Sommer’s gratitude to you for your interest and success in helping him will never reach the frenzied pitch of a letter,--but I know that he feels quite deeply grateful. As I am his official and unofficial secretary in other matters I include mention of his sentiments here. I must admit that I personally got a greater “thrill” out of the news than any personal acceptances have given me for many a day.[26] -- -- -- -- 126: TO GORHAM MUNSON [_Cleveland_] _Jan. 14th, ’23_ Dear Gorham: This (enclosed)[27] may, or may not yet be finished. Anyway, I think it is rounded enough as it is to be somewhat enjoyed. Some things about it surprise and satisfy me. It has a bit of Dionysian splendor, perhaps an overtone of some of our evenings together last summer. It is so packed with tangential slants, interwoven symbolisms, that I’m not sure whether or not it will [be] understood. However, I am sure that it perfectly consorts with the other two parts of the poem as I intend them: Part I Meditation, Evocation, Love, Beauty Part II Dance, Humor, Satisfaction Part III Tragedy, War (the eternal soldier), Résumé, Ecstasy, Final Declaration There is an organization and symphonic rhythm to III that I did not think I could do. The last three evenings have been wonderful for me, anyway! A kind of ecstasy and power for WORK. III doesn’t seem half long enough to me now--but I’m too much with and in it to know. 127: TO CHARMION WIEGAND [_Cleveland_] _Jan. 20th, ’23_ My dear Charmion: It didn’t take me long to decide that Buschor’s _Graechische Vasenmalerei_ is a book that I shall always carry about with me, even though it has taken me an unforgivably long time to tell you so. You and Hermann [Habicht] have my sincerest gratitude for such an unexpected and beautiful holiday present. With a few exceptions I prefer Egyptian sculpture to the Greek, and this book makes me feel that the Greeks had more to express in line and design than they had in the third dimension. In pottery you get the less ambitious and less “cosmopolitan” aspiration and expression of these people. There is an intimacy and rusticity to the pottery which especially appeals to the literary instinct. The famous Nike of Samothrace always left me somewhat cool. Lady Milo is a bit imposing (Jove’s too near around the corner) and these idealized human dolls all stand too much on their dignity. O I know how they prostrated Heine and Pater et al., and I do respect them--but give me these lovely vase intaglios and arabesques--and maids and naughty satyrs with their rank lustful lives and leaves and brine and wine!