Transcriptions of "Investiture at Ceconni's"
Transcriptions of Manuscripts
6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 17, 19, 19 Verso, 20
These transcriptions may be read with the images of the manuscripts opened in a separate browser window. The manuscripts appear on the "Manuscripts" link in the left margin. Since it will be apparent from the images, no attempt is made to make the transcriptions correspond exactly to the spacing of the manuscripts. In the case of printed manuscripts with handwritten revisions, the location of the revisions is indicated by line numbers, or stanza and line numbers.
Not all manuscripts have been transcribed at this stage in the project. We have transcribed the ones we consider the most significant. Many manuscripts revise the same passages of the poem, and the transcriptions here should clarify the words in other manuscripts.
Words that seem indecipherable are indicated by [word] or [words]. A conjectural reading of a word is indicated by, for example: swan[?]. These transcriptions should be considered rough drafts. Many words that seem indecipherable to one reader will be clear to another. Pease suggest your own corrections to Timothy Materer or Erica Kao.
Transcription of Written Passages in Manuscript 6
Top Margin
one suspicious inch, all the while exclaiming 15.i.86
over the late hour. all the while demanding[?]
Why Why at this late hour __?
Stanza / Line
1.3 I wanted needed while
2.1 while went on.
Lights from inside were dim
2.3 exclaiming who would asking Heaven who would
Who in Heaven would knock, sweet heaven,
in ever
3.1 one choose to see by daylight,
3.2 Thensuddenly
3.4 had , come would [words]
split rent
Ah! the Signore'd came to
4.3 back moonglow
Left Margin
Robe? She hushed me. Robe?
in the mirror triptych
Three dispensing crones she became
by magic
now from no known space reassembled,
bearing
arms full of moon
Transcription of Manuscript 7
Left Margin
See [word] 3 bent crones
&
Into light, full sleeves my own arms were slipped. White
Silk in pure folds fall, shoulder to floor, — theat white of
Oriental mourning , . . . whose why or how I gazed unable turned to face her,
Still could not [letters] them. Still to [word] uncomprehending.
Thank your friend, she whispered. The Professore!
Wonderstruck, I swayed, like a tree of grief. You —
Dying, fearful Ill afraid, dear heart, had arranged this final
Stricken
Heartstopping present.
T[?] My face a question,
Caro, three dreams after the diagnosis,
Found me [at the?] humbly waiting outside the
Found me outside at the silent door of
"our" Venetian tailor, to choose my evening
Clothes for the next new year.
Left margin
found me
Transcription of Handwritten Passages in Manuscript 9
Top margin
found your friend, all smiles, at the darkened door of
silent
Stanza / Line
1.1 dreams
2 your friend, all smiles, at silent door of
found me, all smiles, ringing
1.3 tailor's doorbell, eager to choose my next years a new
3.1 I come back then, or — Would The Signor
3 crossed her face wide -- had the Signore come to
was the Signore here to
4 his ? try on his new robe?
Left Margin
Who in no time flat were converging on me
arms overflowing with moonlight
flat had returned to thank me,
Arms full of moonlight
Left Bottom Margin
Now
Come
Here at nightfall when . . .
Cracked her face wide: was
nothing -- but here a sly smile
Showed the turned,[?]
short[?] backs of
3 bent old women,
who in no time flat
had returned, their arms full.
Right Bottom Margin
Now Things were shut at night
Night
I should come back there, or — and here a sly smile
cracked her face wide — had was the Signore come here to
try on his new roe?
Robe? I stared. What robe? She left winked, and & the mirror triptych
turning turned her into three old women.
in no time here she was back,
Then at once came back with her arms over -
Flowing with moonlight,
Transcription of Manuscript 11
She backed off,
made we welcome
led me into
hushed me, backed
Robe? She threw up her hands! And The mirror triptych
held showed the her three bent crones she'd become, dispersing
then from no known space reconverging by magic
back , [word]
by magic
Showed the 3 bent crones she diffracted into
back from no know space, recomposed by magic,
Arms full of moonlight. [two words] Raw
Up my own arms glistening sleeves were drawn. Raw [letters] Cool
Silk in fine white [two words] white folds — oriental mourning —
Fall from throat to floor. As
Throat to floor cascaded. I turned to face
Fall from throat to sandals
Showed the 3 bent crones she dispersed
Shone[?] Wholly covered me. Margin: pure white star-white
The[?] Neck to Fell from neck throat to ankles. grave white folds
Covered me neck
Silk in grave, white folds --
Fell to my neck from throat to ankles.
Throat to ankles fell.
Covered.
Left Margin
[Word]
Touched the floor.
Shone +
Dress
Clothed me, throat to ankles.
Sheathed
Dressed
Transcription of Handwritten Passages in Manuscript 13
Top Margin
Sick, afraid, at home had no less arranged this
15.i.86
These the proprietor would These the padrone
Show tomorrow. Now These were the tailor's
in by day, not now. Divination.
These were the tailor's
Shown by daytime, not --
-- at which point
denying all
perception
insight
Stanza / Line
1.4 [word]
2.1 His
3.1 The proprietor would when
2 show by day, not now — drew
3 here She led
4.1 She drew Nodding me onward,
2 Summons they converge [word]
3 they converge made them one
reconverged
5.1 were
2 [word]
6.1 chuckled cackles twinkles
2 sway like chuckles
4 had yet arranged
Bottom Margin
summons afraid > ordained
gathers 3 ? decreed
>arranged
Dear Heart -- I hesitated to send you
this, but — it but it is my one's nature tries
to make the best of awful things, and
what you're going through does in a way at least is after all evidently
peripherally belong to your friends part of our lives, who love you.
Transcription of Manuscript 17
A few weeks after learning of your illness,
Caro, I dreamed I climbed the stairs to "our"
Tailor in Venice, to be fitted for
Whatever black or blue blue suit I had ordered.
I rang & rang. At length the old signora
Who stitches dawn to dawn opened the door,
Switched on a light, surprised to see me there.
The tailor He was away. Nothing was ready. until tomorrow morning.
I'd better come back another day. Then unless — unless? —
Unless I wanted to try on the robe.
The robe? The robe that you, Why yes, the robe The Professore [word]
Had ordered for me. giving me. Hadnt guessed?
That you were were giving me, and which was almost done[?]
---- Didn't I know?
Leaving me puzzled [word] the mirror triptych
Which turned her briefly had transformed her into three old women,
She left me for a moment, then returning She came back with
She Slipped my arms into full sleeves, amazed the silk
[word] [by?] folds [words] to fall
The pearl-glowing folds that fell, shoulder to floor;
candid A rose of. snow-white, pearl-bright
An oriental robe of mourning, white,
Beautiful as anything could be.
I stood there wonderstruck. Tears filled my eyes ,
To think that you had ordered a gift for me.
To think that in the midst of all your pain
You had arranged this dazzling final gift for me.
holding moonlight in her to her breast
She came back with moonlight in her arms.
Transcription of Manuscript 19
Into full white sleeves my own arms were slipped. Silk
fell in folds
pearl bright folds
[word] folds shoulder to floor, a pearl bright
robe of Or a
I This is not mine. Yes,
Ordered by your friend by the Professore.
Wonderstruck I stood And[?] there. tears To think that in the
Midst of all your pain you'd arranged this final
Heart-stopping present.
Who
[letter] she cried, from your friend,
Why, your friend. Your friend the Professore.
Wonderstruck I stood like swayed a tree of tears. You — !
You in all your pain had found time to plan this
deep
Why He. H
From your P from the Professore.
Robe what Robe? She hushed me. The mirror triptych
flowing off into
Showed the 3 bent crones she has scattered into scattered
fractured into
Reconverging now off as
back in no time flat, and Back in no time flat, reconverging,
Back, again, herself P reconverging,
back in no time flat, and Back in no time flat, reconverging,
Back again, herself P reconverge, gaunt arms
Flowing with moonlight
Transcription of Manuscript 19 Verso
Evening clothes.
[letters] who
Stitches dawn to dusk in the
back room opened
just a crack, then switched on a
light
Caro, three nights after the diagnosis
Found me, all smiles, climbing the mouldy stair to of to
"Our" Venetian tailor, to try on [word] choose my next year's
Indigo suit jacket. I
Evening clothes. old woman — she who
Rang & rang. At length [word] the antique signora
Who Stitches dawn to dusk in the back room opened
One suspicious crack, then exclaimed in
Why was I there now?
He was would could could not be back be seen till tomorrow morning.
Could I come back then, unless --wait. yes? unless what? here a strange smile
I should since I was here, to gladden her old face features --
Why, unless I wanted, to try the robe on. unless I came to
Try on my new robe.
What new robe?
Robe?
But Then suddenly
Now at night . . . She shrugged. Then an inspiration
Cracked her face wide. Was the signore here to
try on his new robe?
He could not be seen before tomorrow morning.
Now at in nightfall shrug nothing — but then a sly smile
Cracked her face wide: was the signore here to
try on his new robe?
Robe? What robe? She winked, & the mirror triptych
Showed the [word] darting backs of three bent old women,
Who in no time flat had returned, their arms full, converging, arms
Flowing with moonlight
Left Margin
showed the three[?]
her darting [word] Mirrored 3 old backs bent backs
Briefly showed three old darting
Transcription of Manuscript 20
A few weeks after hearing you were ill,
Caro, I dreamed I climbed the stairs to "our"
Tailor in Venice, for a fitting — suit
or jacket. I was to be fitted for
Whatever — suit or jacket — I had ordered.
I touched rang. At last
He wasnt there. The limping gaunt signora
withered old
gaunt & lame
Who stitches for him day & night opened the door.
dawn to dusk
Switched on a light bulb light. Profuse apologies!
The tailor wasn't there, nothing was ready,
I'd come on the wrong
I'd better come the
I'd best come back tomorrow — yes — unless —
Unless I wanted to try on the robe.
The robe? what robe? The robe the Professore [letter]
Had were giving me, & which was almost done.
Leading
She led me to the mirror triptych where
She turned into 3 fates, she was[?]