Aliya Weiss

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Wes McNair
Hominy Pot Rd.
North Sutton, NH 03260

Dear Wes,

Terrific about the call from Peter Davison. That
is remarkable. Excellent.

I won’t send you the New Yorker poem – I think
you saw an earlier version of it long ago, about walking
on the railroad tracks – but how about this one?

Love to you,

Don

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January 24, 1984

Dear Mr. Amaryllis:

Here is a check to your order – payment for Wesley McNair’s
poem, and a proof for Mr. McNair to correct. It should be returned
to me.

Sincerely,
Peter Davison
Peter Davison
Poetry Editor

Joseph Amaryllis
Amaryllis, Inc.
Box 71
Potter Place, NH 03265

PHD/sm
enclosure

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Wesley McNair
Hominy Pot Rd.
North Sutton, NH 03260

Dear Wes,

I like the poem, though I don’t think it is one of the best. It
is maybe a little obvious. I think that ‘a sure sign/ of winter” is
super-obvious. Maybe people need it, who do not live around here… It
is “a sure sign” which is a little commonplace maybe. If it were just
“for” winter…but I wouldn’t know how to space it quite. I love the great
loaf of bread. I don’t really understand the “mound of seatlessness,” al-
though the “drawlessness” could be chests of drawers without the drawers
in them. What am I missing with seatlessness? Then “other/ kinds of
imperfection” seems sort of obvious again – I mean, stating the obvious…
When I see “surmise” in a poem I think of Keats, but it wouldn’t seem to
function as an allusion here. Then it ends nicely… And I am not against
it in general. Just not as enthusiastic as I often am.

I didn’t know that the Begiebing was happening already. I know what
you mean about waiting and cringing. Ah, the bad portions of fame!

I wonder if it might not be worth it to telephone him, about Jane,
to see if he could add a sentence at the beginning – and that then he could
phone it in…maybe about the first poem in Green House… I worry about
her feelings. I would not tell her that I am writing you this! This sort
of thing happens fairly often, and in accumulation I think she gets kind of
hurt feelings. I do not blame you. Being interviewed, you always – one
always – forgets things. And cringes.

If you should go away, you may write more things like Jack Cooch,
from a distance! I did not stop writing about New Hampshire, just because
I was in Michigan.

Good for trying all those Poetry Society of America things…and
everything else.

If nothing can be done about the Jane-presence, do not worry about it.
But it might be worth a try…

Best as ever,

Don

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Wes McNair
Box 43
North Sutton, NH

Dear Wes,

You can see, the Atlantic is absolutely
relentless! Paying you an enormous sum also!
Amazing.

They made out this form to be signed by
Joseph Amaryllis – with his Social Security number!
They are trapping me! I have Please typed your name in,
and when you send it back to them, be sure to
include a return address on the envelope for
the note you send with it or whatever.

Now off to The New Criterion!

Love as ever,

Don

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Wes McNair

Dear Wes,

Yes, Robert Richman has a difficult name – and
his colleague on the New Criterion is named Eichman.

All three of us seem to be doing pretty well
these days! Onward and upward with your January
writing!

Very good about getting rid of 160 books around
here. Excellent.

You understand: I might not want to be a judge,
when I found out the amount of the work. But thank
you ever so much for suggesting me. You do me a
great favor just by being there, and writing what
you write!

Love to you,

Don

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The Atlantic Monthly

AUTHOR’S AGREEMENT
x Wesley McNair
Dear Amaryllis Inc.,

This letter describes our agreement concerning The Atlantic’s acceptance
of your work entitled The Last Time Shorty Towers Fetched The Cows.
(“the work”).

1. First Publication Rights. We understand that this is an original
work not previously published in the English language either in the United
States or Canada and that you have full rights to offer us this contribution.
You grant The Atlantic exclusive first publication rights in English in
those countries. This includes the right to reproduce and distribute the
work at any time as part of the issue or issues of The Atlantic magazine in
which the work first appears. It also includes subsequent microfilm or
microfiche sales.

2. Copyright. Under United States copyright law, you own copyright
in the work, subject to the rights you have granted to The Atlantic. The
Atlantic will include a copyright notice in its name on the issue or issues
of the magazine in which your work appears. However, if you, in addition,
would like to establish a public record of the copyright claim in your
name, you may file an application with the Copyright Office, Library of
Congress, Washington, D.C. 20559.

3. Reprints. The Atlantic will direct all requests for reprint
rights to you or to any other person you may designate. Although you are
not obligated to do so, The Atlantic would be grateful if the copyright
notice included in any reprint of your article read “ © (year) (your name),
as first published in The Atlantic.” If you or the person you designate
cannot be located, The Atlantic will grant permission for a reasonable
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if subsequently located.

4. Warranty. You warrant that publication of the work will not
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Please sign this form in the space provided below and return the white
copy in the enclosed self-addressed envelope to:

Lawrence J. Murphy
The Atlantic Monthly Company
8 Arlington Street
Boston, MA 02116
so your payment of $100.00 for the article may be processed.

Very truly yours,
Wesley McNair
Author (Amaryllis Inc.) Lawrence J. Murphy
xxx-xx-xxxx Lawrence J. Murphy
Social Security Number Vice-President and General Manager