No juniper tree

T. S. Eliot was a student of Irving Babbitt’s at Harvard.  Afterward, Eliot often claimed to be a disciple of Babbitt’s.  “Once to have been a student of Babbitt’s was to remain always in that position,” Eliot wrote.  Eliot sent letters to Babbitt under the salutation “Dear Master.”  Babbitt never answered any of these letters.  Babbitt never made it clear whether he was repelled by “Dear Master” or he disliked Eliot for some other reason. 

Be that as it may, in 1989-1990 I spent a good deal of my time reading books by Babbitt and his circle of followers.  Since Eliot was the most famous of those who wished for admission to that circle, part of that time I studied Eliot.  My favorite of his poems is “Ash Wednesday.”  Today is Ash Wednesday.  So:

I

Because I do not hope to turn again
Because I do not hope
Because I do not hope to turn
Desiring this man’s gift and that man’s scope
I no longer strive to strive towards such things
(Why should the agèd eagle stretch its wings?)
Why should I mourn
The vanished power of the usual reign? (more…)