink.Do you manage a poem occasionally? If so would you send it or them along ? I had good nevvs the other day. My owr, collection of poems is to be published this September by Pantheon Books of N.Y. B\it I write nothing new though I an plagued by impulsions. My work at the British Information is sedentary, but tirirg end continuous and concentrated.Trying to find out what American press thinks is no job for sanity let elore poetry. Invasion in an election year results in an oratorical sonorositv that circumscribes a very elusive kernel.I hear from Arthur Smith. His NEWS OF THE PHOENIX has won th> Governor General's medal. Did you see a copy of his anthology? and what did you think? Contains everything excellent— but an awful deal of upholstery and antimacassarI Heavysege apart, I fail to see why Canada’s pre-confederation stuff should be perpetuated. Aa for George Herbet Clarke and his ilk-- it 13 that sort of reprinting which it is taking monumental critical efforts to chuck into limbo before anybody else but the C.A.a. sees it. I understand Pratt is having his collected edition out this fall. A most welcome event.All the best and inviolable good luck1and anp^hpr letter If circumstances permit. X

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