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JUst to say that thanks to Peter Riley I have got hold of Don Paterson's versions of Machado. He pays due credit to Alan Trueblood but I cant halp but feel my happier with Alan Trueblood's translations. I have never thought Don Patterson to be particularly gifted with English (I went to hear him read 18 months ago at the Bath Literature Festival to prove it for myself) and there is nothing memorable in his 'versions' unlike the Trueblood. Except possibly the title poem 'The Eyes'. I also got OLson's 'Maximus' volumes 1 and 4,5,6. OLson has an ear. But I found reading his letters became eventually most boring so I haven't finished them yet. (I am in my regular bipolar depression and havent much steam). Is there anything more to OLson than his 'field' theory and his POundian (lesser) imitations. I always thought his idea of 'Gloucester' wonderful but the practice seems sadly lacking. Peter also sent me an LP of Thomas Stearns Eliot reading 'Practical Cats' from 1958. This is true gold dust. I have listened to it twice now and am enthralled. A master craftsman having a bit of fun for the children. I think it is the names that make Eliot's Cat Poems. Nobody else ever had so much invention. I already have 'Four Quartets' and 'Briggflats' plus a quaternary of the Irish and SCots but there is nothing to beat TS and his Cats. Douglas Clark, Bath, England mailto: [log in to unmask] Lynx: Poetry from Bath .......... http://www.bath.ac.uk/~exxdgdc/lynx.html