Fare Forward: Letters from David Markson

Feb 11 ’06

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.⁷⁵ I 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.