Just crawling out of my late winter funk here on a rainy day in Shin-Urayasu. Just this morning, while going through a stack of books in my office, I came across a letter from Cid Corman dated 9th November 1992–about two months into my new life in Japan. It was good to find this note–a bit like talking to Cid again. I’ve included the original orthography and phrasing as is.

dear Jesse–

cheating is legal in Japan–if you arent caught and are high enough–say like Kanemaru or Takeshita or future PMs like Watanabe–in the hierarchy.

Likely will have a book sale here next month: 19th–20th, pre-Xmas, as I did this past summer. About 500 books or so going at 500 yen [about five dollars] each, no matter size, etc. Often with my marginalia–which literally adds to the value (even the word SHIT becomes manure). And gifts if you buy in batches of 5.

Partly to raise badly needed cash and partly to create more space in this hutch. (1–5 pm.) That’s the weekend before Xmas.

Edith [Shiffert, another Kyoto poet] is in her mid70s and her husband 80s. NICE FOLK. I’m at 68 a youngster.

Yes–Groliers has always had work of mine: when Gordon Cairnie, who was its originator, “ran” it (I was often mistaken for the proprietor–GC often paid little attention to customers deep in his big BOOKS CURRENT catalog), we swapped things. I never carried cash to buy books. And Louisa Solano, who took it over, has continued in this habit. She’s a good guy too. Harvard Square is definitely NOT Boston.

In Japan–smile, speak gently, dont get uptight even when provoked (or seemingly so), and all manner of thing will go well.

My wife is a decade younger than I am and works to support us. At any rate she hasnt given up yet, luckily for me. (But I wouldnt blame her, if she did.)

Thanks for the pages. [This refers to the first issue of Die Young magazine, which I co-edited with Skip Fox at the time.] RC [Robert Creeley] variations pleasant. Working sapphics, interesting to see him metricize. The Shapiro [Karl Shapiro] is amiable but thin. KR [Kathleen Raine] not cutting deep enough swathe, but she still tries to enchant/charm. With fading results. Do you know the nicely done little saga pieces my old friend Gael Turnbull did long ago? (In his 1st book–which I published, now a collectors item–reprinted in his collected.) Or George Johnston’s work? He’s been to Iceland several times (Canadian poet who taught that lit.).

Anyway–the mag seems to have a certain elevation to it–though what wd impress me most wd be topnotch work from people as yet unknown: the real test of an editor.

To do what others arent doing, dont as yet see or are afraid of touching (& I dont mean from censorship fear).

Reading Wright Morris’s A CLOAK OF LIGHT: with great pleasure, but of course I know the man as well–even if belatedly. (I’m not keen on fiction generally: too slow for me–but Wright is really a poet.)

Anything by him worth reading. He knows how to use the simplest language.

[From here to the end handwritten.] Needless to say–my opinions are only my opinions–capable of gross error as much as anyone else.

Love always–
Cid

Good to hear from you.