"Things are ok here, in fact, I'm trying to establish the Mountjoy Fellowship on a basis of hard work, not the layabouts they seem to have appointed until now. So, as usual, resentments in some quarters, since they realize that this amounts to a criticism of those in charge - and it is ! No pay, naturally - but I get board and lodging, but since this in a College, it amounts to disgraceful food and student noise of the hooligan variety. One points this out, but nothing is done at all - surprise, surprise !..."

"Basil Bunting Poetry Centre, University of Durham Library" -
St. Mary's College, University of Durham, Elvet Hill Road,
Durham DH1 3LR
My phone: 091 374 2780
February 19, 1992

Dear Wignesan,

I was mighty glad to receive your letter, and only have not replied because until now I have been heftily preoccupied here, and your letter arrived the day I left London, and so was not forwarded until days later. But, never mind - here goes. Thanks, too, for the leaflet announcing your branching out into music, and tahe notes are, of course, very useful. But I'm appalled at the hassles you had with the concert. [ I organized a concert of the then foremost performer-teachers of classical Carnatic music hailing from the staff at the Kalakshetra College of Fine Arts in Chennai (Madras) - at the UNESCO. An attempt was made to illegally record the performance with the intention – possibly – of selling it on the « black market » ! ] It seems Paris persons are determined to let you down.

As for the paper in India in May, that is good news indeed - where is it ? I would very much like to hear your report on the conference and read your paper. [ Both published in the following issues of the "Journal of Asian Studies", Institute of Asian Studies, Chennai, India.]

Things are ok here, in fact, I'm trying to establish the Mountjoy Fellowship on a basis of hard work, not the layabouts they seem to have appointed until now. So, as usual, resentments in some quarters, since they realize that this amounts to a criticism of those in charge - and it is ! No pay, naturally - but I get board and lodging, but since this in a College, it amounts to disgraceful food and student noise of the hooligan variety. One points this out, but nothing is done at all - surprise, surprise ! But I really wanted to get things going here - I enclose the actual celebrations programme but have been organizing other things - two sessions in the Centre itself (the woman in the he(?)ading top right is useless - she gets excited - and I mean excited - only over the latest black lesbian American poetess - I discovered her ignorance very quickly since she is nominally in charge of American poetry !) - on Bunting, and David Jones and Hugh Macdiarmid and on Bunting's reading techniques (I'm playing hitherto unpublished tapes I made in 1977.)

Then I have lectured on American technology and am about to give a staff/graduate seminar on inventive poetics. I also hold a weekly long session on contemporary US poetry - Olson, Duncan, Rothenberg, Creeley, Zukofsky, Oppen, Ashbery, O'Hara, etc. - good students, I have made them a grand anthology and play lots of tapes (no departmental machine, of course, or one that doesn't work ! - so I use my own.... Incidentally this appalling typewriter is also borrowed - from the Principal of this College - department responsible for such things in the University finally lent me one in my office - it was completely damaged - they said it was all they had, since they had sold the rest in a sale last term....)

I went to York University - about an hour away - to lecture on law and on technology - and that was fine: stayed with a PhD student of mine, now on the staff there.

I'm back in London.

Your letter was, of course, disturbing. Before I say one or two things to it, let me say just this: you really must never distrust me. It does hurt and is quite unwarranted. And please don't start to get het up at this urgency ! ( You see how nervous I am about this).That you were "mad" at me... well, I don't know what to say except: the only reason I wanted to deal with Applefield [the publisher of "Fire Readings", and I had the honour of dragging EM into it all - for his role in the book was not respected, and EM thought he could deal with him directly without consulting me: result - EM's preface was truncated, nor was he satisfied with the British portion of the final selection. ] myself was to save you any more trouble - believe me. By "professional business" I simply meant that the whole thing had to be handled , it seemed to me, with as little personality play as possible. Obviously I mistook the situation. It was not that, as you say, to keep you quiet. I wrote to Applefield that the whole situation was intolerable, etc. to help you. My letter also said that since he had altered my choice of poets and their poetry, and altered my introduction [Preface], I wished my name to be taken off the latter and from the editorial contributors list. And wished him well with the project! No reply at all. Like you, but not so many as hours as you, I spent a long time over my contribution. I have of course received no copies and no payment. I wish I had never become involved with it, and only did so out of concern with George Whitman - whose apathy, as you note it in your letter, is I suppose partly his nature and partly embarrassment. Perhaps I'll write to him - after all he has nothing but good relations with you and me.

I think I said a thank you for the latest materials on myself in your Revue [underlined: Journal of Comparative Poîétics] - perhaps you could send me ten copies.* And could you kindly add the costs to what I still owe you for the copies of Volume One. Then I'll send a cheque again.

You will be glad to know that the first volume is on display here - the University library has put on an exhibition of my books , and there is your cover making me proud in the first case. I've had some photographs made, since the lighting in the library is difficult for an amateur - I'll let you have copies as soon as they come out.

Did I tell you that the Buffalo fellowship came through ! Oh, yes: I suddenly see in your letter that you mention it.

I'm off to Coimbra in Portugal for a conference in May. So when we'll meet I'm not sure, but I hope before I leave for the States - even then, I'll be back before Christmas - I should imagine - unless I get a nice offer over there !

All the best then - and best wishes to your son -

Eric
* to my London address.

(c) T. Wignesan - Paris, 1992-2023