Dear Jacob,

Late in his life, Pound said that he had been influenced most heavily by
Browning and Dante, adding, "I'm still learning from Dante."  Sordello it
will be, not just for the Italian setting, but for the poetics of
impersonality Pound learned from him (I just read an excellent book on
Pound's early poetics, name and title escape me just now, that convincingly
argues that the development of Pound's poetry in the early years, 1908-1915,
was a gradual attempt to take the poet out of the poem).  Anwyway, thanks
for the advice!

Cordially,

Tim

-----Original Message-----
From: - Ezra Pound discussion list of the University of Maine
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Jacob Korg
Sent: Tuesday, January 07, 2003 5:15 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Difficulty in Dante and Pound


Dear Tim:
        I was going tosecond Dirk's suggestion about Sordello before he
beat me to it. But you have been noble enough in trying to get both
graduates and undergranduates through the great traditional epics.
        I didn't at first see how the Browning poems would fit in -- but
there may be a valid connection through the Italian setting  many of
them have, plus the meditations on the nature of art.
        A small and perhaps trite tip to all and sundry plus Stoner; entry
to many of Pound;'s obscruties is through his own superpsition -- the
contiguity of apparently unrelated particulars.
                        Jacob Korg