Charles,

Do you mean that because of "these trying times", we may lose our temper
on this list?

And when you say "there are always those 'outsiders' whose vision may be
painful but also enlightening", do you limit yourself to history or do
you also include the list?

Perhaps my mistake was to address two different issues, without really
elaborating.
I first thought that if we were all "at St. Elizabeth", we would be more
tolerant with each other.
(There are certain rituals in some "crazy" circles, almost like a
politeness.)

Then, I went on wondering about Pound and other great poets and artists,
and about their genius or "madness".   I asked myself [and the list]:
when does one come to the conclusion that someone is "insane", "crazy"?
I should have used the word "mad", which is much better in this case, if
one thinks of Pound before he was ever arrested, and when he was also
mad at his own country!

I wasn't thinking of Rimbaud.  I don't see him as "original", but I had
not read the great passage you quoted.  (It is interesting that to say
that someone is "different" in English, is not as polite as the French
"original".)

I hope that the "tone" of my comments isn't perceived as too sarcastic,
especially when saying that the list is "tout un poème", which is a
compliment!

One night, not too long ago, I was awakened by what sounded like bombs
and machine guns. I really thought the war had started!  Hamilton
College, nearby, was only having a winter festival with fireworks. . .
I thought, then, that many of us would feel differently about the war,
if we knew that it could happen in our backyard.

"Au revoir ici, n'importe ou. Conscrits du bon vouloir, nous aurons la
philosophie feroce"

Marie-Noëlle