Correspondence, P.K. Page

: MSS 6-1_1_A_115-p26; 1220 Transit Road, Victoria, B.C.Sept. 2nd.Dear Ralph Gustafson,Thanks for Canadian Accent, the poetry pamphlet and the cheque. The first named was unexpected from the point of view of contents and most interesting. I have not read it all yet, but liked Marcuse's story very much. Is this going to be a series like New Writing? It would be swell to have something like that going on. I shall certainly send you some stuff, but am not sure what you've seen and what you haven't.From the vantage point of greater maturity (?) I read my own remarks with a slight shudder. But I'm still not sure that �pleasure' is the right word�it's too tinkly or fatuous or something. Or perhaps, a dead end word�one that releases no energy.The MS never went to Laughlin�I was bound to send it to MacMillans first and they are taking their own sweet time with it. As they have done so little poetry publishing recently I expected a prompt rejection. Meanwhile I get restless and impatient.The Portage venture seems to me 'quite something'. I am glad of it being a firm believer in the united front. But naturally If feel pretty much of an onlooker at this distance.My good wishes for the next Penguin,Very sincerely,PK Page

: MSS 6-1_1_A_115-p27; 1626 Wilmot Place, Victoria, B.C. March 27. 46,Dear Ralph Gustafson:Ages ago you mentioned Canadian Accent II�is itcompleted?You've probably seen the few bits of prose of mine which have been published lately. I send you another that has not yet been submitted.How do you think Northern Review stacks up? Sincerely,P.K. Page.

: MSS 6-1_1_A_115-p28; New York 23, N.Y.April 9, 104 6 'Dear Patricia Page,Your story, The (Glass box, has just come, and I liked it. I would like to give it another reading-- but wanted toacknowledge receipt. Before finally deciding, I want to read other pieces of yours in the various Cdn periodicals which I have. Meanwhile, may I keep The Glass Box at hand for a while?Most of CDN ACCENT 2 is accounted for and I think it will be a good collection. I hone to have the typescript done by the end of June. Then publication in England and later in America.I still have to push the Torontopeople to get to move on concerning CDN ACCENT 1 which should have been published long ago over here. The excuse is crowded presses-- but I've run Into the snag of the publisher's CANADIAN PATTERN which, I suppose, they are determinied to get out ahead of mv book. There's been monkey-business since last August.The Northern Review looks like the right move at Iong last What success with your book of poems?Sincerely,

: MSS 6-1_1_A_115-p30; New York 23, N.Y. September 13, 1947Dear Patricia Page,The editor of Voices magazine asked me to edit a section of his winter number. He plans to divide a special issue into four sections devoted to the work of women poets in Canada, Australia, England and New Zealand-- and would I please choose the three best living women poets of Canada.You are my initial election and would you be interested in cooperating in the project? It is thoe old story of a little magazine's inability to pay for contributions but offering worthy placement,I would need poems not previously published before in the U.S. and free from copyright fees. Would you send me MSS to choose from? I would like to give you a total of a hundred lines if I could.Frank Scott told me about the Great Schism in Northern Review. That, with my reaction to the last issue, added up to a request that my name be removed from the masthead. Frank feels with me that a new quarterly must be launched to fill the vacuum.Sincerely,Ralph Gustafson

: MSS 6-1_1_A_115-p31; 309 Daly Ave. Apt. 7, Ottawa.Sept. 15.Dear Ralph Gustafson:Is there a deadline? Of course there is. I mean, when is it? I have some stuff I could let you have now, but if there is no immediate rush I'd like to leave it until later to see if I can produce something better. I've got a couple of things I'm working on now and I'd like to see how they turn out.Who are the other two women? You're lucky they didn't ask you to pick three men. The women's ranks are thinner�hardly more than half a dozen, counting all noses, surely.What are your ideas about the new quarterly? I am in favour of Klein as editor, if he's prepared to do it. But even if he is, we'll need some money as a starter�and that is alwasy a trick. I am tired of John's bluebeard activities and quite finally fed up by the unethicalness of his post-schism behaviour.Let me know about the deadline. I seem to have been lowering the bucket into a pretty dry well lately and would sooner not send you the results if its avoidable.Sincerely,P.K. Page.

: MSS 6-1_1_A_115-p32; New York 85, N.Y. September 19, 1947Dear Patricia Page,The deadline for the special issue of Voices is quite near, I'm afraid. The editor tells me he wants my material in his hands about 1st of October. I hope that mean enough leeway for your new poems. Take up to the last minute � and I'll stall the editor off an extra day or two.Dorothy Livesay has sent me some material. Margaret Avison, unfortunately, writes me that she doesnt like the idea of the 3 best women poets-why not red-headed poets, she asks! However, I'll try again persuade her.Best Wishes,Ralph Gustafson

: MSS 6-1_1_A_115-p33; Dear Ralph GustafsonA complete inability to be even remotely selective - caused, Ihave no doubt, by mynot having anything hot off the griddle that I'm excited about --puts you in a horrible position.I really do feel aologeticin asking you to wade thru somuch, but I honestly simply do'tknonw what, if anything is goodenough.Most of these things haveappeared before in the forma C.V. that doesn't matter tho,does it?

: MSS 6-1_1_A_115-p34; I shall hope to pet me of thepoems I'm working on completebefore the deadline - but you hadbetter make your choice of these+ is each sbustitute for me if is ready - subject to your approval.Its got one ? pretty goodimage in it - which I feel,properly handled - might give me somepleasure.I agree with Aviva, of course Ireacted as she when Igot yourletter.ButI am always soeager to have a chace to mesaureup apraisal something that is nota purely rational yardstick, That Ihave my subjectives. Dishonestly,perhaps.Sincerely,P.K.

: MSS 6-1_1_A_115-p35; From: P.K. Page,309 Daly Ave., Apt. 7, Ottawa.Virgin.By the sun, by the sudden flurryof birds in a flock,oh, by love's ghostand the imagined guest�all theseshattering, shaking the girl in her maidenhood, she knowshim and his green song smooth as a stone and the wordquick with the sap and the bud and the moving bird.

: MSS 6-1_1_A_115-p36; From: P.K. Page, 5 23/47309 Daly Ave., Apt. 7, Ottawa.Piece for a Formal GardenIn the formal gardenas the dark fallsher paleness like a nightlightglows over all.She with profile only face that cannot kiss is a broken marble for his embrace.Strong as dogs the others would bark her into shape alarmed by her irregular paleness in the dark;and leave her like the emptyair in a galleryuneager to lip overthe exquisite chipped elbow;unwilling to curve on the stone cold profile which, in the shaken silence is trembling like roses.

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