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Pound and Disability

Václav Paris CUNY City College

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-.— . A Draft ofofXVI. XVI. Cantos of Ezra Pound, for the beginning of a poem of some length, now first made into a book with initials by Henry Strater. Paris: Three Moun­Moun­ tains, 1925.rg25. -.— . A Draft of XXX Cantos. Paris: Hours, 1930. -.— . Ezra Pound Speaking. Ed. Leonard W. Doob. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1978. Print. -.— . Guide to Kulchur. Norfolk, CT: New Directions, 1952.rg52. Print. -.— . Literary Essays of Ezra Pound. Ed. T. S. Eliot. New York: New Directions, 1968.rg68. VACLAV PARIS Print. -.— . A Lume Spento and Other Early Poems. New York: New Directions, 1965. Print. I POUND AND DISABILITY -.— . "Paris“Paris Letter. October, 1922."1922.” Dial 73.5 (November 1922):rg22): 549-54. Print. -.— . Poems and Translations. Ed. Richard Sieburth. New York: Library of America, 2003. Print. -.— . "The“The Revolt of Intelligence, I."I.” New Age 26.2 (13 November 1919): 21-22. Print. Pound and disability may sound like an odd combination. Ezra -.— . The Selected Letters of Ezra Pound: 1907-1941.igoy-ig^i. Ed. D.D. Paige. New York: New Pound has rarely, if ever, been read through the lens of. of-disability disability Directions, 1950. Print. studies; and disability studies has rarely confessed a need for the -. Selected Prose:1909--1965. Ed. William Cookson. New York: New Directions, —. Selected Prose: igog-ig6^. Ed. William Cookson. New York: New Directions, insights of Ezra Pound. There are good reasons for this. Until he was 1973. Print. -.— . The Spirit of Romance. With an introduction by Richard Sieburth. New York: near the end of his life, Pound was not not-by—by most accounts accounts-dis­—dis­ New Directions, 2005. abled; and he never wrote about disability in more than a cursory Rainey, Lawrence S. Ezra Pound and the Monument of Culture: Text, History, and manner. To talk about Pound and disability therefore sounds forced: the Malatesta Cantos. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1991. Print. like a procrustean cobbling of one discipline onto another. At best, it -.— . Institutions of Modernism: Literary Elites and Public Culture. New Haven, CT: risks misprision in both fields. At worst, such an investigation is offenoffen­­ Yale UP, 1999. Print. sive, open to accusations of historical whitewashing. For, bluntly put, Ricciardi, Caterina. "Archives."“Archives." Nadel, Carey, and Gibney 148-58. Rossetti, Dante Gabriel, ed. and trans. Dante and his circle, with the Italian poets disability studies aims, through theory, to improve the quality of life preceding him (1100-1200-1300):(iioch-izoo-i^oo): A collection of lyrics. Revised edition. Boston: of impaired people. Ezra Pound, through his never-fully recanted Roberts Brothers, 1887. Print. support of fascism and its eugenic policies, indirectly aimed to do the Ruskin, John. The Works of John Ruskin. Ed. E. T. Cook and Alexander Wedder­Wedder- opposite. burn. 39 vols. London: George Allen, 1903-12. Print. Pound and disability: the two keywords of my title are not happy Scappettone, Jennifer. Killing the Moonlight: Modernism in Venice. New York: bedfellows. WhyWhy. then insist on their conjunction? My answer is that Columbia UP, 2014. Print. Sherry, Vincent. Ezra Pound, Wyndham Lewis, and Radical Modernism. Oxford and neither Pound studies, on its own, nor a Pound-free disability studies New York: Oxford UP, 1993. 143-62. can offer a history of AmericanAmeriqm twentieth-century poetry that is both Tafuri, Manfredo. History of Italian Architecture, 1944-1985.ig/^^-igS^. Trans. Jessica Levine. sensitive to changes in a literary tradition anrl am:l changes in attitudes Cambridge, MA: MIT P, 1989. Print. towards disability. On the one hand, studies of the Pound tradition Tiffany, Daniel. Radio Corpse: Imagism and the Cryptaesthetic of Ezra Pound. Cam­Cam­ (such as Christopher Beach Beach's’s ABC of oflnfl.uence) Influence) privilege a particuparticu­­ bridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1995. Print. lar camp of poets whose inheritance from Pound was largely a musmus­­ Zorzi, Rosella Mameli. "II“II filo d'd’ oro nella trama: la Venezia di Ezra Pound."Pound.” Quaderni:Quademi: Documenti sulla mantenuzione urbana di Venezia 18 (April 2004): cular, formalist version of modernism. On the other hand, fo-68.61-68. Print. collections of disability poetry (such as Sheila Black, Jennifer Bartlett, and Michael Northen Northen's’s Beauty Is a Verb) privilege readings of individual poems in relation to their content, their poetspoets'’ lives, and their systemic background. In this way, the two disciplines represent

85 86 Paideuma 42 Vaclav Paris / IPound andand DisabilityDisability 87

largely discretediscrete views ofof thethe history of modern poetry.poetry. InIn this this essay, essay, I I and Adams 246).'246).1 Pound waswas presented asas disableddisabled to to the the extent extent that that will try to formulateformulate aa zone zone in in which which they they overlap. overlap. I hope I hope to show to show his mentalmental condition, condition, in in the the words Words of hisof lawyerhis lawyer Julien Julien Cornell Cornell to to that, despitedespite thethe objectionsobjections I Ihave have raised raised in inthe the first first paragraph, paragraph, a lit­ a lit­ Dorothy Pound,Pound, "impair[ed “impairjed his] his] judgment judgment of his of predicamenthis predicament and and tle-understood symbiosissymbiosis bindsbinds EzraEzra Pound Pound to to the the concept concept of ofdisabil­ disabil­ render[ed]render[ ed] himhim unableunable to to properly properly defend defend himself' himself ( qtd.’ (qtd. in Tytell in Tytell ity. This symbiosis is worth surveying notnot onlyonly because because it it helps helps us us to to 286). Although itit hashas been been challenged challenged multiple multiple times, this diagnosis reread Pound'sPound’s life,life, work, work, and and influence influence more more accurately, accurately, but alsobut also was nevernever officiallyofficially reversed. reversed.2 Pound waswas releasedreleased from from St. St. ElizaEliza­­ because itit givesgives usus anan insightinsight into into a anumber number of ofproblematics problematics central central beths hospital onon 18 April 1958, and his 1945 indictment waswas dropped,dropped, to disability studies,studies, forfor instanceinstance the the issue issue of ofdis-citizenship dis-citizenship and and the the but onlyonly onon the the understanding understanding that that he washe was permanently permanently and and incurirycur­­ relations amongamong eugenics,eugenics, disability, disability, aesthetics, aesthetics, and and politics. politics. ably insane (Lewis).(Lewis). WithinWithin a aU.S. U.S. based based medical medical model, model, therefore.th

Rather thanthan ignoreignore the the unstable unstable nature nature of ofdisability, disability, ... . rather. . rather than than try to try fix to fix I. EUGENIC MODERNISM MODERNISM it, we should amplifyamplify thatthat qualityquality to to distinguish distinguish it itfrom from other other identity identity groups groups AND THE THE MEDICAL'MODEL OF DISABILITYDISABILITY that have .... . reached. reached the the limits limits of oftheir their own own projects. projects, ( qtd. (qtd. in McRuerin McRuer 202) Although PoundPound was was not not a straightforwarda straightforward adherent adherent of a nationalof a national We recognize the idea of amplifying instability from contemporary We recognize the idea of amplifying instability from contemporary eugenic programprogram (at(at least least between between his his 1912 essay “"PatriaPatria MiaMia"” and the theories ofof gender gender performativity; performativity; and, and, indeed, indeed, as Robertas Robert McRuer's McRuer ’s beginning ofof the the Second Second World World War), War), the the notion notion that that culture culture could could Crip Theory shows, disability in this sense shares much with queer Crip Theory shows, disability in this sense shares much with queer be understoodunderstood as as a asick sick or or disabled disabled body body in inneed need of cureof cure surface(surfaces at theory. While I follow neither Davis in advocating a concept of dis­ theory. While I follow neither Davis in advocating a concept of dis- various pointspoints throughoutthroughout his his early early work. work. Disease, Disease, for Pound,for Pound, /Was|was modernism asas replacingreplacing identity identity politics, politics, nor nor McRuer McRuer in thein the "peda­ “peda­ something thatthat affected affected not not only only body body and and mind, mind, but but also also ideas ideas and and gogical effort to claim queer and crip sites ... against the current gogical effort to claim queer and crip sites . . . against the current literature. "Even“Even for for epidemics," epidemics, ”he he wrote wrote in in one one essay, essay, "a“a few cranks neoliberal orderorder of of things" things ” (170), I dodo believebelieve that that disability disability has has a a may spread aa wider wider malefaction malefaction than than anything anything short short of plague of plague uni­ uni­ “"phenomenologicalphenomenological value value that that is notis not purely purely synonymous synonymous with with the the versal"versal” (LE 150150). ). This "malefaction"“malefaction” expressedexpressed itself itself for for PoundPound in in bad bad 3 processes of social disablement"disablement” (Snyder (Snyder and and Mitchell Mitchell 6). 6).^ Because ~rt:^rt: the materialmaterial evidence evidence of diseasedof diseased beliefs. beliefs. Art, inArt, this way,in this way, of this phenomenologicalphenomenological value, value, disability disability can can be abe powerful a powerful theo­ theo­ becomes bothboth a a symptom symptom and and possible possible cure. cure. "Hugh “Hugh Selwyn Selwyn Mauber­ Mauber- retical tooltool inin understandingunderstanding and and reevaluating reevaluating key key tensions tensions in mod­ in mod­ lthe Cantos-alongCcmtos—along with thethe leitmotifleitmotif of of ''.make‘(make it new"new” -— progressively eroded andand complicatedcomplicated by by the the latter. latter. In thisIn this transfor­ transfor­ might bebe understoodunderstood as as attempting attempting the the same same challenge challenge on ona grander a grander mation, thethe principal principal factor factor was, was, as Sharon as Sharon Snyder Snyder and David and David scale.'^scale.4 As Michael DavidsonDavidson has has observed, observed, "[Pound's] “[Pound’ s] desire desire to torein­ rein­ Mitchell havehave discussed discussed in in Cultural LocationsLocations of of Disability, Disability, the vigorate EnglishEnglish verse verse is is often often figured figured as a as 'cure' a ‘ cure and 'hygiene"'’ and ‘hygiene ’” decline of explicit eugenic rationales. For, underpinning the histori­ decline of explicit eugenic rationales. For, underpinning the histori­ ("Disability(“Disability Poetics"Poetics” 586).586). MoreMore specifically,specifically, in in The CantosCantos Pound cal developmentdevelopment of of the the medical medical model model of ofdisability disability was was a claima claim that that the so-calledso-called normal,normal, fully fully functioning functioning body body plays plays a productivea productive role role represents decaydecay throughthrough thethe metaphor metaphor of of infection. infection. In In Canto Canto 45 45 he he describes describes within thethe state.state. Thus,Thus, "[t]he “[t]he eugenics eugenics movement movement is," is, as” Paulas Paul Jaeger Jaeger the corrosivecorrosive effectseffects ofof JewishJewish usury,usury, whichwhich "hath"hath brought brought palsy palsy to to bed, bed, lyeth lyeth and CynthiaCynthia Bowman Bowman have have written, written, "the quintessential“the quintessential medical medical /I between thethe young young bride bride and and her her bridegroom/ bridegroom / CONTRAcontra NATURAM."naturam .” (586)(586)55 approach toto disability"disability” (14).(14). ThisThis narrativenarrative of of the the decline decline or or transfor­ transfor­ On thisthis basis, basis, Davidson, Davidson, following following Michael Michael Golston, Golston, suggests suggests that that mation ofof eugenics eugenics intointo a amore more complex complex (still (still often often tacitly tacitly eugenic) eugenic) the Cantos as aa whole-towhole— theto the extent extent that that it is anit is epic-might an epic— bemight be set of attitudes towardstowards disabilitydisability cancan be be illustrated illustrated and and explained explained by by seen as a project with a eugenic aim. Building on Golston's work in a study of Pound and thethe poetspoets hehe influenced; influenced; at at the the same same time, time, their their seen as a project with a eugenic aim. Building on Colston’s work in Rhythm andand Race Race in in Modernist Modernist Poetry Poetry and and Science, Science, Davidson places work can bebe helpfullyhelpfully illuminated illuminated in in the the light light of thisof this narrative. narrative. Davidson places Pound'sPound s notionnotion ofof the the tale tale of of the the tribe tribe alongside alongside Eliot's Eliot credo’s credo of ofpuri­ puri­ fying the dialectdialect of of the the tribe, tribe, hinting hinting that that the the Cantps contains "the“the ominous implicationsimplications of of philological philological cleansing" cleansing ("Disability” (“Disability Poetics" Poetics ” 584). 9° Paideuma 42 Vaclav ParisParis / IPound and DisabilityDisability 91

PoundPound's’s workwork wouldwould scarcelyscarcely be be remembered remembered as ashaving having any any par­ par- described, drawsdraws on hishis IdahoanIdahoan roots roots as as a a so-called so-called "real “real American" American ” ticularlytieularly specialspecial relationrelation to to a a eugenic eugenie standpoint, standpoint, however, however, were were it it in thethe TeddyTeddy RooseveltRoosevelt vein:vein: ~- not forfor hishis wartimewartime activities.activities. Some Some of of his his most most egregious egregious attitudes attitudes are expressed in thethe ItalianItalian cantos cantos (72 and 73), written inin DecemberDeeember Although EzraEzra PoundPound left left the the American American frontier frontier before before he he was was two two years years old, old, 1944. In the firstfirst of these, the ghost of Marinetti comescomes toto Pound,Pound, ask­ ask­ he oftenoften foundfound his his frontier frontier origins origins rhetorically rhetorically useful. useful. He He could could set himselfset himself against the “peasant type,” i.e. the immigrant, by pointing to his ruggedly ing himhim for for his his body body in servicein service of Mussolini's of Mussolini Republic.’s Republic. Pound Pound again~t th~ "peasant type," i.e. the immigrant, by pointing to his ruggedly supenorsuperior will. As one who hadhad overcomeovercome thethe odds odds of of his his hostile hostile environment environment, responds that he will write cantos instead of fighting, and suggests responds that he will write cantos instead of fighting, and suggests he couldcould castigatecastigate thosethose who who had had instead instead gone gone under. under. Later Later in hisin his career career hfeIf~ that ifif MarinettiMarinetti wants wants bodies, bodies, he he should should take take some some "young “young chap, ehap, would use an increasinglyincreasingly bizarrebizarre AmericanAmerican slang slang against against the the “"decadencedecadence*1'’ of flaccid & a half wit"wit” ("imbelle(“imbelle eded imbecille") imbecille” ) and and "give “give him him a bita bit of of theth~ immigrants, whowho werewere involvedinvolved inin thethe "decline" “decline ” of of the the American American "type." “type. ” courage andand somesome brains" brains ("un” (“un po' po di’ cervello")di eervello in” ) order in order "to give “to give Still later, ...... he he would would improve improve upon upon castigation castigation as a asmeans a means to deal to withdeal with Italy anotheranother hero"hero ” ("Per (“Per dare dare all'ltalia all’Italia ancor' ancor un eroe’ un fraeroe tanti") fra tanti”) them; would,would, inin fact, fact, play play dangerously dangerously with with notions notions of ofeugenics eugenics as asa way a way of of reestablishing American racialracial purity.purity. (47)(47) (72/425 and 432). For the expendableexpendable imbecile,imbeeile, the the best best option option is tois to be killed servingserving thethe fascistfaseist cause.cause. OnlyOnly in in this this way, way. Pound Pound suggests, suggests, The problem with America in Pound’s radio speeches is a biological can aa paradisalparadisal ItalyItaly be be born. born. In In a similara similar vein, vein, in cantoin eanto 73, Pound The problem with America in Pound's radio speeches is a biological one. Thus _hehe tells his audience thatthat "it “it would would be be better better for for you you to to be be sees Guido CavalcantiCavalcanti return return from from the the dead. dead. Cavalcanti Cavalcanti explains explains to to ?ne. infected with typhus, and dysentery,dysentery, andand Bright'sBright’ sdisease, disease, than than to to be be Pound thatthat itit gives gives himhim no no pleasure pleasure to tosee see his his stock stock die die out out (("A“A me mfected infected with this blindness which prevents you from understanding non fafa gioia / Che lala miamia stirpestirpe muoia") muoia” )because because of of the the faults faults of of Roo­ Roo­ infected with this blindness which prevents you from understanding HOW you are undermined” (RSWWII 59). Within thisthis scheme scheme. sevelt, Churchill and and Eden, Eden, who who are are now now at the at headthe head of an of "alto­ an “alto­ HOW you are undermined" (RSWWII PoundPound's’s referencesreferences toto mental mental illness illness are are revealing revealing both both for for their their hishis~­ gether squeezedsqueezed and and idiot idiot people" people ("popolo” (“popolo spremuto spremuto in tutto in edtutto ed t?ricaltorical iron~irony and becausebecause ofof the the complex eomplex ways ways that that mental mental ability ability idiotaidiota")”) (73/435-36 and 438). links to national ~epresentationrepresentation and citizenship.citizenship. ThisThis is is particularly particularly These cantos,cantos, ofof course,course, areare exceptional exceptional in in a anumber number of ofways, ways, but but h_n~sto. nat10nal visible min PoundsPound’s animusanimus against against Roosevelt. Roosevelt. Thus Thus on on 29 January they do representrepresent Pound'sPound’ s moremore general general beliefs beliefs in in this this period period as aswit­ wit­ v1S1ble 1942, he explained thatthat even even before before "Arbour “Arbour Day. Day. Pearl Pearl Arbour Arbour Day": Day” : nessed in his other propaganda work,work, inin particularparticular his his radioradio speeches.speeches. Throughout thesethese speeches, speeches, as as Benjamin Benjamin Friedlander Friedlander writes, writes. Pound Pound the United~nited States hadhad beenbeen for for months months ILLEGALLYillegally at war,war, throughthrough whatwhat I I can be heard "animalizing“animalizing or or pathologizing pathologizing his his enemies enemies in in a amanner manner considered toto bebe thethe criminalcriminal acts acts of of a a President President whose whose mental mental condition condition was was that gainsgains coherencecoherence within within the the overall overall context context of hisof eugenichis eugenic dis­ dis­ NOT, asas farfar asas II couldcould see,see, allall that that could could or or should should be be desired desired of of a mana man in inso so coursecourse"” (121). More specifically,specifically, thisthis pathologizingpathologizing often often takes takes the the responsible a position oror office.office. (RSWWII{RSWWII 23) form ofof castingcasting thethe "idiot" “idiof or’ or the the "simpleton" “simpleton against” against an ideal an ofideal of racial ability and futurity.futurity. InIn one one speech speech titled titled "The “The Precarious," Precarious, for” for Maintaining thethe same same sentiments sentiments a ayear year later, later, he he would would declare deelare that that example.example, PoundPound attacks attacks the the "absolute “absolute simpletons" simpletons who” who write write the the Times, citing the newspapernewspaper asas anan example example of of race race degeneration degeneration and and the actionsaetions ofof the the Roosevelt-Frankfurter Roosevelt-Frankfurter government government may may be duebe due to sheer to sheer a lack of "human“human thoroughbreds" thoroughbreds ” (RSWWII {RSWWll 126). For "England“England hashas imbecility and notnot to to ingrained ingrained rascality. rascality. Or Or the the two two may may be betwin twin born born and and inseparable inin thatthat milieu. milieu. Go Go to to it: it: diagnose diagnose 'em. 'em. Don't Don shoot’t shoot 'em; ’em; analyze analyze chosen birthbirth controlcontrol INSTEADinstead of Eugenics.Eugenics ...... The. The so-called so-called exam­ exam­ their tropisms,tropisms, theirtheir behavior,behavior, and and tell tell us us whether whether their their policy poliey is dueis due to bad­to bad­ ple ofof thethe race race course, course, horsebreedin'," horsebreedin says’,” saysPound, Pound, "would “would have have heartedness oror cariescaries ofof the the cerebellum.cerebellum. (RSWWII {RSWWII 235) served the EnglishEnglish racerace as as a a paradigm, paradigm, but but they they didn't didn use’t use it" it ” (126). Here PoundPound isis talkingtalking aboutabout England England explicitly, explicitly, but but similar similar obser­ obser­ PoundPound's’s mildestmildest solutionsolution in in these these talks talks is tois haveto have Roosevelt Roosevelt institu­ institu­ vations are variously applied toto thethe United United States. States. Adopting Adopting the the per­ per­ tionalized. Hence,Hence, in in conclusion conelusion to tothe the 29 January 1942 speech,,speeeh, we sona ofof a a no-nonsense no-nonsense pioneer, pioneer. Pound, Pound, as William as William Chace hasChace has ------

92 Paideuma 42 VdclavVaclav Paris I/ Pound and Disability 93

find the following ironic lines, often, as Friedlander points out, “"citedcited [t]he only living author who has ever taken a city or held up the diplomatic as a prophecy of PoundPound's’s own fatefate"” (118): crapulecrap~!~ at the point of machine-guns, he is in a position to speak with more authority than a batch of neurasthenic incompetents or of writers who never . having swerved from their jobs, might be, or are, supposed by the scientists I t Does look like there was a weakness of mind in some quarters. Whom God having swerved from their jobs, might be, or are, supposed by the scientists and the populaee to be incapable of aetion. (LE 192) would destroy, he first sends to the bug house. (RSWWII[RSWWII 27) and the populace to be incapable of action. (LE 192)

State-mentsStatements such as these reveal a fundamental interdependence Or, more explicitly in the opening of a speech from April of the same between the two terms “Pound” and “disability.” To the extent that year: between the two terms "Pound" and "disability." To the extent that year: Pound constructed his own identity as poet and activist, he oftinoft^n did : l I think Roosevelt ought to be jailed, if a committee of doctors thinks him so against abject figures of sickness and disabilitydisability..77 As Sharon Snyder l responsible for his actions, and I think he ought to be in a high walled gook and others have shown, the need for disability as a raw material for "a“a house, or insane asylum ifheif he is NOT. (RSWWII{RSWWII 84) desired world world"” is “"foundationalfoundational to modernity"modernity” (qtd. in McRuer 72).72). I Recall,~ecall, for instance, the "half-wit"half-wit (("imbecille") imbecille”) of canto 72 sacrificed ! The same sentiments-thesentiments—the same association of mental illness as inm the cause of a fascist utopia. Indeed, the relation between Poundian affecting not only Roosevelt but also the American body politic­politic — modernism and a medical model of disability is often that of a mutu­mutu­ form the conclusion to Pound'sPound’s 1945 America, Roosevelt, and the ally defining and mutually informing dialectic. While Pound'sPound’s role in Causes of the Present War: the way we understand disability is minimal, the links between mod­mod­ ernism and a medical model of disability are partly indebted to him. Roosevelt [is] in all this a kind of malignant tumour, ... an unclean exponent Thus, for instance, in Robert McRuer'sMcRuer’s chapter on US rehabilitation of something less circumscribed than his own evil personal existence.existence ...... His of soldiers after the Second World War, McRuer describes the political life ought to be brought sub judice. (18) process of repairing the broken body according to an ideal norm of For Pound, Roosevelt and Churchill are “ "highlyhighly undesirable speci­speci­ ability as definitively modernist; this "rehabilitation“rehabilitation initiative"initiative,” he mens of inhumanity,"inhumanity,” (RSWWII{RSWWII 257), senile and mentally deranged, claims, quoting Henri-Jacques Stiker, was a theoretical conce~tionconception candidates for being wiped out.^ out.6 "I“I think,think,"” says Pound in another of that we can understand as “ "essentially,essentially, 'make‘make it new'"new’” (m).8(111).8 The his radio speeches, that "it“it might be a good thing to hang Roosevelt words, which are associated with Pound, have come, it seems, even and a few hundred yidds, yidds,"” adding, however, that, although it "may“may in stu?iesstudies of disability that have little to do with poetics, to represent sound tame, tame,"” such hanging must be done by "due“due legal process"process” a particular modernist entailment to a medical model of disability. {RSWWII(RSWWII 289). In these speeches.speeches, PoundPound's’s solutions are extreme. For Pound, error II. PISA AND THE TROUBLE WITH DISABILITY was disastrously “"allall in the not done, / all in the diffidence that fal­ tered"tered” (81/522); and the letters that he sent in brash western slang If at times Pound reproduced the ideology of the medical model of were often themselves muscular attempts to do, falling only slightly disab!litydisability in hish!s work,~ork, opposing the raw material of the disabled body short of advocating genocide. Pound advocated action. Unwilling­Unwilling­ or mind mmd to his ideal state, there are also moments where disability ness to carry this action out was for him a weakness tantamount to plays a less clearly oppositional role. The early poems “ "LaLa Fraisne"Fraisne” disability. This belief belief-a— a central one to understanding Pound'sPound’s life (1906) and "Pierre“Pierre Vidal Old"Old” (1909), for instance, reveal Pound and work work-is—is well expressed in his 1929 essay “"Guido'sGuido’s Relations,"Relations,” usingusin_g figur_esfigures of mental abnormality to achieve a Browning-like dra­dra­ where, in contrast to the disabled Leopardi, he celebrates "D'An-“D’An­ matic tens10n.tension. The monologue of a “ "gaunt,gaunt, grave councillor"councillor, ” “"LaLa Fraisne” dramatizes a mind falling apart (P 4). For although the nunz10nunzio. "” as Fraisne" dramatizes a mind falling apart (P 4). For althou;h the speaker describes himself as "[b]“[b]eing eing in all things wise, and very oldold"” 94 Paideuma 42 VdclavVaclav Paris / IPound andand DisabilityDisability 95

(4), we soon discover that hehe hashas fallen fallen in in love love with with a poola pool (or (or possi­ possi­ In Pound'sPound’s earlierearlier cantos,cantos, disability disability appears appears metaphorically, metaphorically, a asym­ sym­ bly a tree) inin anan ash ash wood: wood: bol ofof culturalcultural disease disease in in conflict conflict with with the the achievement achievement of an of aes­ an aes­ thetic andand eugeniceugenic state; state; in in the the Pisan Pisan cantos cantos it playsit plays a morea more intricate intricate Though allall men men say say that that I amI am mad mad role. At base, disabilitydisability appearsappears asas a a symbol symbol of of loss, loss, of of the the failed failed war war It is only that II amam glad,glad, effort, and asas aa corporeal corporeal metaphor metaphor for for a damaged a damaged Europe. Europe. Failing Failing Very glad,glad, for my bride hath towardtoward meme a a great great love love bodies are encountered often. They inelude the ‘ bent / shoulders of That isis sweetersweeter thanthan the the love love of of women women bodies are encountered often. They include the "bent/ shoulders" of That plagueplague andand burn burn and and drive drive one one away. away. (5) (5) the peasantpeasant in in 74/445;7~445; the blindnessblindness of of Polyphemus Polyphemus and and the the lines lines “"deathdeath insanity/suicideinsanity/suicide degenerationdegeneration / that/ that is, is, just just getting getting stupiderstupidfr as The poempoem ends ends melodramatically melodramatically with with the the old old councilor councilor forgetting forgetting they get older"older” ofof 76/477; the "wind“wind madmad asas Cassandra"Cassandra” of of 77f495; 77/495; the the womanwoman who who apparently apparently drove drove him him mad. mad. "Once “ thereOnce wasthere a was a “eyes"eyes of DonaDofia Juana lala loca"loca” of of 78/503; 78/503; thethe "dwarfs" “dwarfs” of of Las Las Menifias Meninas woman,woman,"” he says,says, "but“but II forgetforget .... . she. she was was .. ../... / ... I hope I hope she willshe willnot not and "jambe-de-bois"“jambe-de-bois” ofof 90/513, 90/513, 525;525; and Pound'sPound’s ownown "sered “sered eyes" eyes” of of come again"again” (5).(5). 83/549. Pound waswas notnot alone alone among among the the modernists modernists in recognizing in recognizing the the But disabilitydisability isis notnot simply simply an an aspect aspect of ofthe the content content of theof the Pisan Pisan potential poeticpoetic valuevalue of of madness madness and and old old age. age. A numberA number of Eliot's of Eliot ’s cantos. It also affects the poem'spoem’s movementmovement through through Pound's Pound model­’s model­ early works were writtenwritten outout of of a afascination fascination with with decrepitude. decrepitude. The ing forfor us,us, throughthrough an an unprecedentedly unprecedentedly fragmentary fragmentary format, format, of his of his Waste Land was famously composedcomposed inin the the wake wake of of Eliot's Eliot nervous’s nervous fragmenting consciousness.consciousness. InIn particular, particular, we we see see this this in inhis his struggles struggles breakdown, and endsends onon the the note note of of "Hieronymo's “Hieronymo ’ mads mad againe" againe (69).” (69). to remember,remember, which,which, as as in in the the earlier earlier “"LaLa Fraisne,Fraisne,"” become partpart of of As Louis Sass has illustrated, thethe two two concepts concepts of of madness madness and and mod­ mod­ the poem.poem. InIn canto canto 80, 80, for for instance, instance, we we read, read, "[']The “[‘]The evil evilthat that men men ernism areare conceptuallyconceptually very very closely closely related. related. Further, Further, with with regard regard to to do lives after themthem'/’ / well, well, that that is is from from Julius Julius Caesar/ Caesar unless / unless memory memory the poeticpoetic valuevalue of of these these paired paired concepts, concepts. Bob Bob Perelman's Perelman ’s The Trou­Trou­ trick me,"me,” andand then,then, a afew few lines lines later, later, "so “so Horace Horace C. C.started started / buying / buying ble withwith GeniusGenius points outout the the association association between between discussion discussion of of someone else'selse’s paintingspaintings / /whose whose name, name, be be it itnot not Innes, Innes, escapes escapes me" me ” Poundian geniusgenius andand insanity insanity in in the the period, period, drawing drawing on Maxon Max jSfor-,N"or­ (80/521-22). In In oneone sense,sense, it isis obviousobvious thatthat Pound maymay notnot havehave beenbeen daudau's,’s, CesareCesare Lombroso's,Lombroso’s, and and Otto Otto Weininger's Weininger studies’s studies of degener­of degener­ certain ofof hishis memorymemory of of the the location location ·of of the the line line "The “The evil evil that that men men acy, criminality, and sexualsexual deviance.deviance. do lives after them."them.” YetYet hehe writeswrites hishis inability inability to to remember remember into into the the While PoundPound distanceddistanced himself himself from from the the persona persona of ofthe the biopoliti­ biopoliti- poem itself;itself; overcomingovercoming aa personal personal mental mental obstacle obstacle becomes becomes part part of of cally marginalized figurefigure during during the the later later 1920s, 1920s, the the 1930s, 1930s, and and the the the texturetexture ofof his his epic.epic. InIn modeling modeling an an incapacity incapacity in inthis this way, way. Pound Pound early 1940s, preferringpreferring to present himselfhimself in in the the position position of of responsi­ responsi­ recognizes andand includesincludes a anew new sense sense of of his his limitations. limitations. ble policy maker, hehe diddid minemine itsits poeticpoetic possibility possibility again again in in The Pisan This sensesense ofof limitation limitation relates, relates, in in particular, particular, to ato modeled a modeled diffi­ diffi­ Cantos. As Ronald BushBush writes,writes, "Pound's“Pound’s swerve swerve towardtoward Villon Villon iden­ iden­ culty inin speaking:speaking: both both politically politically and and more more literally. literally. An exampleAn example tified thethe poempoem with with the the outcast outcast instead instead of theof the governor, governor, the rene­the rene­ occurs atat thethe beginning beginning of of canto canto 74:74= “"OhOh my EnglandEngland / / that that free free gade instead ofof the policeman,policeman, the the bohemian bohemian instead instead of ofthe the courtier" courtier ” speech withoutwithout free free radio radio speech speech is asis aszero" zero (446).” (446). Juxtaposed Juxtaposed with with (116). One One mightmight also add thethe rolerole of of the the madman madman to toBush's Bush list.’s list. For For this isis thethe figurefigure ofof Ouan Ouan Jin, Jin, "or “ orthe the man man with with an educationan education / and / and although thethe Pisan Pisan cantos cantos do do not not constitute constitute a complete a complete reversal reversal of of whose mouthmoufti waswas removedremoved byby hishis father/father / because because he he made made too too many many attitudes towardstowards disabilitydisability at at the the moment moment of Pound'sof Pound capture,’s capture, dis­ dis­ thingsthings"” (446-47). Deprived ofof the the power power of of radio radio speech,speech. Pound Pound asso­ asso­ ability and poetrypoetry werewere thrownthrown intointo a a very very different different set set of of relations relations by by ciates hishis PisanPisan persona persona with with a mythical a mythieal figure figure who iswho without is without a a circumstances, mostmost obviously obviously byby thethe circumstancescircumstances of of fascism fascism being being mouth. InIn support, support, the the Pisan Pisan cantos cantos often often instruct instruct us how us tohow pro­ to pro­ defeated andand ofof Pound's Pound’ s life life becoming becoming partly partly dependent dependent on hison giv­his giv­ nounce wordswords as as in in the the parentheses, parentheses, "the “ the President President of Magdalen of Magdalen / / ing an impressionimpression ofof impairment. impairment. (rhyming dawdlin')"dawdlin’)” (74/465),(7~465), or the "Hay“Hay aqufaqui mucho catolicismo-catolicismo— 96 Paideuma 42 VdclavVaclav Paris /I Pound and Disability 97

(sounded / catolithismo)catolit/iismo) / y muy poco reliHion"reliHion” of Padre Jose Eli­Eli­ At [the] age of 15 a consumptive gave me a copy of Salome with BeardsleyBeardsley's’s zondo (81/537). Unable to perform his words over the air, Pound'sPound’s illustrations. I cut ‘ 'emem out, theywverethey-were so ugly. But for more than ten years of poetry becomes a way of substituting for the sense of sound, scoring my life I considered this an act of genuine fanaticism. I came to see the ...... damn it all, call ‘'emem merits of Beardsley's distortions. {RSWWIl(RSWWII 192) his voice like the music of "Sidelights“Sidelights from Salassi"Salassi” in canto 75. Disability might then be seen as central to Pound'sPound’s composition in The1'he “"meritsmerits of BeardsleyBeardsley's’s distortionsdistortions"” —-analogousanalogous in this schema to the Pisan cantos, not as it is in the medical model described above­above— the “ "meritsmerits of Beardsley Beardsley's’s disease disease"” —-troubletrouble Pound Pound's’s eugenic that is, as a dialectical opponent to Pound'sPound’s ideal state-butstate—but rather as schema. In the Pisan cantos, this alternative mode of producfionprodustion is a more performative aspect of composition, "part“part of the process,"process,” as one that Pound takes up in his own praxis. It involves not the attainattain­­ Pound says of wind and rain in canto 74 (455). Earlier, disability was ment of a universal beauty, but a struggle with body or mind after the negative pole to an aesthetics of health; here it is a constituent beauty. Like Beardsley, Pound, when he was in the DTC, was ill and element of an aesthetic ideal. Pound hints at this recognition in the believed himself pushed for time. Beardsley models the possibility of repeated quotation of Aubrey Beardsley'sBeardsley’s line "Beauty“Beauty is difficult":difficult”: an art of the “ "courageous"courageous” or “"heroicheroic invalid. invalid."” He is the figurehead La beaute,beauts, "Beauty is difficult, Yeats"Yeats” said Aubrey Beardsley of a poetic deployment of disability, blindness, and fumbling. It is when Yeats asked why he drew horrors one that we see continuing in various ways throughout the remain remain­­ or at least not Burne-Jones ing cantos, up until “ "NotesNotes for Canto CXVII et seq.,seq.,"” which opens and Beardsley knew he was dying and had to in the gardens of St. Elizabeths. While Pound never abandoned his make his hit quickly political projects, returning to them more emphatically in Section:Secti~n: hence no more B-J in his product. Rock-Drill and Thrones, and while even at the end he would write wnte emphatically that “"thethe beauty is not the madnessmadness"” (116/815), for many So very difficult, Yeats, beauty so difficult. (80/531) readers the import of these later cantos is determined by the Pisan cantos, understood as a “"nakednaked transcription of [Pound[Pound's]’s] arduous and For Pound, Beardsley is the figure of a disabled artist and also of a dif­dif­ at times arid mental condition condition"” (Bacigalupo, qtd. in Bush 120), and ferent kind of aesthetics, one that does not fit into Pound'sPound’s schema of by the ultimate concessions “ "II cannot make it coherecohere"” (116/816) and good art being healthy art. We know this-strangelythis—strangely enough-fromenough—from “"II lost my centercenter/ / fighting the worldworld"” (("Notes“Notes for CXVII et seq.seq."”/822)./822). the radio speeches. Here Pound presents Beardsley as a figure of sin­sin­ In all of this, the line between Pound Pound's’s performance of his dis dis­­ cerity: cerity: ability or madness and its non-performed base is a difficult one to HIS sane youthful impulse was to pre-Raphealite beauty. Early drawings, draw. While a critical consensus has solidified around claims that Burne-Jones, that'sthat’s what he WANTED.wanted . Yeats asked him why he hadn'thadn’t stuck Pound was not insane but did use the appearances of insanity as an to it. Beardsley was no slouch, he was a courageous invalid. He was a heroic expedient ruse, attempts to reveal Pound Pound's’s underlying sanity are invalid, up to the point of his force. He didn'tdidn’t lie to himself nor to his friends invariably premised on a medical model of disability.^disability.9 Indeed, from in private. He answered: Beauty is so DIFFICULT.difficult . (RSWWII{RSWWIl 193) the first, they were made by psychiatrists contending with the opin opin­­ ion of the principal psychiatrist, Dr. Winfred Overholser.^o Overholser. JO While Pound tells this anecdote in a speech about the value of healthy art, valuable,valuable these claims add little to a study of the discursive construcconstrue-­ about "Mediterranean“Mediterranean sanity and beauty, order"order” (192). "HEALTH,"“health, ” he . ' tion of insanity in the case of Ezra Pound. For even if we assume that claims in this speech, "is“is MOREmore interesting than disease. Health is Pound performed his insanity for many years,~ears, itit's’s a performance that TOTAL. Beauty is MOREmore interesting than distortion"distortion” (192). And yet, in needs to be carefully considered as a part of his self-fashioning and some ways the passage contradicts this aesthetic theory. For as Pound poetics. Indeed, to a certain extent, mental disability was ubiquitous grudgingly admits: 98 l Paideuma 42 Vaclav Paris / IPound andand DisabilityDisability 99 ii I in Pound'sPound ’s life. life. Thus, Thus, when when Robert Robert Frost askedFrost Omarasked Pound Omar Pound the choicechoice seemedseemed to to be be between between graduate graduate work work and and 'an ‘ insanean insane asy­ asy­ I "whether“whether hishis fatherfather was was reallyreally crazy," crazy,” OmarOmar allegedly allegedly "shrugged “shrugged and and lum althoughalthough maybe maybe that that isnisni’t so very different"'different’” (Tytell(Tytell 25). 25). WhenWhen replied, 'Like‘Like always"'always’” (Tytell (Tytell 315). 315). touting thethe workwork of of the the pianist pianist Katherine Katherine Ruth Ruth Heyman, Heyman, he warnedhe warned A personal engagement with with the the fringes fringes of of madness madness and and the the strug­ strug­ his friend BurtonBurton Hessler Hessler "not “not to to tell tell his his parents parents what what he washe was doing doing gle toto "make“make itit cohere" cohere ” is isone one of ofthe the ways ways that that John John Tytell Tytell casts casts his his lest they think thatthat he he had had 'gone ‘gone clean clean crazy crazy instead instead of ofpartway"' partway ’(38)” (38) subjectsubject's’s lifelife inin Ezra Pound: TheThe SolitarySolitary Volcano. Volcano. Although TytellTytell When writingwriting a areview review of of his his own own work work he he included included the the comment, comment, clearly sets out the evidenceevidence thatthat Pound Pound bluffed bluffed his his insanity, insanity, the the nar­ nar­ “"ThoseThose whowho dodo not not consider consider it crazyit crazy may may well well consider consider it inspiredinsvired"” rative of PoundPound's’s youth isis unswerving inin itsits representationrepresentation of of the the poet poet (38). At one timetime PoundPound became became interested interested in palmistryin palmistry and and discov­1iscov­ as always headingheading towardstowards aa mentalmental asylum. I I With aa degreedegree ofof creep­ creep­ ered “"aa line inin hishis palmpalm which which was was revealed revealed to to him him as as a apotential potential sign sign ing determinismdeterminism the the introduction introduction reports reports how how Pound, Pound, at a atLondon a London of madness. HeHe saidsaid thatthat he he had had "definitely “definitely decided decided at atthat that time time 'not ‘ not literary luncheon,luncheon, "deliberately “deliberately and and delicately delicately munched munched a center­ a center- to go crazycrazy"'’” (291).(291). InIn one of his Polite Essays Essays he declared, “"ItIt may be piece ofof tulipstulips whenwhen he he felt felt neglected," neglected, making” making him him "seem “seem the foolthe fool that mymy weeklyweekly writingswritings areare nono more more articulate articulate than than the the trumpetings trumpetings or the madman"madman” (5). (5). Later,Later, his his friends friends would would pick pick up up on on these these "warn­ “warn­ of a terrified elephant"elephant” (qtd. (qtd. in in Tytell Tytell 221). 221). SuchSuch references references continue continue ing indications,"indications,” EliotEliot pointing pointing out out that that Pound's Pound letters’s letters were were becom­ becom­ when PoundPound was was admitted admitted to to St. St. Elizabeths Elizabeths and and beyond. beyond. The The main main ing "incomprehensible"“incomprehensible and” and Sir Sir Herbert Herbert Read Read dubbing dubbing "Pound's “Pound ’s difference isis thatthat the the line line between between the the figurative figurative and and the literalthe literal are are ideas onon SocialSocial Credit Credit 'amiable ‘amiable lunacy"' lunacy (8).’” (8).After After the warthe Poundwar Pound further blurred.blurred. Hence, Hence, when when Williams Williams sent sent a copy a copy of of Paterson to "refused“refused toto admitadmit that that he he had had been been wrong," wrong, and” Tytell'sand Tytell prologue’s prologue Pound atat St.St. Elizabeths,Elizabeths, Pound Pound admitted admitted to tonot not being being able able to readto read it: it: concludes fromfrom thisthis that that "he “he had had played played the the madman-poet madman-poet so long so long “"Can'tCan’t clampclamp mind mind on on anything anything so closelyso closely packed packed. .... main. . . main spring spring that hehe couldcould no no longer longer distinguish distinguish between between a role a role and and reality" reality (9).” (9). is bustedbusted"” (qtd.(qtd. inin Tytell Tytell 296)-a 296)— complainta complaint he would he would repeat. repeat. Many Many

I". Pound hadhad becomebecome "a “ asort sort of of King King Lear Lear of of modernism" modernism (10).” (10). years later, after seeing SamuelSamuel Beckett'sBeckett’s Fin-de-partie, (in which twotwo While Tytell'sTytell’s summarizedsummarized trajectory trajectory is liableis liable to accusationsto accusations of of of thethe variously variously disabled disabled characters characters live in live dustbins), in dustbins), Pound Pound hindsight bias,bias, The Solitary VolcanoVolcano is replete withwith suggestions suggestions that that exclaimed: "C'est“C’est moi moi clans dans la la poubelle" poubelle (qtd.” (qtd. in Tytell in Tytell 336). 336). The The Pound'sPound’s whole careercareer was was entwinedentwined with with a a worry worry over over insanity. insanity. ThereThere self-diagnosis, atat once tragictragic andand comic,comic, is is apt: apt: Pound Pound the the "ego “ego scrip­ scrip- are manymany examplesexamples of of his his contemporaries contemporaries describing describing him him as crazy, as crazy, tortor"” waswas himselfhimself a a product product of aof modernism a modernism that hadthat spannedhad spanned the the insane, "a“a revolutionary simpleton"simpleton” (Lewis; (Lewis; 210), 210), "arrested“arrested in in devel­ devel­ divide between inspirationinspiration and.disability and-disability (C (C 62/350).fo/350). opment"opment” (H.D.;(H.D.; 179), 179), "Lord“Lord Ga-Ga"Ga-Ga ” (William (William Carlos Carlos Williams; Williams; 268), 268), or as having "bats“bats in thethe belfry"belfry” (Olga(Olga Rudge; Rudge; 305). 305). Notably, Notably, Pound's Pound ’s III. POUND, POUND, DISABILITY, DISABILITY, AND AND activities runningrunning up up to histo incarcerationhis incarceration in Pisa werein Pisa often were often LATE MODERNIST MODERNIST U.S. POETRY U.S. POETRY explained oror excusedexcused asas thosethose ofof a a madman.madman. Before Before he he spoke spoke on on U.S. U.S. radio, the director ofof the NationalNational InstituteInstitute of of Cultural Cultural Relations Relations with with There areare groundsgrounds for for reading reading Pound's Pound’ stime time in in the the DTC DTC and and St. St.Eliz­ Eliz­ Foreign Countries "asserted“asserted that that in in his his opinion opinion Pound Pound was was pleasantly pleasantly abeths andand itsits poetry poetry not not so so much much as asexceptional exceptional in Pound'sin Pound career,’s career, insane"insane” (Tytell(Tytell 2fo).261). The opinionopinion was was also also expressed expressed in in Italy. Italy. Thus, Thus, but asas indicativeindicative ofof a a tension tension that that runs runs through through its entireits entire length length and and among Pound'sPound’s fifty-oddfifty-odd letters to MussoliniMussolini therethere is is a a memorandum memorandum more generallygenerally throughthrough much much of ofmodernism. modernism. Why Why then then do I dofocus I focus from thethe ministryministry ofof propaganda: propaganda: "One “One thing thing that that is clearis clear is thatis that the the on the PisanPisan cantoscantos in in this this paper, paper, citing citing this this decad decad as asthe the moment moment in in author isis mentallymentally unbalanced" unbalanced (” qtd.(qtd. in in Tytell Tytell 239). 239). which Pound'sPound’ s relations relations to to disability disability came came to a to head? a head? While While they they More striking than thesethese exteriorexterior judgments, judgments, however, however, are are Pound's Pound ’s ought toto bebe consideredconsidered an an integral integral part part of of Pound's Pound ’broaders broader project project (as (as own references toto beingbeing on on the the brink brink of of insanity. insanity. When When deciding deciding on on well as a continuation of of the the Italian Italian cantos), cantos), the the Pisans Pisans merit merit special special a career,career, forfor instance,instance, he he wrote wrote to to Viola Viola Baxter Baxter that that "[p “ ]resently[pjresently ...... consideration forfor a a disability-sensitive disability-sensitive history history of of American American poetry poetry in in 100lOO Paideuma 42 VaclavVdclav Paris / IPound andand DisabilityDisability 101lOl

the twentiethtwentieth century century mainly mainly because because they they were were so influential so influential for for movement thatthat involved involved in in part part not not only only breaking breaking down down the clear the elear later American poetspoets (Olson,(Olson, Ginsberg,Ginsberg, Oppen, Oppen, Duncan) Duncan) and and for for the the mediealmedical differentiationdifferentiation of of the'disabled, the'disabled, but but also also breaking breaking down down the the notion ofof what what constitutesconstitutes the the late-modernist late-modernist tradition. tradition. well-studied interpretationinterpretation of of the the disabled disabled as as not not full full citizens.citizens.'^12 In arguingarguing this,this, II wouldwould like like to to return return to to the the talk talk that that inspired inspired this this Although Schweik'sSchweik’s paperpaper was was not not primarily primarily about about Pound, Pound, she she did did paper: SusanSusan Schweik'sSchweik’s "Modernist“Modernist Eugenics Eugenics and and Post-Modem Post-Modern Poet­ Poet­ raise the questionquestion of of why why it it was was that that Pound Pound had had not not been been studied studied in in ics,ics;'” given at a symposium onon Modernism Modernism and and Disability Disability at atthe the Uni­ Uni­ eonconjunction junction with with disability. disability. The The question question is isa gooda good one, one, because because the the versity of Pennsylvania in MarchMarch 2013.2013. Schweik'sSchweik’s mainmain argument, argument, to to caseease ofof EzraEzra PoundPound was was important important in thein the history history of deinstitutjonal­ of deinstitutjonal- be clear,clear, waswas notnot about about Pound Pound but but John John Wieners's Wieners poem’s poem "Children “Children ization, comingcoming at at a momenta moment in which in which questions questions of citiz1nship of citizenship of the WorkingWorking Class,"Class,” written,written, asas the the subtitle subtitle has has it, it, "from “from incarcer­ incarcer­ (Pound's(Pound’s "treason")“treason”) werewere askedasked alongsidealongside questionsquestions of of mental mental impair­ impair­ ation, TauntonTaunton State State Hospital, Hospital, 1972." 1972.” "Children “Children of the of Working the Working ment inin the the context eontext of of poetry poetry and and a nationala national poetic poetic tradition tradition (for (for the the Class"Class” is a difficult poem, andand oneone that that inspires inspires very very mixed mixed reactions, reactions, Cantos make a number of of claims claims to to generic generic status status as as a a national national epic). epic). partly because,because, while while Wieners Wieners describes describes the disabled the disabled with an with an Thus, oneone of of the the causes causes of of indignation indignation when when Pound Pound was was awarded awarded the the appalling brutalitybrutality ((e.g. e.g. "the“the horrorhorror of/ of dwarfs,/ dwarfs, who who cannot cannot stand stand up up Bollingen prizeprize was was that that the the prize prize was was supposed supposed to togo goto ato U.S. a U.S. citi­ citi­ straight with crushed skulls"),skulls”), he also ends the poempoem byby writing,writing, "I“I amam zen forfor anan American American poem. poem. Yet, Yet, as as Wai-Chee Wai-Chee Dimock Dimock summarizes, summarizes, one of them"them” (176).(176). At the samesame timetime as as he he makes makes use use of of the the familiar familiar “"AsAs an American,A,.merican, Ezra PoundPound was was deficient deficient indeedindeed".(116).”'(n6).*^13 Here abjecting strategiesstrategies forfor thethe disabled, disabled, he he claims claims identity identity with with them. them. one symbolicsymbolic meaningmeaning of of Pound's Pound’ stime time in in St. St. Elizabeths Elizabeths and and his his sub­ sub­ In interpretinginterpreting this this tension tension in inWieners's Wieners poem,’s poem, Schweik Schweik pointed pointed sequent releaserelease on on the the understanding understanding that he that was stillhe insanewas still insane out thatthat the the text's text ’meanings meaning is notis not simply simply alone. alone. Invoking Invoking Kamran Kamran becomes evident;evident; namely, namely, that that America America and and the the Pound Pound tradition tradition only only Javadizadeh'sJavadizadeh’s work, she said,said, "By“By thethe timetime Wieners Wieners wrote wrote this this poem, poem, went togethertogether inin the the later later twentieth twentieth century century through through the the extenuation extenuation modernmodem AmericanAmerican poetry poetry had had a along long tradition tradition of of poems poems [written] [written] that that of the diagnosisdiagnosis ofof deficiency deficiency and and implied implied mental mental illness. illness. Pound, Pound, of of way."way.” Placing "Children“Children of of the the Working Working Class" Class alongside” alongside Elizabeth Elizabeth course,eourse, waswas awareaware ofof this, this, claiming elaiming that that "[t]he “[t]he insane insane asylum asylum is the is the Bishop'sBishop’s "Visits“Visits toto SaintSaint Elizabeths," Elizabeths, Robert” Robert Lowell's Lowell "Walking’s “Walking in in only placeplaee I Icould could have have lived lived in, in, in thisin country,"this country, i.e.,” thei.e., United the United Blue,"Blue,” andand AnneAnne Sexton's Sexton "Ringing’s “Ringing the the Bells," Bells, Schweik” Schweik suggested suggested States (qtd.(qtd. byby Tytell Tytell 314). 3rq). More More famously, famously, extending extending his his own own situa­ situa­ that thethe problemproblem of of the the poem's poem legibility’s legibility (that (that is, theis, the problem problem of its of its tion toto thethe restrest of of the the nation, nation, he he explained explained that that he he was was never never released released seemingly divideddivided sympathy)sympathy) was was bound bound up up with with its itsuneasy uneasy inheri­ inheri­ from thethe hospital,hospital, for for "all “all America America is is an an insane insane asylum" asylum ("Pound,” (“Pound, in in tance ofof modernist modernist understandings understandings of disability.of disability. Hence, Hence, in conclu­ in conclu­ Italy").Italy”). sion, sheshe said:said: If Pound'sPound’s personperson modeledmodeled a forma form of ofdeficient deficient citizenship citizenship in late in late modernity, thenthen the the Pisan Pisan cantos cantos provided provided inspiration inspiration for forhow how such such [I]n "Children"Children ofof the the Working Working Class" Class we” we can can discern discern the the workings workings of mod­of mod­ a troubled andand troubling troubling citizenship eitizenship might might be bewritten. written. Other, Other, earlier earlier ernist eugenicseugenics morphingmorphing into into our our liberal liberal eugenics eugenics today-a today eugenics—a eugenics that that decads ofof thethe cantoseantos might might be be said said to haveto have aimed aimed to build to build an ideal an ideal you maymay nevernever seesee...... Speakers,. . Speakers, fluent fluent or halting, or halting, of this of languagethis language of our of our state (the(the Adams Adams cantos cantos for instance),for instance), suggesting suggesting the equation the equation eugenics don'tdon’t saysay "them"“them" (as in DeJamett'sDejarnett’s "Oh“Oh whywhy do do we we allow allow these these peo­ peo­ ple / To breed").breed"). TheyThey comecome to to say say "I;'“I,” speaking a languagelanguage ofof personal personal griefgrief between aa coherent eoherent body body politic politie and and an an ultimately ultimately coherent eoherent poem, poem, and sorrow and suffering and choicechoice oror coercioncoercion and and a ahard hard life life course course and and a a but itit isis inin thethe Pisan Pisan cantos cantos that that we we see see the the clearest clearest fracturing fraeturing of thisof this complex admixture ofof geneticsgenetics andand environment.environment. ordered system.system. ItIt is is the the tensions tensions of ofthis this fracture, fraeture, as Peter as Peter Nicholls Nieholls I am oneone ofof them. them. has argued, thatthat have have been been most most influential influential to ato younger a younger generation generation of poets.1poets. 4 The PisanPisan cantos cantos do do not not only only proceed proceed through through the the recog­ recog­ Schweik'sSchweik’s studystudy placedplaced Wieners's Wieners ’ poems poem and and its formalits formal difficulties difficulties nition ofof the failurefailure ofof an an earlier earlier model model of of the the relations relations among among poetic poetic within thethe history history of of deinstitutionalization deinstitutionalization in thein Unitedthe United States: States: a a body, bodybody ofof the the poet, poet, and and body body of the of state.the state. As Burton HatlenHatlen 102 Paideuma 42 VdclavVaclav Paris / IPound andand DisabilityDisability 103

argued inin hishis contribution contribution to to Ezra Pound and Poetic Influence,Infl,uence, the green carscars passpass Pisans areare "grounded“grounded in in a poetica poetic method method quite quite different different from from the the blue redred white white method ofof earlier earlier sections sections of of The Cantos"Cantos” (132). In thesethese poems,poems, Pound isis "engaged“engaged in in a consciousa conscious attempt attempt to 'put to himself ‘put himself back back nails buildbuild slow as theslow clock as the clock together"'together’” whilewhile threatened threatened with with imminent imminent death death (148). Abandoning an orderlyorderly compositioncomposition and and a fixeda fixed left left margin, margin, Pound Pound makes makes the the now fog fogburns burns the sunsun upup page intointo aa fieldfield of of composition, composition, allowing allowing us us to tosee see his his words words as, as, in in and downdown throughthrough (16) ·' Charles Olson's theory, an indication of the breath. For the "projec­ I! Charles Olson’s theory, an indication of the breath. For the “projec­ I • tive poem,poem,"” summarizes Hatlen,Hatlen, It has beenbeen suggestedsuggested that that the the layout layout of Eigner'sof Eigner composition’s composition was was partly influenced by his difficulty writing and by the technology of does not "seek“seek toto describedescribe butbut to to enact," enact, ”and and in in The Pisan CantosCantos the dispo­dispo­ partly influenced by his difficulty writing and by the technology of l sition of the words across the page becomes,becomes, precisely,precisely, thethe act act of of Ezra Ezra Pound Pound his medium. ThisThis is is also also oftenoften cited cited as as a a an an obvious obvious instance instance of of com­ com­ ;f engaging the world,world, momentmoment by by moment. moment. (146) position by field-which,field—which, if weif we accept accept Hatlen's Hatlen genealogy,’s genealogy, links links back back to thethe PisanPisan cantos. cantos. So, So, in in this this sense, sense, there there is a isgenealogy a genealogy of form of form Instead of tryingtrying toto readread thesethese cantoscantos for for their their thematic thematic patterns patterns and and between PoundPound andand Eigner.15 Eigner.The The poem, poem, however, however, also also owes owes much much careful structure, Hatlen argues that they areare bestbest readread throughthrough OlsonOlson's’s to a moremore generalgeneral attitude, attitude, mode, mode, and and set set of ofkey key images images characteris­ characteris­ legacylegacy-as—as a living,a living, improvisatory improvisatory struggle, struggle, a "going a “going by language" by language ” tic ofof the the Pisan Pisan cantos. cantos. Eigner's Eigner mountain,’s mountain, for instance, for instance, recalls recalls (149). It is a strugglestruggle thatthat isis closely closely related related to to a disabilitya disability poetics poetics in in PoundPound's’s imaginedimagined Taishan; Taishan; the the cloud cloud at theat the beginning beginning recalls recalls "the “the U.S. art and literatureliterature inin the the second second half half of of the the twentieth twentieth century. century. clouds overover thethe Pisan Pisan meadows" meadows (76/479);” (76/479); and and the the ending ending descrip­ descrip­ In order toto show this, it helps toto glance atat thethe workwork ofof anotheranother late­ late- tion ofof thethe sunsun burning burning off off the the fog fog recalls recalls Pound's Pound own’s own daily daily watch­ watch­ twentieth centurycentury American American poet: poet: Larry Larry Eigner. Eigner. Eigner Eigner had had cerebral cerebral ing of thethe sunsun passingpassing over over his his head. head. Moreover, Moreover, one one of ofthe the repeated repeated palsy, a condition thatthat gavegave himhim very very little little control control over over his his muscles. muscles. refrains of the Pisan cantos isis the teaching;teaching; "How“How is is itit far,far, ifif you think He couldcould speakspeak withwith difficulty, difficulty, asas wellwell asas write,write, againagain with with difficulty, difficulty, of it"it” (77/493),(77/493), which which appears appears to beto reprisedbe reprised here inhere the wordsin the words on a typewriter. ManyMany ofof hishis poemspoems-including—including this this one one from from his his 1968 "heights“heights distancesdistances // allall inin mind." mind.” For For Eigner Eigner as as for for Pound, Pound, the the objec­ objec­ book Air the TreesTrees-are—are written written from from the the vantage vantage point point of ofhis.porch: his. porch: tive and inaccessibleinaccessible areare renderedrendered accessible accessible through through a returna return to tothe the subjective: aa discoverydiscovery ofof a a connection connection between between oneself oneself and and one's one ’s My mind aa cloudcloud environment ("my(“my mind mind is is a acloud"). cloud” ). a wet sponge I do notnot meanmean to to suggest suggest that that Pound's Pound experience’s experience of beingof being caged caged there areare mountainsmountains nearby nearby was the samesame asas the the experience experience of ofcerebral cerebral palsy. palsy. Pound Pound did, did, how­ how­ ever, offer raa powerful and successfulsuccessful exampleexample of of how how a a very very differentdifferent construction menmen going going to tothe the job job poetic experienceexperience of of limited limited mobility mobility could eould be bemediated mediated and and made made in white helmetshelmets belowbelow large, spreadingspreading acrossacross thethe page, page, taking taking up up space space and and moving moving with with )or yellow like the mindmind ofof the the reader. reader. Like Like the the Pisan Pisan cantos, cantos, Eigner's Eigner ’s Air the Trees their crane timber immobileimmobile swungswung allows usus toto shareshare in in an an experience experience of disabilityof disability as a as process. a process. But But air EignerEigner's’s method,method, in in this this sense, sense, is isnot not about about expressing expressing his his disability disability the heightsheights distances so muehmuch asas itit isis aa creativeereative explorationexploration of of its its potential. potential. It is one exam­exam­ all in mindmind ple ofof howhow AmericanAmerican poetics poetics recognized recognized and and engaged engaged the the curiosity curiosity and challengechallenge ofof integrating integrating the the imperfect imperfect mind, mind, body, body, and and voice voice at at direction a particularparticular momentmoment in in the the history history of literaryof literary form. form. Its aIts process a process of of 104 Paideuma 42 VaclavVdclav Paris I/ Pound and Disability 105 actively inhabiting the poem, a process that is, of being a citizen, in claims by attempting to write Pound into the later history. For if pro­pro- this case, of a U.S. textual space. jectivism stems in one of its genealogies from the Pisan cantos, then In his article “ "MissingMissing Larry,"Larry,” Michael Davidson describes a tenten­­ the disabled body or mind is-atis—at the very beginning of this poetic dency in the US in the 1950s and ’'6os60s towards an aesthetics of spon­spon­ movementmovement-a— a hitherto unnoticed determinant of its legibility. taneity and embodiment, naming as instances performance poetry, Retelling the history of movements of embodiment from the per per­­ leaping poetry, action painting, projective verse, deep image, hap­hap­ spective of disability, taking Pound in Pisa as an example allows us to penings, spontaneous bop prosody. In these movements, we are told see that they may in fact be premised, not on the absence of barriersbarJiers that the “ "healthy,healthy, preferably young body becomes a marker of politpolit­­ between body and artistic production, but precisely their presencepres,:nce ical agencyagency"” (7). Although a "poetics“poetics of embodiment foregrounds the (hence the difficulty of Beardsley'sBeardsley’s beauty). In tum,turn, this allows us to body as source for artistic production,"production,” inevitably the material diffi­diffi­ see how, as Davidson writes, “"CharlesCharles Olson'sOlson’s assertion that 'Limits / culty of this body is then elided from its meaning (8).'^ (8).16 For David­David­ are what any of us / are inside oPof" ” might speak “"asas much for the crecre­­ son, however, what a poetics of disability offers is to "unsettle“unsettle the ative potential of the disabled artist as it does for the American polis"polis” thematics of embodiment as it appearedappeared"” in these “ "literaryliterary and artis artis­­ and the self-reliant hero of the Maximus poems (9). tic movements of the 1960s"1960s” (7). Many poets may be reevaluated by After Pound won the Bollingen Prize in 1949, T. S. Eliot, Allen way of this lens. Thus, in "Disability“Disability Poetics, “"DavidsonDavidson asks, “"WhatWhat Tate, and others were "[f]orced“[fjorced to defend the claims of art against would it meanmean"” to read political judgment,"judgment,” and in doing so, they "fixed“fixed the terms of a period of formalist criticism that lasted for a generation and more"more” (Bush Robert Lowell, Anne Sexton, and John Berryman not only as confessional 118). Perhaps becausebeeause Pound has been appreciated primarily on apoapo­­ poets but as persons who lived with depression or bipolar disorder, for whom litical, formalist grounds, his import for disability poetics has still personal testimony was accompanied by hospitalization, medicalization, and gone largely ;unnoticed.unnoticed. By bringing the seemingly opposed disci­ family traumaj?]trauma[?] What would it mean to think of Charles Olson Olson's’s “ "breath"breath” line as coming from someone with chronic emphysema exacerbated by heavy plines of disability studies and Pound studies together, however, we smoking? (590) begin to see that disabled poets are not different from and marginal to the history of American poetics. The potential then arises for a Davidson continues: rereading of the history of AmerieanAmerican poetics in its reliance on ideas central to disability theory. It is in the complexeomplex ways that Pound Pound's’s It is worth remembering that the signature poem of the era was not only a work begins to stage and negotiate a shift between a eugenic sensi sensi­­ poem about the madness of the best minds of the poetpoet's’s generation, but about bility and a later paradigm that I think his work might, in the com com­­ the carceral and therapeutic controls that defined those minds as mad, writ writ­­ ing years, prove most instructive for a politically engaged study of ten by someone who was himself "expelled“expelled from the academies for crazy.crazy."” later-twentieth-century poetics. And if we include in our list the effects of alcoholism and substance abuse, a good deal of critical discussion of 1960s poetry could be enlisted around dis dis­­ ability issues. (590) NOTES

11.. PoundPound's’s official diagnosis, given only eight years after his arrival at St. Elizabeths, Elsewhere Davidson adds Audre Lorde, Robert Greeley, Creeley, Elizabeth was "psychotic“psychotic disorder, undifferentiatedundifferentiated"” (Tryphonopoulos and Adams 246). Bishop, Robert Duncan,Dunean, William Carlos Williams, Muriel Rukeyser, 2.2. For the fullest development of this challenge, see Torrey. and Charles Reznikoff to the list. 3.3. The title of the first chapter of LennardLeonard J. Davis'sDavis’s Bending Over Backwards makes While Davidson associates Pound with an earlier modernist the intention of his advocacy clear: “"TheThe End of ofldentity Identity Politics and the Beginning moment of the eugenic approach to disability, dissociating disability ofDismodernism:of Dismodernism: On Disability as an Unstable Category"Category” (9). from his own work, my argument supports and develops DavidsonDavidson's’s 44.. In the hell cantos, for instance, a large part of bringing the world back on track 106 io6 Paideuma 42 VdclavVaclav Paris /I Pound andand DisabilityDisability 107

involves leaving behind thethe sick sick and and deformed. deformed. Hence, Hence, in cantosin cantos 14 and 1515 we seesee 1616.. Thus,Thus, suchsuch an an embodied embodied poetics poetics might might be understood be understood as calling as calling "for“for somesome the misusemisuse ofof language language compared compared to bodiesto bodies in weirdin weird contortions, contortions, "sadic “ sadic mothers mothers unmediated physicalphysical or mental corecore unhamperedunhampered by by prostheses, prostheses, breathing breathing tubes, tubes, or or driving theirtheir daughtersdaughters to to bed bed with with decrepitude" decrepitude ” (141'62),(14/62), "epileptic"“ epileptic” movementsmovements chronic diseases"diseases” (Davidson(Davidson 8).8). (141'63),(14/63), the "four“four millionthmillionth tumour" tumour (15/65)” (15/65) all all beneath beneath "the “the great great arse-hole, arse-hole, / bro­ / bro­ ken with piles"piles" andand the the "last “last squalor, squalor, utter utter decrepitude" decrepitude ” (141'62).(14/62). WORKS CITED CITED 5.5. SimilarSimilar biologisticbiologistic definitions definitions of of usury usury can can be foundbe found in Pound's in Pound money’s money pam­ pam­ phlets, e.g. “"usuusury RY is thethe cancer ofof the the world,world, whichwhich only only the the surgeon's surgeon ’sknife knife of of Fas­ Fas­ Beach, ChristopherGhristopher John. John. ABC ABC ofoflnfluence: Influence: EzraEzra Pound Pound and and the the Remaking Remaking of ofAme- Ame­ cism can cutcut out out of of the the life life of of nations" nations ” ( qtd.(qtd. in in Tytell Tytell 245). rican Poetic Tradition. Berkeley;Berkeley: U of California P,P, 1992.1992. Print. / f 6. "In“In anan article article in in the the Japan Japan Times [Pound] describeddescribed the the 'essential ‘essential fairness fairness of of Black, Sheila, JenniferJennifer Bartlett, Bartlett, and and Michael Michael Northen, Northen, eds. eds. Beauty IsIs aa VermVer~ The Hitler'sHitler’s war aimsaims'’ and saidsaid thatthat ChurchillChurchill was was senile senile and and mentally mentally deranged, deranged, merely merely New Poetry of Disability. El Paso, TX;TX: Cinco PuntosPuntos P,P, 2011. 2011. Print. '1 a front forfor thethe Rothschilds"Rothschilds” (Tytell(Tytell 259). 259). Bush, Ronald.Ronald. "Late“Late Cantos Cantos XLII-CXVII." XLII-CXVII. ” The CambridgeCambridge CompanionCompanion to Ezrato Ezra 7.7. InIn additionaddition to to the the idiot idiot people people and neurasthenicand neurasthenic incompetents incompetents already already men­ men­ Pound. Ed. IraIra B.B. Nadel.Nadel. NewNew York: York; CambridgeCambridge UP, UP, 1999. 1999.109-38. 109-38. Print. Print. tioned, therethere is is the the "semitic “semitic insanity" insanity Pound” Pound mentions mentions in his in July his 1938 July 1938 Criterion Chace, WilliamWilliam M. M. The PoliticalPolitical IdentitiesIdentities ofof Ezra Ezra Pound Pound ($•6 T. S. Eliot.Eliot. Stanford;Stanford: essay "The Ethics ofof Mencius"Mencius” (qtd. (qtd. in in Stock Stock 346). 346). Also, Also, Tytell Tytell reports reports that that Pound Pound Stanford UP,UP, 1973.1973. Print. "told“told BertrandBertrand RussellRussell he he was was glad glad 'you ‘you know know your your lousy lousy country country has paralysis,' has paralysis, ’ Davidson, Michael. "Disability“Disability Poetics." Poetics.” The Oxford Handbook ofof Modern Modem andand Con­ Con­ adding thatthat hehe regretted regretted not not 'kicking ‘kicking a littlea little manhood manhood into into you whenyou when I met I you'" met you’ ” temporary AmericanAmerican Poetry.Poetry. Ed. CatyGary Nelson. Nelson. Oxford: Oxford; Oxford Oxford UP, 2011.UP, 2011. (245).(245)- 581-601. Print.Print. 8. Following David Serlin (Replaceable{Replaceable You: Engineering thethe BodyBody inin PostwarPostwar AmerAmer­­ —-. "Missing. “Missing Larry." Larry. ” Sagetrieb 18.1 (2001); (2001): 5-26. 5-26. Print. Print. ica), McRuer describesdescribes thethe 1950s 1950s stainless-steel prosthetic "Dreyfuss“Dreyfuss arm"arm” asas "sleek,"“sleek,” Davis, LennardLeonard J.J. Bending overover Backwards:Backwards: Disability,Disability, Dismodernism, Dismodemism, and and Other Other "functional"“functional” andand "undeniably“undeniably moderne"modeme” (113). Difficult Positions.Positions. New York;York: NewNew YorkYork UP, UP, 2002. 2002. Print. Print. 9.9. As Ronald BushBush writes,writes, "It“It nownow seemsseems all all but but certain, certain, that, that, under under great great stress stress and and Dimock, Wai-chee.Wai-chee. Through OtherOther Continents: Continents: American American Literature Literature Across Across Deep Deep as flamboyant as ever.ever, Pound was not insane,insane, butbut acceded acceded to to a apolitical political compromise compromise Time. Princeton, N.J.:N.J.; PrincetonPrinceton UP, UP, 2009. 2009. Print. Print. out ofof fearfear forfor hishis lifelife andand in in ignorance ignorance of of the the long-term long-term consequences consequences of the of the deci­ deci­ Eigner, Larry.Larry. Air the Trees. Los Angeles;Angeles: Black Sparrow P, 1968. Print.Print. sion"sion” (110).(110). —-. . The Collected PoemsPoems of Larry Larry Eigner.Eigner. 4 vols. Stanford:Stanford; StanfordStanford UP,UP, 2010.2010. Print.Print. 10.10. These claims werewere firstfirst made byby psychiatristspsychiatrists suchsuch asas ThomasThomas Szasz Szasz and and Fredric Fredric Eliot, T.T. S.S. Collected Poems igog-igSz.1909-1962. Orlando, FL:FL; Houghton Houghton Mifflin Mifflin Harcourt, Harcourt, Wertham, whowho sawsaw PoundPound inin St. St. Elizabeths; Elizabeths; they they were were then then developed developed by byE. E.Fuller Fuller 2014. Print.Print. Torrey in The Roots ofof Treason. Treason. For an overview,overview, see Wilhelm, 258-80.258-80. Friedlander, Benjamin.Benjamin. "Radio “Radio Broadcasts." Broadcasts. ” Ezra PoundPound in in Context. Context. Ed. IraIra B.B. 11.11. A good example ofof Pound'sPound’s bluffingbluffing his his madness madness is isseen seen when when Tytell Tytell describes describes Nadel. Cambridge:Cambridge; Cambridge Cambridge UP, UP, 2010. 2010. 115-24. Print. PoundPound's’s mode ofof dressing dressing atat St.St. Elizabeths:Elizabeths; "In“In [Pound[Pound's]’s] London daysdays hehe hadhad been been Colston,Golston, Michael.Michael. Rhythm andand Race Race in in Modernist Modernist Poetry Poetry and and Science. Science. New York:York; a dandy, but during thisthis timetime hehe was was dressingdressing thethe rolerole ofof his his madness,madness, wearingwearing a a scarf scarf Columbia UP,UP, 2007. 2007. Print.Print. in summer,summer, nevernever buttoning buttoning his his shirt, shirt, and and often often leaving leaving his his fly fly unzipped, unzipped, especially especially Grenier, Robert.Robert. "Introduction."“Introduction. ” Eigner, Eigner, The Collected Poems.Poems. 1;1: vii-xiii.vii-xiii. for the psychiatrists"psychiatrists” (302).(302). Hatlen, Burton.Burton. "Pound's“Pound ’ Pisans Pisan Cantos Cantos and and the the Origins Origins of Projective of Projective Verse." Verse. ” Ezra 12.12. For an introductionintroduction to to the the issues issues surrounding surrounding citizenship citizenship and and disability, disability, see see the the Pound and PoeticPoetic Influence:Influence: TheThe Official Official Proceedings Proceedings of of the the ijth17th International introduction toto Pothier Pothier and and Devlin. Devlin. Ezra PoundPound ConferenceConference Held Held at at Castle Castle Brunnenburg, Brunnenburg, Tirolo Tirolo Di Merano.Merana. Ed. 13.13. This 'This deficiencydeficiency was was noted noted by by others others as aswell. well. George George Wadsworth, Wadsworth, charge charge d'af­ d’af­ Helen MayMay Dennis.Dennis. Amsterdam: Amsterdam; Rodopi, Rodopi, 2000. 2000. 130-54. 130-54. Print. Print. faires at the American EmbassyEmbassy inin Rome,Rome, referredreferred to to Pound Pound as as a a "pseudo-American" “pseudo-American ” Jaeger, PaulPaul T., and CynthiaCynthia Ann Ann Bowman. Bowman. Understanding Disability:Disability: Inclusion,Inclusion, during thethe war war (Tytell (Tytell 261). Access, Diversity, and CivilCivil Rights. Rights. Westport, CT;CT.: Greenwood, 2005.2005. Print.Print.

14.14. "The“The Cantos retains itsits Alpine prominenceprominence partly partly because it fails to achieve thethe Lewis, Anthony,Anthony. “"u.s.u.s. askedASKED TOto END end POUND pound INDICTMENT indictment —- Court ToldTold Poet'sPoet’s kind of coherence PoundPound desired desired for for it. it. It It is is that that gap gap between between intention intention and and achieve­ achieve­ Insanity Is Incurable —- Wife Would Take HimHim BackBack to to Italy." Italy.” New York Times ment whichwhich has has allowed allowed contemporary contemporary writers writers to continueto continue to read to read the poemthe poem as a as a 15 Apr. Apr. 1958; 1958: 19. 19. Web. Web. New York Times Historical. 2424Aug. Aug. 2014. source ofof newnew possibilities"possibilities” (Nicholls(Nicholls 156).156). McRuer, Robert.Robert. CripGrip Theory:Theory: CulturalCultural Signs Signs of of Queerness Queemess and and Disability. Disability. New 15.15. As Robert Grenier writes,writes, EignerEigner offers offers "perhaps “perhaps the the best best (and (and most most varied) varied) ful­ ful­ York;York: NewNew YorkYork UP, UP, 2006. 2006. Open WorldCat.WorldCat. Web. 24 Aug. 2014.2014. fillment wewe have,have, toto date, date, of of tendencies tendencies and and possibilities possibilities regarding regarding the the use use of spaceof space Nicholls, Peter.Peter. "Beyond“Beyond The Cantos: Pound andand AmericanAmerican Poetry."Poetry.” The Cambridge in poetrypoetry gatheredgathered into into and and 'projected' ‘projected out’ out into into the futurethe future of American of American poetry poetry by by Companion toto EzraEzra Pound. Pound. Ed. Ira B.B. Nadel. Cambridge,Cambridge, UK: UK; Cambridge Cambridge UP, UP, Olson'sOlson’s theory ofof compositioncomposition byby field" field” (xiii). (xiii). 1999. 139-60.13<)-60. Print. 108io8 PafdeumaPaideuma 42

i Perelman, Bob.Bob. The Trouble with with Genius: Genius: Reading Reading Pound, Pound, Joyce, loyce, Stein, Stein, and and Zukof- Zukof­ sky. sky. Berkeley:Berkeley; U of California P,P, 1994. Print. Pothier, Dianne,Dianne, and and Richard Richard Devlin, Devlin, eds. eds. "Introduction: "Introduction: Toward Toward a Critical a Critical Theory Theory of Dis-Citizenship."Dis-Citizenship. Critical DisabilityDisability Theory: Theory: Essays Essays in inPhilosophy, Philosophy, Politics, Politics, Policy, andLaw. Policy, and Law. Vancouver:Vancouver; UBCUBC P,P, 2006. 1-24. Print. Pound, Ezra.Ezra. America, Roosevelt, and the Causes of the Present War. London: Peter and the Causes of the Present War.London: Peter Russell, 1951. Print. -. "Ezra Pound Speaking": Radio Speeches o{World War II. -. “Ezra Pound Speaking”: Radio Speeches of World War II. Ed. LeonardLeonard W. Doob. Westport, CT: Greenwood P, W. Doob. Westport, CT: Greenwood P, 1978. Print. BOB PERELMAN -. bob perelman -. Literary EssaysEssays of of Ezra Ezra Pound. Pound. Ed. T.T. S.S. Eliot. Eliot. Norfolk, Norfolk, CT: CT: New New Directions, Directions, /I 1954. Print. -. Personae: The Shorter Poems. LIE QUIETQUIET EZRA: i —. Personae: The Shorter Poems. Ed. LeaLea BaechlerBaechler and and A. Walton Litz.Litz. NewNew York: York; New Directions,Directions, 1990. Print. TIME LINES LINES IN POUND IN POUND ! -. The Cantos of . The Cantos of E:zraEzra Pound. Reprint edition.edition. NewNew York: York: New New Directions, Directions, iqq6. 1996. Print. My wife, Francie Shaw, asked me recently why I'm still working on "Pound, inin Italy,Italy, GivesGives FascistFascist Salute;Salute; Calls Calls United United States States an an 'Insane ‘Insane Asylum."' Asylum. ’” The The Pound. YouYou were working on PoundPound whenwhen we we got got together together and and forty- New York Times Times 10 July 1958: 56. 56. New York Times Times Historical. Historical. Web. 23 Aug. 2014. forty­ Web. 23 Aug. 2014. t?reethj-ee years laterlater youyou're’re still workingworking onon Pound. Why? It's a good ques- Sass, Louis A. Madness andand Modernism: Modernism: Insanity Insanity in inthe the Light Light of Modemof Modem Art, Litera­ It's a good ques­ ture, and Thought. Art, Litera­ tion. ture, and Thought. New York: BasicBasic Books, 1992. Print. Schweik, Susan.Susan. "Modernist"Modernist Eugenics Eugenics and and Postmodern Postmodern Poetics." Poetics. Modernism” Modernism and and There areare circumstantial circumstantial answers. answers. I'm I’ m a Pounda Pound scholar scholar, and and thus thus Disability. University of Pennsylvania. Disability. University of Pennsylvania. 15 March 2013. Archive.org. Web. 28 May ImI'm partpartofthe of the ever-more ever-more unsettled unsettled critical critical conversation conversation on Pound March 2013.Archive.org. Web. 28 May ~n Pound 2015. which thisthis conferenceconference at at Boise Boise has has exemplified. exemplified. Pound Pound remains remains an Serlin, David.David. Replaceable You: You: Engineering Engineering the the Body Body in Postwar in Postwar America. America. Chicago: a~ Chicago: mtrigumglyintriguingly overdeterminedoverdetermined object object of of literary literary scholarship; scholarship; even even the the U Of Chicago P, U Of Chicago P, 2004-2004. Print. text, as Ron Bush showedshowed usus thethe first first night, night, won't won ’stayt stay still. still. Snyder, SharonSharon L.,L., and and David David T. T. Mitchell. Mitchell. Cultural Locations of Disability. Lon­ Cultural Locations of Disability.Lon- I'm a teacher of poetics and poetry and you can't teach either don:don; UU ofof Chicago Chicago P, P, 2010. Print. wifh"’ r either Stock, Noel. The Life without dealingdealing with with Pound. Pound. Poetry magazine might have gone Stock, Noel. The Life of Ezra Pound.Pound. Routledge, 2013. Print. Poetry magazine might have gone Torrey, E. Fuller. The Roots of Treason: Ezra Ezra Pound Pound and and the the Secret Secret of St. Elizabeths. under afterafter a a few few years years if if Harriet Harriet Monroe Monroe hadn't hadn met’t met Pound. Pound Eliot lliot of ofSt. Elizabeths. New York: McGraw-Hill,McGraw-Hill, 1984. Print. may well have stopped writingwriting afterafter Prufrock. Prufrock. Certainly Certainly ''The “The Waste Waste Tremain, Shelley. "Foucault, Governmentality, and Critical Disability Theory: An Tremain, Shelley. “Foucault, Governmentality, and Critical Disability Theory: An Land"and wouldn'twouldn t have have been been what what we we read read today. today. Williams Williams wouid would have have Introduction." Foucault and the Government Introduction.” Foucault and the Government of Disability. Ed. SallySally Tremain.Tremain. been a doctor, perhaps continuing on with his Keatsian sonnets in Ann Arbor: U of Michigan P, een a doctor, perhaps continuing on with his Keateian sonnets in Ann Arbor: U of Michigan P, 2005. 1-(27].i-[27]. Print. his off-hours. Tryphonopoulos, DemetresDemetres P., P., and and Stephen Stephen Adams. Adams. "Psychology "Psychology and and Psychiatry." Psychiatry. ” 7 ° Ulysses may notnot have have been been written. written. Certainly Certainly no no Zukofsky, no Olson, no Creeley. No Objectivists and no Projective The Ezra Pound Encyclopedia.Encyclopedia. Ed. DemetresDemetres P. P. Tryphonopoulos Tryphonopoulos and and Stephen Stephen Zukofsky, no Olson, no Creeley. No Objectivists and no Projective Adams. Westport, CT: Greenwood P, Verse. No New American Poetry. No language writing. Without l Adams. Westport, CT: Greenwood P, 2005. 246--47.246-47. Print. Verse. No New American Poetry. No language writing. Without The . Tytell, John. Print. T)4ell, John. Ezra Pound: The The Solitary Solitary Volcano. Volcano. Chicago: Ivan R, Dee, 2004. Print. Cantos,Cun os, no investigativeinvestigative poetics.poetics. Although,Although, in in fairness, fairness, it itshould should beThe be Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 2004. Print. Wieners, John.John. Selected Poems Poems 1958--1984.J95S-J9S4. Boston; David R. Godine, 1986. Print. Boston: David R. Godine, 1986.Print. saidd that inin thisthis alternate, alternate. Poundless Poundless universe universe Gertrude Gertrude Stein Stein would would l Wilhelm, JamesJames J. J. Ezra Pound: TheThe Tragic YearsYears i^z^-u^yz. University Park, PA: ' 1925-1972.University Park, PA: h~veave been justjust fine, fine, idem idem the the same, same, to toquote quote the the title title of one of one of her of her Pennsylvania State UP,UP, 1994. Print. pieces. Little cancan bebe said said about about Pound Pound that that will will not not lead lead into into intractable intractable · discussion. Contradiction isis his his salient salient defining defining feature. feature. No No poet poet in in . the twentiethtwentieth centurycenfery did did more more to to enliven enliven English-language English-language poetry; poetry; forr longong sstretches etches he hardlyhardly uses the EnglishEnglish languagelanguage at at all. all. NoNo poet poet

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