wms w c kora in hell improvisations

8/10/2019 Wms w c Kora in Hell Improvisations

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IMPROVISATIONS

By William Carlos Williams

The TempersAl Que Quiere !Kora in Hell

ra in" #y S$uai$ a%is

KORA IN H&''(IMPROVISATIONS

B)

WI''IAM CAR'OS WI''IAMS

BOSTON

TH& *O+R S&AS COMPAN),-./

N

0"$12i2

Copyri"h$3 ,-./3 #yTH& *O+R S&AS COMPAN)

The *our Seas PressBos$on3 Mass43 +4 S4 A4

PS 5 S6 7

K'8


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TO *'OSSI&

PRO'O9+&

PRO'O9+&

TH& R&T+RN O* TH& S+N

Her %oi:e as li;e rose


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ma;e $he man "asp an? a$er a$ $he eyes as he or;e? an?#e:ame so#er4

She has al ays #een in:apa#le o= learnin" =rom #ene=i$ or?isas$er4 I= a man :hea$ her she ill remem#er $ha$ man i$h a%iolen:e $ha$ I ha%e sel?om seen e uale? #u$ so =ar as $ha$ :oul?ha%e an in=luen:e on her @u?"men$ o= $he ne $ man or oman3she mi"h$ #e li%in" in &?en4 An? in?ee? she is3 an impo%erishe?3ra%ishe? &?en #u$ one in?es$ru:$i#le as $he ima"ina$ion i$sel=4Wha$e%er is #e=ore her is su==i:ien$ $o i$sel= an? so $o #e %alue?4Her mea$ $hou"h more ?eli:a$e in =i#er is o= a ;in? i$h $ha$ o=Villon an? 'a 9rosse Mar"o$(

Ven$e3 "resle3 "elle3 @ ai mon pain :ui$!

Carl San?#ur" sin"s a ne"ro :o$$on pi:;er s son" o= $he #olee%il4 Verse a=$er %erse $ells ha$ $hey oul? ?o $o $he inse:$4They propose $o pla:e i$ in $he san?3 in ho$ ashes3 in $he ri%er3 an?

o$her unli;ely pla:es #u$ $he #ol ee%il s re=rain is al ays(ETha$ ll #e ma HOM& ! Tha$ ll #e ma HOOM& !E

My mo$her is "i%en o%er $o =re uen$ perio?s o= "rea$ ?epression #ein" as I #elie%e #y na$ure $he mos$ li"h$


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#urn$ all her =a:e pain$in" un?er $he sin;4

Thus seein" $he $hin" i$sel= i$hou$ =ore$hou"h$ or a=$er$hou"h$ #u$ i$h "rea$ in$ensi$y o= per:ep$ion my mo$her losesher #earin"s or asso:ia$es i$h some ?isrepu$a#le person or $ransla$es a ?ar; moo?4 She is a :rea$ure o= "rea$ ima"ina$ion4 Imi"h$ say $his is her sole remainin" uali$y4 She is a ?espoile?3moul$e? :as$a ay #u$ #y $his po er she s$ill #rea;s li=e #e$ eenher =in"ers4

On:e hen I as $a;in" lun:h i$h Wal$er Arens#er" a$ asmall pla:e on 5r? S$4 I as;e? him i= he :oul? s$a$e ha$ $hemore mo?ern pain$ers ere a#ou$3 $hose rou"hly :lasse? a$ $ha$$ime as E:u#is$sE ( 9leis>e3 Man Ray3 emu$h3 u Champs all o=hom ere $hen in $he :i$y4 He replie? #y sayin" $ha$ $he onlyay man ?i==ere? =rom e%ery o$her :rea$ure as in his a#ili$y $oimpro%ise no%el$y an?3 sin:e $he pi:$orial ar$is$ as un?er ?is:ussion3 any$hin" in pain$ $ha$ is $ruly ne 3 $ruly a =resh :rea$ionis "oo? ar$4 Thus a::or?in" $o u Champs3 ho as Arens#er" s:hampion a$ $he $ime3 a s$aine? "lass in?o $ha$ ha? =allen ou$

an? lay more or less $o"e$her on $he "roun? as o= =ar "rea$erin$eres$ $han $he $hin" :on%en$ionally :ompose? in si$u4

We re$urne? $o Arens#er" s sump$uous s$u?io here he "a%e=ur$her poin$ $o his remar;s #y sho in" me ha$ appeare? $o #e$he ori"inal o= u Champs =amous3 Nu?e es:en?in" a S$air:ase4Bu$ $his3 he en$ on $o say3 is a =ulle? pho$o"raphi: prin$ o=$he =irs$ pi:$ure i$h many ne $ou:hes #y u Champs himsel=an? so #y $he $e:hni ue o= i$s manu=a:$ure as #y o$her means i$is a no%el$y!

'e? on #y $hese en$husiasms Arens#er" has #een an in?e=a$i"a#le or;er =or $he yearly salon o= $he So:ie$y o= In?epen?en$ Ar$is$s3 In:4 I remem#er $he arm$h o= his ?es:rip$ion o= apil"rima"e $o $he home o= $ha$ ol? Bos$on hermi$ ho a$:he?o%er #y a =or#i??in" lan?la?y Fe%i?en$ly in his payG pain$s $he:i"ar


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$oo :os$ly =or her possession she :oul? no$ s allo i$ as $heni""ers ?o ?iamon?s in $he mines4 Care=ully sele:$e? $hese ueerpro?u:$s mi"h$ #e house? $o "oo? e==e:$ in some unpre$en$iouse hi#i$ion :ham#er a:ross $he :i$y =rom $he Me$ropoli$an Museumo= Ar$4 In $he an$eroom :oul? #e hun" perhaps pho$o"raphs o=prehis$ori: ro:;


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urin" $his same %isi$ my =a$her an? he ha? #een rea?in"ari? ?is:ussin" poe$ry $o"e$her4 Poun? has al ays li;e? my =a$her4 EI o= :ourse li;e your Ol? Man an? I ha%e ?run; his 9ol?>3 s ish3 "a##le3 an? %er#ia"e3 $hese are e:h$ Amerin" i$s %ir$ues o= =orm an? :olor so :ons$ru:$s his praise o=i$ as $o #orro no par$i:le =rom ri"h$ or le=$4 He "i%es hispoem o%er $o $he =lo er an? i$s plan$ $hemsel%es $ha$ $hey may#ene=i$ #y $hose :oolin" in?s o= $he ima"ina$ion hi:h $husre$urne? upon $hem ill re=resh $hem a$ $heir $as; o= sa%in"$he orl?4 Bu$ ha$ ?oes i$ mean3 remar;e? his =rien?s 8

VII4 Co?a4 I$ oul? #e #e$$er $han ?epri%in" #ir?s o= $heirson" $o :all $hem all ni"h$in"ales4 So i$ oul? #e #e$$er $han $oha%e a orl? s$rip$ o= poe$ry $o pro%i?e men i$h some sor$ o=2eye"lasses #y hi:h $hey shoul? #e una#le $o rea? any %erse #u$sonne$s4 Bu$ =or$una$ely al$hou"h $here are many sor$s o==ools3 @us$ as $here are many #ir?s hi:h sin" an? many sor$s o=

poems3 $here is no nee? $o please $hem4

2 2 All s:hoolmas$ers are =ools4 Thin;in" $o #uil? in $heyoun" $he =oun?a$ions o= ;no le?"e $hey le$ slip $heir min?s $ha$$he #lo:;s are o= "rey mis$ #e??e? upon $he in?4 Those hoill $as$e o= $he in? himsel= ha%e a mar; in $heir eyes #y %ir$ueo= hi:h $hey #rin" $heir mas$ers $o no$hin"4

2 2 All $hin"s #rou"h$ un?er $he han? o= $he possessor:rum#le $o no$hin"ness4 No$ only $ha$ ( He ho possesses a :hil?i= he :lin" $o i$ inor?ina$ely #e:omes :hil?li;e3 hereas3 i$h a$ is$ o= $he ima"ina$ion3 himsel= may rise in$o :omra?eship i$h$he "ra%e an? #eau$i=ul presen:es o= an$i ui$y4 Bu$ some ha%e$he po er $o =ree3 say a youn" ma$ron pursuin" her in=an$3 =romher o n possessions3 ma;in" her ;in $o )an" Kuei


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=ish a"ains$ $he pene$ran$ li"h$ o= $he s;y4 Bu$ sin:e his #elly ishi$e an? his #a:; "reen he s ims a#ou$ in sa=e$y4 O#ser%in"$his #arren $ru$h an? ?is:ernin" a$ on:e i$s sla%ish appli:a$ion $o$he e er:ises o= $he min?3 a youn" man3 ho has #een si$$in" =orsome $ime in :on$empla$ion a$ $he e?"e o= a la;e3 re@e:$s i$hs:orn $he paro:hial ?e?u:$ions o= his$ory an? as s:orn=ully asser$s his ?e=ian:e4

LIV4 No4 54 The #arriers hi:h ;eep $he =ee$ =rom $he?an:e are $he same hi:h in a ?ream paraly>e $he e==or$ $o es:apean? hol? us po erless in $he $ra:; o= some mur?erous pursuer4Pan$ an? s$ru""le #u$ you :anno$ mo%e4 The #ir$h o= $he ima"ina$ion is li;e a;in" =rom a ni"h$mare4 Ne%er ?oes $he ni"h$seem so #ene=i:en$4

2 2 The ra #eau$y o= i"noran:e $ha$ lies li;e an opal mis$o%er $he es$ :oas$ o= $he A$lan$i:3 #e"innin" a$ $he 9ran? Ban;san? e $en?in" in$o $he re:esses o= our #rains $he :hil?ren3 $hemarrie?3 $he unmarrie? :lin"s espe:ially a#ou$ $he eyes an? $he$hroa$s o= our "irls an? #oys4 O= a Sun?ay a=$ernoon a "irl si$s

#e=ore a me:hani:al piano an?3 or;in" i$ i$h her han?s an?=ee$3 opens her mou$h an? sin"s $o $he musi: a popular $une3ra"$ime4 I$ is a serena?e4 I ha%e seen a youn" *ren:hman leana#o%e $he piano an? loo;in" ?o n spea; "en$ly an? on?eruma or sin:e he as s$one?$o ?ea$h in a parley3 9ua$emo>in ho ha? $he :i$y o= Me i:ole%elle? o%er him #e=ore he as $a;en4

*or $he res$3 $here is no man e%en $hou"h he ?are ho :anma;e #eau$y his o n an? Eso a$ las$ li%e3E a$ leas$ $here is noman #e$$er si$ua$e? =or $ha$ a:hie%emen$ $han ano$her4 As Pru=ro:; lon"e? =or his silly la?y so Kensin"$on lon"s =or i$s Har

wms w c kora in hell improvisations

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