David Markson: Fare Forward: Letters from David Markson

Don’t leave flowers, telephone. 72

Old tired sick broke 73—but with love—

David

71 I’d received a writing grant from the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission for a six-month residency in Tokyo — for fall of 2006.

72 I was going to be in NYC, for a reading again. We couldn’t meet but I’d told him I was going to leave flowers on his doorstep.

73 Which would become a primary refrain in his last novel, The Last Novel.

Simser—

So I’ll never see a Sims/Markson essay in print; ah, well. 74

Then again, if you’d publish such things, sooner instead of later you’ll be Distinguished Prof of Poetry, U of Wisconsin — or wherever — with one class per semester — one semester per year!

And re readings, readings: someone just called me to share an evening (here) with Michel Butor. 75I said I simply don’t, thanx. Only later did I wonder: if they are bringing Butor from Paris, what are they paying him? And me? I never thought to ask. Old-Tired-Sick-Alone-Broke!

Love again—

David

74 I think I’d finally told him that I was too busy at the time (teaching 4–5 classes per semester while tending to my own creative work) to finish and send out an essay on his work (which would have entailed rewriting the earlier draft, or starting from scratch).

75 Michel Butor, French novelist, critic, and essayist.

Symsy, gal—

You think you’re a poet? Ha, get this. I’ve just received royalty statements on mine, 76for Jan ’05 through June ’05—the usual delay of six months, plus processing. In that earlier six months — a dozen years after publication — I sold SEVEN COPIES! Willie Yeats is turning over in his grave. Eddie Poe weeps where he lies. Johnny Keats whimpers.

SEVEN COPIES! IMMORTALITY.

Ha.

Thine—

David

P.S. You’re doomed if you tell a soul!

76 Collected Poems. David Markson (Dalkey Archive Press, 1993).

Dear Simsich—

A couple of hours after your call—

The total of sales to date 77(after 11 yrs) is indeed 540! (That’s thru June a year ago. Must be as many as 8 since!)

Whoinhell bought ’em?

Love again — and hello Corey—

Thine—

D.

77 Total number of copies sold of his Collected Poems.

Sims, lass—

So there’s Corey, in the new issue of Fence —and I learn that his poems are as difficult to solve as yours are. I’m glad. It means you were made for each other!

But I’m sore, too. How come he sez he’s reading Practice, Restraint, but not anything by Markson? Doesn’t he know you’re s’posed to?

Then again, somebody else in the back of the book is reading my Springer’s Progress. Who he, I wonder?

No, I don’t subscribe. Someone seems to send it, these last few years.

Nada aqui. Old, tired, sick, broke. But WORKING! 78

With love to you both—

David

78 On what would be The Last Novel.

Simso—

Another periodical that sometimes gets sent to me, & that I merely skim through (DON’T TELL A SOUL!)— Rain Taxi. And who’s reviewed this month? — my gal Laura! I’m thrilled for you. I mean it. I’m hopping around on one foot as if I have water in my ear. (I also have just had walking pneumonia — but never mind that.) May you have uncountable numbers more!

Why go back to Japan when Minneapolis is welcoming you? 79

Thine—

D.

79 I was about to go there for a reading organized by Rain Taxi.

Sims — yeah!

Great review, the Mid-American thing! 80Did you send her a gushing let’s-be-friends-forever letter?

In Minneapolis, say hello to Eric Lorberer (Ed., Rain Taxi ) — (never met — a few brief exchanges.)

For your mystery addiction 81—Counterpoint are re-doing my two private eye novels 82(two in one volume), maybe late this year. But you’ll be in Japan, no? Too bad, kid.

Hey, love again—

D.

80 I sent him a copy of a good review of Practice, Restraint that had appeared in the Mid-American Review .

81 I was deep into novels by Henning Mankell, Patricia Highsmith, and Ruth Rendell at the time.

82 Epitaph for a Tramp and Epitaph for a Dead Beat , both highly entertaining and full of Markson-esque allusions.

Symso, gal—

Donno if I mentioned. Did I say that both of your contributions to my new masterpiece made the final cut?—

A. — Don’t do it, Rodya! 83

B. — Catherine the Great dying in the royal W.C. 84

There are, however, no footnoted citations of sources! And I have no acknowledgments page. But I thank you.

Love—

D.

83 “Amid the clutter of multilingual graffiti beside the door to the St. Petersburg garret that is alleged to be the one Dostoyevsky used as a model for Raskolnikov’s: Don’t do it, Rodya!” (23)

84 “Catherine the Great died after having suffered a stroke and fallen from a commode in the royal water closet.” (158)

Dear Simso-san—

Izzat right? What’s “san” mean? (Don’t tell me “sir.”)

This is the first letter/postcard I’ve sent to Japan since Doug MacArthur stopped writing to ask me advice.

A very important question. Why, when I wasn’t sure on which “Friday,” as you put it, you were leaving, and I phoned to say goodbye, did your cheery voice still respond on the machine — as it still does today, July 14, when on impulse, I dialed again? I am not inventing that. Will your “please leave a message” go on for all your sojourn?

Meantime I hope it’s all gratifying for you both. My own attitude re Japan echoes Philip Larkin’s re your nearby neighbor: “I’d love to visit China, if I could come back the same night.” (Maybe he said “same day.”) 85

News, news, do I have any news? The MRI they scared the shit out of me by making me take for my brain did not show a brain tumor (they did not mention whether it showed a brain.) An attractive middle-aged good novelist has proclaimed a desperate crush on me. Temperatures in New York are currently averaging 90+ daily. Tell me your evaluation of Anne Carson. Have you ever read Joanna Scott? What did Materazzi actually say to Zinedine Zidane? 86Why is Palleau’s book now long accepted 87and there is no word re Sims’ essay? Did I tell you about the other young French gal who writes me mash notes? Why, why do I have to be 78—which means halfway through my 79 thyear? Is there no way to transport every central figure of the Bush administration to Guantanamo in place of 95 % of the people there now? Can we ship Scalia, Thomas, Alito, Roberts, along with them? When you come home, will you stop by & put my message on my answering machine with your energetic cheerful voice for me?

I am desperately trying to start a new book. 88

Love — and to Corey—

David

All of which shows how busy I am between books!

85 He did.

86 Refers to a heated exchange that took place between two players during the finals of the 2006 World Cup.

87 Her book, originally Ceci n’est pas une tragédie: L’ecriture de David Markson (ENS Editions) that would be published in the States as This Is Not a Tragedy (Dalkey Archive Press, 2011).

88 One that, he’d told me, he wanted to be structurally and stylistically different from the last four books.

Simso — Love—