This's how I began the Preface: " I shall not suffer these poems to be introduced. They are independent poems, and therefore, they ought to speak for themselves. Although in the actual making of the poems, I have had to solely rely on myself, I feel I must record here the names of my friends whose advice and suggestions have helped me in my craft. To Eric Mottram, I extend my sincerest thanks for his relentless interest, concern and encouragement. .......]

AIR-LETTER
E.N.W.Mottram, Dept. of Engl., University of London King's College,
Strand, London W.C. 2, England
Addressed to: T. Wignesan, Esq., P.O. Box 2211, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya
15, Vicarage Gate, London W. 8
April 3, 1962

Dear Wignesan,

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at seeing your poems at long last in print, and such decent print too.

[My first book, published by a local traditionally constituted publisher: Rayirath Publications in Kuala Lumpur late 1961: "Tracks of a Tramp (A first collection of poems: 1951-1961)". It turned out to be a minor disaster for me, for when the page proofs arrived, I made the necessary corrections, but they were not properly incorporated by the printer's assistants; besides, I made a hasty decision to leave out a good many poems, to my great regret. I started writing poems in 1948 -- so the errors of inexperience, though repaired partially, in the second edition brought out by Silverfish Books in Kuala Lumpur in 2014.]

Just congratulations then, and a speech of welcome to -- mostly -- old friends, as they now seem. I feel less and less irritable towards them now that they have got somewhere; it's like friends -- they become even more likeable when they have become someone for themselves. As for your kind remark about me in the Preface: I understand completely what "relentless" means and entirely agree : a most carefully chosen word. And I'd do it again tomorrow.

[This's how I began the Preface: " I shall not suffer these poems to be introduced. They are independent poems, and therefore, they ought to speak for themselves. Although in the actual making of the poems, I have had to solely rely on myself, I feel I must record here the names of my friends whose advice and suggestions have helped me in my craft. To Eric Mottram, I extend my sincerest thanks for his relentless interest, concern and encouragement. .......]

But as I read through I cannot help as I come to references to your once wife and to Ananga, being moved by experiences of which these rhymes are the end product. So much pain and anxiety, so much struggling to create a life. You are to me one of the few men I know who seem endowed with a character without a life, whose life will appear later, formed of finding itself.

Who is Balasubramaniam ? Do I know him ? [He was an engineer who rose to become the Deputy-Director General of the Public Works Department in Malaysia - a close cricketing friend. There's a poem in AD on his passing : " And the best of the night to you too, Bala..."] Am I once again forgetting someone I know ?

Your letter was hateful and I forgive you from my height..... seriously, how could you be so unpleasant ? I began to think you really believed in some kind of conspiracy between [ Wang] Gung Wu and me. And in fact when your letter arrived I had only seen him once since you left, and when I wrote to you I hadn'[t] seen him at all. So be careful and don't get like you used to be : horribly touchy. But what I want to know is , how is [underlined] your book getting along ? Gung Wu spoke to me about some Chinese stuff you sent him which he apparently didn't think much of -- and I couldn't possibly tell whether it was or was not -- otherwise I'm in the dark.

Your letter also said I didn't think much of your poetry. This is nonsense and you must know it -- why should I have been at all concerned with it if I thought it rubbish ? As for your idea that I have deliberately conveyed such a view to others, I can only put this down to a spasmodic meanness on your part.
[ I simply cannot disclose what really happened. EM wanted to write the « Introduction » to my first book of poems, and I refused with sufficient cause – the reason for his irrepressible remonstrances, though I did him proud in the « Preface » nonetheless.] Why do you think I sent them to Ferlinghetti, recommended you to the Painters, and, since you push me to it now, written about your poems for you, and shown them to all kinds of people ? You are clearly a psychopath about your poems, so once again, I'm not too worried, just a bit hurt.

I had three poems in Lucifer recently -- getting ambitious in old age. And I'm off to New York and Philadelphia on April 15 until the first week in May -- unfortunately term begins and I have [underlined] to be back. It's a conference as I believe I told you. I'm not looking forward to it, but it may turn out better than I anticipate. What else to tell you ? The usual boring stuff about my own work and writing ? Malayan people on leave, old friends ? Chance of a new job ? (unfortunately away from London).

Let me have your short stories, won't you. Meanwhile, all the best -- and unlike your letter's, a greeting without irony.

Eric Mottram

(c) T. Wignesan - Paris, 1962-2023