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IV.B.13: Occasional Verses

“Pour la Rime Seulement” (1932)

Material Description and Collation

The manuscript consists of 3 sheets of blue ruled graph paper that were torn from a notebook: the upper edges are serrated and the versos are blank. The manuscript is in Sylvia Beach’s hand in lead pencil.

Title

Beach headed the first page: “Pour le [sic] rime seulement”.

Measurements

The sheets measure approximately 19.5 x 13.5 cm.

Contents

The verse is in French and refers to Valery Larbaud and Pierre Chardon de Lanux of La Nouvelle Revue Français.

Dating

Joyce wrote this poem probably in May 1932 (see LIII 245).

Publication

The manuscript has been reproduced in black and white photo-facsimile on JJA 1.350–352 and appeared in Spielberg (pp. 26–27) and then was published in PSW, p. 142.

Notes

There is a note in Beach’s hand in blue ink accompanying the manuscript that reads: “JJ dictated this over the | telephone to SB | doesn’t seem very success- | ful | about Larbaud & de Lanux | with their toy soldier”.