I tried to make a tape of poems a week or so ago. Started o.k. but got too drunk and started talking too much between poems and I didn’t care for it when I played it back. [* * *] I think it best to “talk” the poems instead of poeticizing them, make them “natural” as you suggested. [* * *]

The bookseller Jim Roman also published some books of poetry, among them Corrington’s Anatomy of Love.

[To Jon and Louise Webb]

May 4, 1964

Got Corrington’s Anatomy of Love today. very very fine stuff in there, what I’ve read, he’s come along a lot, and it’s all much better than his novel and it seems a damned shame we can’t keep him always with the poem; the novel may eat him up—I hope not.

Very little today. The cats still walk around. One of them ate a bird the other day. I won’t talk to the son of a bitch for a week. As you know, I am sometimes not a realist. I can’t take it. [* * *]

[To Ann (Bauman) Menebroker]

May [6, 1964]

good on the marriage.

yes, those long-distance calls tho’ they cost us dearly in $$ were MORALE, and very odd and yet a fulfilling strange thing.

I am not married but might as well be. I am in strange country, fairly unhappy, dismantled but no need to be cruel. You can only save what you have left and if that is very little then to hell with it. The flowers die too.

Take care as they say around town, und don’t forget ye Muse.

The review by Frances Smith under the name S. S. Veri appeared in Chat Noir Review, vol. 2, no. 3. The Webbs’ new address was in Santa Fe, but they moved back to New Orleans after less than a week (Hank).

[To Jon and Louise Webb]

May 12, 1964

aw right, I shoot you something pomes?? to yr new address to shew u I am still putting my socks on and also enclose knew chat noir revue wich Frances ast me to en clothes shee is part ed. and wrote review a It Catches wich mite bee pred. but so? und also she writes under name of S. S. Veri I think some quite good poems but some other stuff by other peeple in thair I don’ kare 4. [* * *]

[To Jon and Louise Webb]

June 12, 1964

[* * *] I think the oddest thing I have ever heard, I could call it funny but I have been drinking too much tonight today, was a woman editor-poetess, they were putting out a special issue or something of convict poets or what the hell, and she was disturbed because “these men could not rise, seemingly, above their circumstances…all they seemed to write about was wanting to get out of jail, and why they should not be there…”