|
This is simply the image of the back
of the poem where it is attached [glued?] to the paper of the booklet's binding. There is no artwork or markings, however, we thought we would use this page to sum up the
contents of this booklet and speculate on its resulting outcome...
There are so many things to unpack in this booklet. It appears to be a clumsy expression of love
Woodward feels towards Helen. Given the evidence: (1) the title, (2) the cascading waterfall artwork, (3) the inkwash scene from where his father courted his mother, (4) rowing
a shared interest of the two friends, and (5) the poem's origins as a confession of love to another by its originator, Browning. It seems beyond mere coincidence. However, let's
please consider Woodward's current state of mind. Perhaps it is unclear to him at the time he is assembling it. That it is really a subconscious outpouring of his grieving process.
There is a lot of confused messaging in its contents - He calls the cover artwork "a cataract" meaning waterfall but it is difficult to make out the flow of water. Could the
image better be understood in the context of what we all know today as a clouding of the vitreous in the eye causing blurry vision?
The inkwash drawing, made in
1903 on his last visit to Buckland before moving to Los Angeles, could be a longing for the comfort and safety of familiar surroundings. Helen is familiar too. He could very well
also be coming to grips with the reality that he may never marry [which he did not] or have children of his own. We do not know what his personal hopes and dreams held. The
poor spacing of the publisher's page does suggest his perspective is off and possibly dimmed by grief given that this is the only page we are
|
certain he made just prior to sending it. Did he knowingly compile
these items with intent he later regretted or is it an insight to his emotional state at the time. Better yet, what would this booklet have looked like had he completed it before his
accident? Would it have been the same or very different?
We do not have the benefit of Helen's side of the exchange and we wonder if she wrote him asking exactly
what the booklet meant. Worse yet, did she receive it and write him saying that she did not share the same feelings? It is equally possible that she wrote him expressing similar
feelings and he, completely unaware of the subtext of the booklet, was forced to retract its intent. What we do have is Woodward's letter of apology. He writes her, "Helen,
it seems as if this entire letter were apology after apology. I'm really quite tired of it. I hope I get them all cleaned up now so that I may begin afresh in my next letter, 'apologyless...'
This love leaf I am deeply deeply ashamed of - now this is not stage-acting; it's truth. Of course the little booklet is attractive. You like it - I like it. But I do not like it as I should... I
started to arrange it before I was hurt - it was for Christmas - Christmas love and good wishes. For we must all have love for everybody Christmas day."
The
only thing that is clear is that Woodward is embarrassed. It is also possible that this would be the denouement of the grieving Woodward was experiencing because his following
letters to Helen made it clear he would no longer discuss his "health" and that he was doing away with the word entirely. He was not to be asked about it anymore. If there was a
change, he would let everyone know. He was ready to move forward and get on with his life leaving the self-pity behind.
|
