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Rural Delivery
May 8th, 1927
Dear Charles:
Your generosity in writing me so sincerely and felicitously on your reactions to White Bldgs deserved a much speedier response than I have been able to make. As a matter of fact I have received very few comments -and none more satisfying than your words, qualified as they were by a mind both sceptical [sic] and dare I say it? -ardent. I am flattered that the F & H Marriage still pleases you. Something of my intentions must have been registered in that poem, for it seems to ‘get over’ better with most people than any other poem in the book.
Since the West Indian hurricane of last October I have been back in the country with an old woman for cook -and two cats. Am still at work on the Bridge poem which I hope to have finished by autumn. It will make a book -about four times the length of Eliot’s Waste Land. Parts of it are coming out in The Dial, Poetry, The Calendar (London), and Transition. The opening section, Columbus, will be published in The American Caravan, the new yearbook coming out in Sept. It’s been a long strenuous problem -and I have not much idea of what success I shall have in achieving a complete unity of effect. But I do think that certain sections of it, already completed, are better than I have done before -and venture to think they will appeal to you.
When I was in Cleveland three weeks ago I was so occupied by my mother’s divorce proceedings on the one hand, and my father’s nervous collapse on the other -that I didn’t get time to look you up. I did gaze in vain one day over the list of firms in the Guardian Bldg. vaguely remembering that the American Bridge Co. was at one time located there, but as I had only a moment and failed to find the name registered, I had to fatally postpone the quest. I expect to visit the family again soon, however, and under happier cir-cumstances -while will probably enable us to get together. I am anxious to hear about your trip aboad -and how you are in other respects. Meanwhile write me again if you have time -an let me know if you intend coming east this summer: I might be happening in NY at the same moment.
Best wishes always,
Hart Crane
