-------- Original Message --------
Dear All,
concerning the instructions to a publisher, and the discussion of the
quality
of the poem in PF at this list, that (the discussion) looks temporarily
dormant, I ask myself and like to ask you the following question: what
was the readiness of Shade's poem to publication from HIS point of
view?
Reading the PF (the novel) we are invited to believe Kinbote that it was
almost finished, but in fact we know how Shade did work on his
texts only via Kinbote. It might be not fully false, but distorted to
justify
his speedy publication attempt.
Many authors are reluctant to show to anybody unfinished work. To the
others,
frequent discussions and reading to friends, family etc are part of the
process. To show something to a neigbour and foreigner (and colleague)
can
have multiple interpretations: e.g., the author respects this person,
is curious to know his opinion; or the contrary - is more indifferent,
and not worried about jealousy as it could be the case with another
poets or native colleagues.
Kinbote is interested to say that after Shade finished "fair copy" he
would
send the text to the editors, but in reality Shade might rework his
poems many times even when fair copy was ready. For example,
it is easier to put yourself at a reader's place when you read a "fair
copy" of your own text. I know several professionals to whom
it is a part of the process, and "fair copies" are reworked again
many times before they are sent to the editors. Sometimes
very stupid fragments are noticed and edited out only in the very last
moment.
I think that the opinion that the poem in itself is "weak" and not
a good poetry (forcefully presented at this list) is justified by
several
really weak and even ridiculous places in the text. But it could be
much
farther form the final version planned by Shade, than Kinbote wants us
to
believe!
An this conjecture makes the "post-mortem destiny" of a poem
(and poet) even more dramatic.
Best,
Sergei SOLOVIEV