I always knew I should have gone to Harvard.
(DR. OVERHOLSER laughs.)
EZRA
There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask. By any chance is Willis A. Overholser a relative?
DR. OVERHOLSER
A distant one …
EZRA
His book is brilliant! I’ve read it three times—absolutely brilliant THAT Overholser understood the need for monetary reform. Each unit of currency must represent a unit of labor—the end of inflation, manipulation. Mussolini understood that—he understood everything—“Multo divertimenti,” he said when he’d read my Cantos.
DR. OVERHOLSER
This may interest you, Mr. Pound—your friend the Duce’s brain was sent here to St. Elizabeths to be studied after the war—I was the doctor in charge. The government was hoping to prove a physical reason for Mussolini’s actions. But in fact, I’ve just published a paper on the absence of structural defects in Mussolini’s brain.
EZRA
Brilliant mind—hanged by the heels at Milano. Have you read my Jefferson and/or Mussolini ?
DR. OVERHOLSER
Well, I can’t say that I …
EZRA
(Scrabbles through papers, muttering to himself, finds a small book, begins to read)
“If you are hunting up bonds of sympathy between Jefferson and the Duce, put it first that they both hate the idea of cooping up men and making ’em into UNITS, unit production, denting in the individual man, reducing him to a mere amalgam …”
I assume you spell your name as he does—with an S not a Z. (He inscribes the book, hands it with a flourish to DR. OVERHOLSER.)
DR. OVERHOLSER
(Accepting the book)
Thank you.
(DR. OVERHOLSER then reads from the notes he has been writing during the conference.)
“At the present time Pound exhibits extremely poor judgment as to the seriousness of his situation. He insists that his broadcasts were not treasonable because he was ‘saving the Constitution.’ He is abnormally grandiose, expansive and exuberant in manner. He is now suffering from a paranoid state which renders him mentally unfit to advise with counsel or to participate intelligently and reasonably in his own defense. He is, in a clinical sense, insane.”
Welcome to your new home, Mr. Pound.
(Exits)
EZRA
(In spotlight)
Possum said the world would end not with a bang but with a whimper. I said, “With a bang….” I lost my nerve.
(As lights fade, we see images indicating a passage of nine years to 1955. DR. OVERHOLSER appears, giving his court testimony in an early release hearing.)
DR. OVERHOLSER
If called to testify at a hearing in respect to dismissal of the pending criminal indictment against Ezra Pound, I will testify and state under oath that Ezra Pound is, and since December 4, 1945, has continuously been, insane and mentally unfit for trial. There is no likelihood, and in my considered opinion no possibility, that the indictment against Ezra Pound can ever be tried.
CURTAIN
SCENE 10
Setting: EZRA’s room, St. Elizabeths Hospital for the Criminally Insane.
(The small room is jammed with papers, books, clippings, food remnants, etc. SHERI’s paintings hang on the wall. EZRA is thinner, older; his beard and hair have turned white. DOROTHY, older but still elegant, sits in a chair, working on her needlepoint.)
EZRA (Pacing)
Had to wait till nine a.m. this morning for them to unlock me—thought my bladder would bust! And then, for breakfast, cornflakes! Ten solid years of cornflakes!
DOROTHY
Try to be grateful, Mao. Remember the alternative.
EZRA
They’ll never let me out of here now. YOU prevented it, in 1948.
DOROTHY
I stopped the habeus corpus appeal because I feared for your life if you were released. America was too dangerous for you then, Mao.
EZRA
Instead ten years in St. Liz with the real crazies!
DOROTHY
You’ve transformed this room, Mao—the atmosphere reminds me of a London drawing room, circa 1910.
EZRA
A little lacking in the amenities!
DOROTHY
Oh well, of course! No brocade curtains, no mahogany highboys, crumpets with butter and strawberry jam, silver tea service! And no little velvet jacket for you to wear when you read one of your new poems to the admiring throng.
(She quotes complaisantly.)
“Like a skein of loose silk blown against a wall
She walks by the railing of a path in Kensington Gardens …”
I always rather thought that referred to me.
EZRA
You’ve forgotten the rest of it.
(Quoting)
“And she is dying piece-meal
of a sort of emotional anemia.”
DOROTHY
My parents were keeping us apart—you had no money.
EZRA
(Continuing to quote)
“In her is the end of breeding.
Her boredom is exquisite and excessive.
She would like some one to speak to her
And is almost afraid that I
will commit that indiscretion.”
DOROTHY
You never lacked for impertinence, Mao.
EZRA
Essential weapon for a poet!
DOROTHY
I’m working on a new poem.
(No response. She takes out a paper. EZRA shows no interest. She reads.)
“Because of your manhood
I am enriched with
‘happiness forever & ever’
So, there be peace between us
And a new serenity.”
(No response)
At least now I always know where you’re sleeping.
EZRA
Waall now …
DOROTHY
(Taking chocolates out of her purse)
I brought you some of those chocolates you adore.
(As EZRA takes them and bites one)
Don’t spoil your lunch—the hospital generally serves something fairly decent on Thursdays.
EZRA
Tuna fish—canned!
(Eating chocolates)
Sheri Martinelli’s coming over later, she’ll bring me lunch. I’ve got her started reading Greek—in translation, of course.
DOROTHY
I’ve told Dr. Overholser she can take you out to the lawn, next week when I’m away.
EZRA
I’ll hold classes under the trees. Best students, best shade and grass, best TEAS! I hear some bigwigs are trying to get me sprung.
DOROTHY
I know.
EZRA
Don’t let ’em. They feed me, here, no expenses, first time in my life no money worries, I’ve started writing, again—
DOROTHY
After seven years—inspiration, as in the old days.
EZRA
From under the rubble … you’re in charge of me, now, Dorothy—you’re my “Committee.” Stop them from trying to get me out.
DOROTHY
Mr. MacLeish and Mr. Frost haven’t exactly asked my permission.
EZRA
Waall, I’m not going—I’m going to come out of here only with flying colors and a personal apology from the president!
(Enter SHERI. She is dressed in bobby sox, a gingham blouse, blue jeans, saddle shoes and socks. Her hair is dyed a brilliant red.)
DOROTHY (Appreciatively)
Here comes family! Good morning, Sheri.
EZRA
La Martinelli! Undine!
(He embraces her, runs his hands through her hair.)
What’s this? Another transformation?
SHERI
You placed your hand on my head yesterday, and when Ezra Pound puts his hand on one’s hair it turns crimson.
DOROTHY
Ver
y becoming!
EZRA
A laying on of hands! I believe your eyes have changed color, too.
(He looks at her eyes.)
Pervenche—violet blue …
SHERI
My eyes are periwinkle …
DOROTHY
“Pervenche” means periwinkle.
EZRA
I wrote the first section of a new Canto last night.
(Reciting)
“That the body of light come forth
From the Body of Fire
And that your eyes come to the surface
From the deep where they were sunken
APHRODITE!—”
Moved, as I haven’t been moved …
SHERI
By your spirit of Love.
DOROTHY
So it would seem.
EZRA
(Grabbing papers from the typewriter)
“Sibylla,
from under the rock heap
m’elevasti—you lift me up,
from the dulled edge beyond pain,
m’elevasti …”
SHERI (Coy)
Who is your Sibylla, Grandpaw ?
EZRA
Pythoness, Seer. Did you quit that job at the waffle shop?
(He seats himself again on the bed. SHERI perches beside him.)
SHERI
Yes, but now I don’t know how—
EZRA
You must devote yourself to your painting. Don’t worry about your rent—we’ll take care of that.
DOROTHY
He used to say to me, “Stop wasting your energies on needlepoint, save everything for your watercolors.”
SHERI
I’m really just an amateur …
DOROTHY
The true artist is always an amateur.
SHERI
Well then, this amateur is going to start on your portrait today, Dorothy.
(She takes out sketch pad, begins to work.)
You’re the color of a peach blossom.
DOROTHY
Now, now—
(She tidies herself, begins to pose, obviously pleased.)
EZRA
“Thus Undine came to the rock.”
(SHERI looks at him.)
Water spirit. Unstable as the element itself. You are currents, torrents, dangers. But once you are on your rock—ah, then the waters are stilled.
“And if I see her not,
no sight is worth the beauty of my thought.”
Will you draw me, too?
SHERI
I made you a drawing last night.
(She takes a drawing out of her bag. EZRA examines it eagerly.)
Look, Dorothy.
(She shows it to DOROTHY.)
I’m the sibyl, just like his poem, with a python in my hand.
DOROTHY
I’ll take that—for my yellow wall.
(She takes out checkbook, writes a check, hands it to SHERI, and takes the drawing, so that EZRA cannot have it.)
I expect this will be sufficient.
SHERI
(Pocketing check)
Thanks! I signed the lease for my apartment yesterday. It’s only two blocks from here—your neighborhood, Dorothy.
DOROTHY
(Folding up needlepoint, with irony)
How lovely. Well, I must get started.
(She kisses EZRA.)
EZRA
You’ll be back in the morning?
DOROTHY
First thing. Goodbye, Sheri.
(They kiss.)
Oh, by the way—would you care to accompany me to the garden party at the British Embassy on Saturday?
SHERI
I’d love to!
DOROTHY
It means, of course, a dress. Your hair will be quite the sensation.
(DOROTHY exits.)
SHERI
(Kissing EZRA)
I went to the cathedral yesterday afternoon, kneeled down, lit a candle, vowed never to leave you till you’re free.
EZRA
No trial, ’cause I’m nuts. If I’m not nuts, a trial. Looks like I’ll be here a while longer.
SHERI
(Caressing him)
And you don’t really mind it here.
EZRA
Three squares a day, no expenses—and you and the other jeunes keep me supplied with delicacies.
SHERI (Hurt)
Me and the other jeunes?
EZRA
Well, what do you call them?
SHERI
They’re just your disciples. I’m your muse.
EZRA
Whatever they are, they bring me treats. What have you got for me today?
SHERI
(Opening another bag)
Oysters—in a can, I’m sorry. The fresh ones wouldn’t keep. Caviar—just this little pot, enough for the two of us. You’ll have to hide it when the disciples come. Some of that special blackberry jam you like on your toast in the morning.
(EZRA is greedily examining each item.)
I wanted to cook you an artichoke, but I couldn’t find a single one—
EZRA
Try harder. Artichokes are Greece—the Greece of Helen, of H.D. Of course, she had to insist Helen was in Egypt, not Troy—H. D. always went her own way.
SHERI (Hopefully)
Was Undine Greek?
EZRA
From another tradition.
(He begins to shuffle through papers, finds it, reads.)
“Thus Undine came to the rock,
by Circeo
and the stone eyes again looking seaward …”
I’d restore that statue of Aphrodite in Circeo, if I had the means. Dorothy controls all that—my “Committee.” I can’t even sign a check.
SHERI (Meaningfully)
I know.
EZRA
Dorothy means well. She told Overholser to leave you in charge when she goes away next week.
SHERI
I’ll take you out on the lawn, we’ll sit under the trees … she never minds, does she?
EZRA
She believes in “The Objective,” you see—always takes comfort in that.
SHERI
What do you mean, “The Objective”?
EZRA
An old theory of mine comes in handy … reality is a dream—that kind of thing. Only souls count, and only souls connect. Dorothy’s a beautiful painting that never came to life. No light from Eleusis there, no divine rites—
SHERI
(Trying to be fair)
But you had a son—
EZRA
That was simply propagation.
SHERI (Boldly)
What about Olga, then? She had your daughter. Was that simply propagation, too?
EZRA
Mary was Olga’s idea. She wanted it. I told her, “If you have it, it will be yours—yours, entirely.”
“Pensar di lieis m’es ripaus.”
SHERI
I hate it when you talk those old languages.
EZRA
“Thinking of her is my repose.” Olga understands the medieval sanity I found in Provence. From Arnaut. Dorothy, Olga, and me—we all lived together in Rapallo:
“If love be not in the house, there is nothing.”
SHERI (Hurt)
You didn’t tell me.
EZRA (Placating)
Everything was rationed, we had to pool our resources.
SHERI
I thought Olga was always up the hill, in Sant’ …
EZRA
… Ambrogio. Olga and I share a passion for music; she was an up-and-coming young violinist when I met her in Paris. Together we rediscovered Vivaldi. True poetry is much closer to the best of music than to any other form of literature.
SHERI
I don’t know anything about music, Grandpaw.
EZRA
That would ordinarily be a difficulty, but in your case—well, there are … compensations. You are my Painter
of Paradise.
SHERI
And you are my Holy Man—I’ve searched for you all my life …
(Caresses him)
EZRA
Your work is finer than anything since the sixteenth century.
SHERI
We were going to talk about my adoption today.
EZRA
Let me be specific: finer than anything since 1527.
SHERI
If you adopt me, Dr. Overholser will let me take you into town.
EZRA
(Rustling through tins)
Have a cookie.
SHERI
(Accepting cookie, laying it aside)
You called me your daughter yesterday.
EZRA
You are my daughter, in spirit. Making it legal is meaningless.
SHERI
Not to me. One of your jeunes said to me on my way out, “I guess now you’re Ezra’s pound cake.”
EZRA
(Clearly pleased)
One must make allowances for the vulgar mind.
(Sly)
I got your little note.
SHERI
Did you like it?
EZRA
(Digging note with photo out from its hiding place; this is purposeful; he knows just where it is.)
Very flattering, your bikini … but I can’t translate your message.
SHERI
Oh, Grandpaw—you can translate anything!
(She points out the letters on the note.)
“F U Will Be My Valentine I Will Be Yr Kon Que Byne.”
EZRA (Flattered)
I thought you wanted to be my daughter.
(Kissing her)
As Odysseus said to Circe, “Your bikini is worth my raft.”
(Enter OLGA. She stands staring at SHERI. OLGA is wearing a summer dress and carrying a matching parasol. EZRA looks up at her with a sheepish smile. OLGA snaps her parasol closed and lifts it over SHERI’s head.)
EZRA
Hello, Olga.
SHERI
(Confused by the new arrival)
Grandpaw ?
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