<<But why do you ask questions when you already have the answers? What if I
would have said Charles Ives?>>

Why do you ask the question ---"why do you ask questions when you already
have the answers"?--- when you already have the answer to the question?

The truth is I only have SOME possible answers which might be considered as
a point of departure for further questions, especially on this issue.

I think Ives is an EXCELLENT suggestion, which we have not considered yet.
And the comparison with Ives, might ONCE AND FOR ALL solve all difficulties
and disagreements which people have had, and ever will have, over Pound.

Pound's Cantos may be very similar to Ives' symphonic works:  Just as Ives
wrote long passages in which two or more melodies, written in unrelated
keys, are played at length simultaneously---- so Pound wrote epic poetry in
which two or more disharmonious ideas, such as Confucianism and
Jeffersonianism, are held to simultaneously.   Ives was joking, of course.
In spite of my heretofore stated belief that Pound was serious about
fascism, perhaps he was simply joking all the while.  Like Ives, whose
compositions always have the air of seriousness, Pound gives us the
impression that he is serious about his commitment to fascism--- and he
reinforces this impression in our minds  by going to extreme, almost dadaist
lengths, such as actually taking the time to travel to Italy, to  take a
pro-Mussolini public stand, and to make radio broadcasts (ostensibly) in
favor of fascism.

Parody turns away from satire, and develops into a caricature of the most
sophisticated burlesque (Mencian fascism), and finally becomes an IRONIC
spoof of a sarcastic lampoon (Hitlerian  Confucianism).

He was having us all on.

We can assume as an axiom that Frank Zappa did not like vegetables any more
than Hilter REALLY did.  We may also postulate that Zappa especially
disliked rutabagas (despite their nutritional value), just as it might be
presumed that Pound really did NOT like fascists (though he knew they were
good for him).

Thanks to Charles Moyer, Charles Ives, Charles Manson, Charles Stuart, and
Charlie's Angels, who all helped make this clear to me.

---Wei

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