Fare Forward: Letters from David Markson

Aug 27 ’04

Dear Simso—

Of course you can dedicate that pome to me.⁴⁴ I’ll be honored.

EVEN IF I DON’T UNDERSTAND IT!!!

Marco Antonio Montes de Oca⁴⁵ has a poem entitled “David Markson ha salido a comprar una botella.”⁴⁶

By the way, the titles “Bank One,” “Bank Two,” etc., etc., etc., work well enough — but I assume you’re aware there actually is a Bank One? I write them a check every time I pay my Visa card.

Listen, meantime. Eighteen months ago, the guy who was supposedly doing the essay on me for RCF got in touch, and we had one phone conversation. Last November, a minor coincidence occurred, involving him — not worth outlining here — but I scribbled him a postcard noting same, also asking what was up with the essay. Silence. Four weeks ago, obliquely triggered by a thought of your work, maybe, I sent another card (this being after another nine months). Again silence. I have no idea what it means — rejected, project canceled, the guy’s moved to Katmandu, whatever? But it may be worth your while to inquire at RCF again, if you want. After this latest silence, I thought I’d let you know — with, as I say, no idea what it means or what it’s worth.⁴⁷

My old (and in many ways favorite) novel Going Down is scheduled to be reissued next spring. Correct that: is being scheduled for then. I exercise caution because it was planned a few times before and always fell into a screw-up.

Otherwise, forgive the scrawl, cheesy paper, etc. For some reason I haven’t been able to confront taking the cover off the typewriter for months. Long hours daily here making notes for a new book — but so many damned aches and pains simultaneously that I feel as if I’m 107 years old. Which is pretty grim when you’re only 103.

Have you and Corey registered to vote in Wisconsin? (For Kerry, I assume?!)

Thine—

David

P.S. Or re: that other writer, maybe, A., he’s just inordinately slow, and B., doesn’t answer mail? What I’ve said is all I know.

44 In a letter dated August 24, I’d told him, “When (I won’t say if) my manuscript is published in honest-to-goodness book form, I will dedicate ‘Bank Four’ to you outright. Unless you don’t want it!” The poem appeared in Bank Book, the chapbook I’d sent him, first, so he had seen it.

45 Marco Antonio Montes de Oca, Mexican poet, 1932–2009.

46 “David Markson Has Gone Out to Buy a Bottle.”

47 I did check in with RCF. At the time, they said that as far as they knew, the essay was still in progress — though it never did appear.