First of all, the beautiful writing that follows some of thoseAs to Canto IV, I have never come across a poem anything like this. Have you? Even in this day and age, I can't imagine anyone would publish the poem as it stands. Imagine yourself as John Shade's publisher - would you be happy with this poem? Would you publish it as it stands?
> passages strikes me as evidence against disintegration. Even if he
> did have a stroke, though, that wouldn't make me think less of him.
> (And I don't see him as a saint or myself as any kind of Shadean.)
>
> Jerry Friedman