T. S. Eliot the Poems, Volume 2

by T. S. Eliot

  [III] 213 = 327 Hotel] Hotel, ts3, Criterion

  [III] 214 = 328 Followed by] And perhaps ts3, with second word underlined twice with “dam per’apsez” by Pound in ts3a, and the same word braced with “?” by Pound in ts3b (see Commentary)

  [III] 214 ^ 215] new page so line spacing indeterminate Hogarth, 1925, US 1936 ‖ half-line space 1936 ‖ no line space 1932 proof (but added TSE), Guild ‖ two-line space Valerie’s Own Book

  WLComposite gives the earliest reading of ts3, including twenty deleted lines:

  329–48] del Pound ts3a and ts3b ‖ not Q, T/W, Boni+

  334–47] divided by marginal short rules after 336, 339 and 343 as if into terza rima ms1

  334–37] del with “B—l-l—s” Pound ts3a [bollocks] ‖ braced with five chevrons above Pound ts3b

  334 life you kill and breed,] creatures that you breed ms1 1st reading ‖ life you kill breed feed ms1 2nd reading ‖ life you kill breed Daily feed ms1 3rd reading ‖ life you kill breed [] ms1 final reading

  335] del (probably by Pound, although not red in WLFacs) ts3a Huddled] Among half stunned ms1 1st reading ‖ Striving half stunned ms1 2nd reading ‖ Scampering half stunned ms1 3rd reading ‖ Huddled, dazed ms1 4th reading ‖ Huddled, stunned ms1 final reading between] beneath ms1 1st reading the concrete and the sky,] a heavy sky ms1 1st reading ‖ the concrete and the sky ms1

  336 Responsive] ms1 1st and 4th readings, ts3 ‖ Quickly responsive ms1 2nd reading ‖ Responsive solely ms1 3rd reading need,] need ms1

  337] with “Keep” ts3a (TSE, perhaps referring to deletion by Pound of 334–37) its formal] ms1, ts3 ‖ their chords of ms1 1st reading (first word uncertain, perhaps the) ‖ their formal ms1 2nd reading destiny,] destiny; ms1 (the punctuation apparently del)

  338] del (probably by Pound, although not red in WLFacs) ts3a neither how to] little what they ms1 1st reading nor how to] much less what they ms1 1st reading

  [Poem I 63, 334–35 · Commentary I 657–59]

  339 But] not ms1 1st reading ‖ del (by Pound, or perhaps by TSE as indicated in WLFacs) ts3a in] chiefly in ms1 1st reading ‖ only in ts3a 2nd reading, with only del (probably by Pound, although not red in WLFacs) awareness] del (probably by Pound, although not red in WLFacs) ts3a ‖ transformations ts3a 2nd reading observing] observant ts3a 2nd reading eye.] eye; ms1

  340] not ms1, ts3 2nd reading

  341] del in pencil (probably by Pound, although not red in WLFacs) with “Palmer Cox’s brownies” in ink by Pound ts3a Phantasmal] Spectral ms1 1st reading gnomes, burrowing] goblins tunnelling ms1 1st reading

  342 minds, aberrant] brains, unbalanced ms1 1st reading normal] natural ms1

  343] del (probably Pound, although not red in WLFacs) ts3a London,] London! ms1 people] population braced alt (over a false start) ms1

  344 motions] movements ms1 1st reading ‖ jerky motions ms1 2nd reading pavement] ms1, ts3 ‖ huddled ms1 1st reading ‖ poor cheap ms1 2nd reading ‖ tarnished ms1 3rd reading

  345–47] with light marginal marks probably by Vivien Eliot ts3a

  345 cryptogram] ms1, ts3 ‖ painful, ideal meaning ms1 1st reading ‖ cryptograms ms1 2nd reading may be curled] ms1, ts3 ‖ they spell ms1 1st reading ‖ is curled ms1 2nd reading

  346] sequence of revisions uncertain: Doubtfully into these faint perceptions of the noise ms1 1st reading ‖ Indistinctly / Vaguely into these faint perceptions of the noise ms1 alts ‖ Vaguely into these faint perceptions of the noise ms1 2nd reading ‖ Within this penumbral consciousness of the noise ms1 2nd reading alt (with consciousness written over s and faint added as alt to penumbral) ‖ Within [faint undeleted] these faint perceptions of the noise ms1 final reading

  346 these] the (probably Pound, although not red in WLFacs) ts3a noise] noise, ts3a 2nd reading

  348] with uncertain pencil mark ts3b Ademantus] Glaucon ts3a 2nd reading

  Published poem resumes

  [III] 215–56 = 349–416] draft (ts3) in quatrains separated by line spaces. (The ms quatrains later entitled Elegy are likewise separated by line spaces. See Commentary headnote, 1. COMPOSITION.)

  [III] 215–18 = 349–52] three marginal zigzags Pound ts3b

  [III] 215 = 349 violet hour, when] Q, T/W, Boni+ ‖ violet hour, the hour when ts3 with first two words ringed Pound ts3b back] back and hand ts3 with last two words ringed Pound ts3b

  [III] 216 = 350 upward] upwards Hogarth when] not ts3 engine] ringed Pound ts3b waits] waits— ts3 ‖ waits, ms1960

  [III] 217 = 351 throbbing waiting,] Boni, Hogarth+ ‖ throbbing waiting at a stand— ts3, with first, second and last words each underlined Pound ts3b ‖ throbbing waiting Q, T/W, Dial ‖ throbbing, waiting, Criterion

  [Poem I 63, 335 · Commentary I 659–61]

  [III] 217 ^ 218 = 352] not Q, T/W, Boni+ ‖ To spring to pleasure through the horn or ivory gates, ts3. In ts3a Pound del the line, and in ts3b he braced it with spring underlined twice and “Taxi spring ??”, then del To spring and transposed the horn or ivory (to read the ivory or horn). See Commentary.

  [III] 218 = 353 I Tiresias] I, Tiresias Criterion, Hogarth blind,] blind Hogarth lives,] lines T/W 1st reading ‖ lives T/W

  [III] 221 = 356] two zigzags Pound ts3b sea,] sea T/W

  [III] 222–30 = 357–72] with “VERSE not interesting enough as verse to warrant so much of it” Pound ts3b. Having annotated this passage in ts3b, Pound wrote “vide other copy” in ts3a

  [III] 222–23 = 357–60] braced with “qui dira les gaffers de la rime” [oh who will tell of the gaffs of rhyme] Pound ts3b (Fr. gaffeur = blunderer)

  [III] 222 = 357–58] one line Q, T/W, Boni+ ‖

  The typist home at teatime, who begins

  To clear her broken breakfast away her broken breakfast, lights

  ts3, with begins del, To clear changed to clears, and broken ringed and braced all by Pound ts3b teatime] tea time T/W ‖ tea-time Dial

  [III] 223 = 359 food] squalid food ts3 in tins.] in tins, ts3, del Pound ts3b

  [III] 223 ^ 224 = 360] not Q, T/W, Boni+ ‖ Prepares the room and sets the room to rights. ts3, with Prepares the room and sets the room to rights each underlined (for comparison) by Pound ts3b, and room changed to toast by TSE ts3a

  [III] 225 = 362 touched by] meet ts3 sun’s last rays] each word underlined by Pound ts3b

  [III] 226 = 363 On the divan are piled (at] And on the divan piled,(at ts3 (first word typed over O and with space missing) ‖ And piled on the divan, (at Pound ts3b with “inversions not warranted by any real exegience of metre” bed)] Q, T/W, Boni+ ‖ bed, ts3 1st reading (typed over) ‖ bed), ts3

  [III] 227 = 364 Stockings] Are stockings ts3 slippers,] dirty ts3 and stays.] del Pound ts3b

  365–68] not Q, T/W, Boni+

  365 bright] ringed Pound ts3b

  365–66 sprawls · · · nerveless torpor] words underlined (sprawls, nerveless, torpor) and numbered “1”, “2”, “3” by Pound ts3b

  366 window seat;] bracketed with “?” and “mix up of the couplet grishkin not good—” Pound ts3b

  368 purchased in Oxford Street.] del with “not in that lodging house” Pound ts3b

  [III] 228 = 369 I Tiresias,] I Teresias, Q ‖ I, Tiresias, Criterion, Hogarth dugs] dugs, ts3, Criterion

  [III] 229 = 370 rest—] Q, Boni, Dial, Hogarth+ ‖ rest, ts3 ‖ rest; T/W, Criterion

  [III] 229 ^ 230 = 371] not Q, T/W, Boni+ ‖ square bracket added after line Pound ts3a ‖ line del Pound ts3b bugs] underlined with three-sided glyph (similar to Π) and “Too easy” Pound ts3b

  [Poem I 63, 335–36 · Commentary I 662–65]

  373–80] not Q, T/W, Boni+

  373 A youth of twentyone] del Pound ts3b

  373, 374–76] braced Pound ts3a

  374–76] ringed with One of those simple loiterers underlined and “Personal” Pound ts3b

  374 One of those] ringed Pound ts3a simple loiterers] ringed Vivien Eliot ts3a, with other faint underlining by her in this stanza

  376 almost any hour of night
or] underlined, perhaps ringed, Vivien Eliot ts3a (shown as deletion in WLFacs)

  377] del Pound ts3b

  379 Perhaps] ringed with “Perhaps be dammed” Pound ts3b

  380] wavy underline with “?” (probably by Vivien Eliot although WLFacs prints in red as Pound’s), the question mark then del (probably by TSE, although red in WLFacs) ts3a ‖ line del Pound ts3b associate] del Pound ts3a prompting mingles (for mingle) ts3a 2nd reading

  381–84] stanza at first lightly struck through by Vivien Eliot in ts3a, then doubly braced by Pound, who deleted will stare (381), extending the deletion to all four lines. In ts3b 381 Pound heavily ringed will and also ringed will stare with a loop to the start of 382. He added a heavy arrow pointing downwards at the end of 381 and deleted Boldly about at the start of 382. He also ringed with a casual air, and Grandly 383, 384. (His ring around “will” may be an objection to the tense. His loop conjoins “stare | Boldly” and the arrow probably points to the repetitive “bold stare” / “stare”, 386, 389. His ringing of “with a casual air” and “Grandly” probably refers to the repetitive “stare | Boldly” / “air, | Grandly”.) will stare] with stare typed over sit ts3 ‖ arrives, Q, T/W, Boni+

  382–84] not Q, T/W, Boni+

  [III] 231 = 381 He,] He is Pound ts3b (He’s WLFacs) the young man carbuncular] with two ticks Pound ts3a

  385–88] ringed (possibly by Vivien Eliot, although WLFacs indicates TSE), with arrow by TSE to move before 377 ts3a ‖ del with “alternate nights” Pound ts3b

  [III] 232 = 385–86] one line Q, T/W, Boni+‖ Perhaps a cheap house agent’s clerk, who flits | Daily, from flat to flat, with one bold stare; ts3 with first word del in ts3a (probably by Pound, although not red in WLFacs) prompting 2nd reading Or else ‖ first three words del Pound ts3b house agent’s] house-agent’s Dial

  389–92] del Pound ts3b ‖ not Q, T/W, Boni+

  390 and that’s that!] ringed Pound ts3b

  392 cigarette] cigarr (mistyping) ts3 1st reading

  [III] 236 = 394 tired,] tired; ts3

  [III] 237 = 395 caresses] caresses, ts3

  [III] 238 if] though Valerie’s Own Book

  [III] 239 = 397 decided] e ts3 1st reading (typed over)

  [Poem I 63–64, 336–37 · Commentary I 666–67]

  [III] 240 defence] defense Valerie’s Own Book

  [III] 242 indifference.] indifference Criterion

  [III] 243–46 = 401–404] “Echt” Pound ts3b

  [III] 243 = 401 (And] And ts3 1st reading (apparently, since the bracket is to the left of the margin; see 404) I Tiresias] I, Tiresias, Criterion foresuffered] foretol ts3 1st reading (typed over)

  [III] 244 = 402] ringed (perhaps by Vivien Eliot, although WLFacs indicates TSE) ts3a this] the Valerie’s Own Book bed;] bed, ts3

  [III] 245 = 403 below] Q, Boni, Dial, Hogarth+ ‖ beneath ts3, Criterion ‖ neath T/W

  [III] 246 = 404 dead.)] Boni, Dial, Hogarth+ ‖ dead. ts3 1st reading with bracket added ts3a (see 401) ‖ dead). Q, T/W ‖ dead); Criterion

  [III] 247 = 405 Bestows] —Bestows ts3 patronising] patronizing Dial, Hogarth

  [III] 248 = 406 unlit …] unlit; ts3 ‖ unlit . . 1925 (1st trade imp. only: three stops in ltd. edn. and in 2nd and 3rd imps.) ‖ unlit …. Valerie’s Own Book

  [III] 248 ^ 249 = 407–408] ts3:

  And at the corner where the stable is,

  Delays only to urinate, and spit.

  followed by line space, braced and del with “probaly over the mark” Pound ts3b

  [III] 251 = 411 Her brain allows] Across her brain ts3, with her typed over th to] may ts3, ringed and del with “make up yr. mind you Tiresias if you know know damm well or else you dont.” Pound ts3b (WLFacs has “damn” in error) pass:] pass; Q ‖ pass T 1st reading, W

  [III] 252 = 412 now] now, Criterion done: and I’m] done, and I am ts3 ‖ done,— and I’m Pound ts3a but with his dots to stet the reading done, and over.”] Boni+ ‖over”. ts3, Q ‖ over. T/W

  [III] 253 folly] folly, Valerie’s Own Book

  [III] 254 = 414 Paces] She moves ts3 ‖ Then moves Pound ts3a, ts3b her] the Criterion

  [III] 255 = 415 smoothes] ts3, Q, T/W, Boni, Dial, Hogarth, 1925, 1936, Penguin, 1963, 1969, Valerie’s Own Book, ms1960 ‖ smooths Criterion, 3rd and 4th printings of Boni (1928, 1930), Sel Poems 1954, 1974+

  [III] 256 ^ 257 = 416 ^ 417] sixteen-line space ts3

  [III] 257 waters”] waters,” Criterion

  [III] 258 = 418 up Queen Victoria Street.] ts3a 2nd reading (with terminal comma), Q, T/W, Boni+ (with ub in Hogarth proof) ‖ and up theghastly hill of Cannon Street, ts3 1st reading, with theghastly hill of del Pound ts3b

  [III] 258 ^ 259 = 419–21] ts3, del Pound ts3a (pencil and ink) and ts3b ‖ not Q, T/W, Boni+ by] my Pound ts3a

  [III] 259 = 422 City city,] Q, Boni, Hogarth proof, 1925+ (In 1936 proof TSE emended to City City, but this was not implemented in 1936.) ‖ City, City, ms1, Criterion ‖ City City, T/W, Dial, Hogarth, ms1960 can sometimes hear] Q, T/W, Boni+ ‖ have heard hear ms1

  [III] 260, 261 = 424, 423] transposed so ms1

  [Poem I 64, 336–38 · Commentary I 667–69]

  [III] 260 = 424 Beside] Outside ms1 1st reading Lower] lower ms1 ‖ Upper T/W, Criterion

  [III] 261 = 423 a] the ms1 1st reading

  [III] 262 = 425] with arrow to move before 424 ms1 a chatter] chatter Criterion from within] in the bar ms1 1st reading

  [III] 263 = 426] arrow to move before 425, the arrow then del ms1 fishmen] fishermen Penguin 2nd and 3rd imps. (1951, 1952), Sel Poems 1954 (later corrected), 1974 (later corrected). See Commentary. at noon: where the walls] Q, T, Boni+ ‖ loafe spit at noon ms1 1st reading ‖ at noon, where the walls ms1 2nd reading ‖ at noon time, out there the walls ms1 3rd reading ‖ at noon time, there the walls ms1 final reading ‖ at noon where the walls T 1st reading, W

  [III] 264 = 427 hold] Q, Boni+ ‖ stood, stand, hold ms1 ‖ stood and stand and hold T/W

  [III] 265 = 428 Inexplicable] ms1 final reading+ ‖ Their joyful ms1 1st reading ‖ Inviolable ms1 2nd reading splendour] music braced alt del ms1 Ionian] Q, Boni+ ‖ Corinthian ms1, T/W gold.] Q, T/W, Boni+ ‖ gold followed by what may have been part of a word, del ms1

  WLComposite gives the first coherent reading from ms2 for the rest of Part III:

  [III] 266–91 = 429–54] inset 1925+ ‖ not inset ms2 (uncertain), Q, T/W, printings prior to 1925

  [III] 267 = 430 Oil] oil ms2 1st reading

  [III] 270–72 = 433–35] Red sails swing wide | to leeward | On the heavy spar. ms2 1st reading ‖ Red sails wide | to leeward | Swing on the heavy spar. ms2 spar.] spar Mardersteig

  [III] 273–74 = 436–37 The barges wash | Drifting logs] The barges wash, | Like As drifting logs, ms2 ‖ Drifting logs | The barges wash WLLetter ‖ The barges wash, Drifting logs, T/W (one line). See Commentary. wash] wash, Dial, Criterion

  [III] 275 = 438 Down] Past ms2 1st reading

  [III] 277–78 = 440–41] no indent ms2

  [III] 277 ^ 278 = 440 ^ 441] O O hin hein heinh weihauhhh added to ms2, emended to O O hin hein heinh ooahauhhh then del

  [III] 278 = 441] second word or both del ms2

  [III] 278 ^ 279 = 441 ^ 442] line space ms2, Criterion, 1936+, 1971B ‖ no line space Q, Boni, Dial, Hogarth, 1925, Faber Bk Mod V, Sesame ‖ new page so line spacing indeterminate T/W, 1969. (For the setting in 1936 see 279 ^ 280.)

  [III] 279 = 442 Leicester] Leicester. ms2

  [III] 279 ^ 280] half-line of space and new page 1932 ‖ line space 1936 proof, where TSE indicated that the space should move up one line (278 ^ 279).

  [III] 280 = 443 oars] oars. ms2

  [III] 281 = 444 stern] barge ms2 1st reading

  [III] 282 = 445 A gilded shell] Q, Boni+ ‖ Of gilded shells, ms2 1st reading (not WLFacs) ‖ As a gilded shell, ms2 2nd reading ‖ A gilded Shell T 1st reading, W

  [Poem I 64–65, 338–39 · Commentary I 669–77]

  [III] 283 = 446 gold] gold. ms2

/>   [III] 284 = 447 brisk] slow ms2 1st reading

  [III] 286 = 449 Southwest] Boni, Hogarth+ ‖ South west ms2, Q, T/W ‖ South-west Dial, Criterion

  [III] 288 = 451 bells] bells. ms2

  [III] 289 = 452 White] There are still white ms2 1st reading towers] towers. ms2 2nd reading

  [III] 289 ^ 290 = 452 ^ 453] line space ms2 ‖ new page so line spacing indeterminate Boni

  [III] 290–91 = 453–54] indent Q, T/W, Boni+

  [III] 290 = 453 leia] lalalala ms2 1st reading

  [III] 291 = 454 Wallala leialala] Weialala. ms2 1st reading ‖ Weialala leia T 1st reading, W

  [III] 291 ^ 292 = 454 ^ 455] line space Q, Dial, Criterion, Hogarth, 1936+ ‖ new leaf so line spacing indeterminate ms2 ‖ no line space T/W ‖ no line space but leaded Boni ‖ two-line space 1925, Valerie’s Own Book

  [III] 292–311 = 455–74 not inset] Q, T/W, printings prior to 1925 ‖ layout indeterminate ms2 ‖ inset to 295 where a new page begins 1925 ‖ all inset 1932+ ‖ inset, but less so than 266–91 Mardersteig. (After the double indent of 290–91, both 1925 and 1932 return to the alignment of the inset lines above, and not to the margin as in previous printings; 1925 returns to the margin at the start of the next page, but 1932 and later settings continue the insetting to the end of Part III. Moody 308 approves the insetting of 292–306—which he considers part of the Thamesdaughters’ song—but proposes a return to the margin for 307–11.)

  [III] 292–99 = 455–62] ms2 has two drafts, the 1st draft of eleven lines, the 2nd draft corresponding to the eight published lines, beside which Pound wrote “O.K. echt”.

  “Highbury bore me. Highbury’s children

  Played under green trees and in the dusty Park.

  We were humble people conservative

  As neither the rich nor the working class know.

  [5]

  My father had a small business, somewhere in the city

  A small business, an anxious business, providing only

  The house in Highbury, and three weeks at Shanklin.