Aug 22 Sunday

Three stanzas of a poem about a red dog1.[RG]
To Chichester in car ×××× [indecipherable] with Norman & the 3 children: to sandwich & beer lunch at James & Mary's.
They gave me a Dutch pewter ash-tray & Laura a Dutch hdkf. [handkerchief] [RG]
Songs at piano2 with James & Norman: then when Alix & Harry (Laura not well, stayed behind) came in the car we all went to Bognor3, strung pebbles with holes in them on the beach among 1000s of bathers, bathed ourselves [sic: outselves] from Mrs Philips' bathing-box. Long long way to reach sea to swim in. Health, goodlooks, backless bathing dresses, remarkably garage accents.
Back at 7. Norman to coffee & brandy. Discussed a joking book with him called 'The ×××× Account'...
Laura writing introduction to her poems.

Editorial Notes

1 Red Dog eds.
2cottage [? eds.] KG
3Bognor Regis [W. Sussex] KG

Hands Referenced

    • Annotation: ink correction
    • Character: regular
    • Ink: black

Places Mentioned

  • Chichester

    Sussex, England

People Mentioned

  • Laura

    Riding, Laura
    (1901-91) American poet. Laura Riding (née Reichenthal; then Laura Gottschalk).

  • Norman Cameron

    Cameron, Norman
    Poet. Built Can Torrent in 1932-1933. W.G.; m. to Elfriede, then to Catherine Vandervelde; friend and contributor to LR and RG's work eds.

  • Harry Kemp

    Kemp, Harry
    Poet. Met Graves and Riding through James Reeves in August 1936, just after their arrival in England. In their previous correspondence, Riding had been intrigued by his falling-out with Communism. He became associated with their circle, collaborating on various projects. (RPG 248-49)

  • Alix Kemp

    Kemp, Alix
    Married to poet Harry Kemp. The couple shared a house with Graves and Riding in Ewhurst, Surrey (1937). eds (RPG 277); also referred to as Frau Eierman by RG eds. see Diary August 30, 1936

  • James

    Reeves, James
    Schoolmaster, writer and Poet. Friend of Jacob Bronowski. W.G./ K.G.; m. to Mary Phillips; daughter Stella born June 14, 1938 eds.

  • Mary

    Reeves, Mary
    wife of James Reeves; daughter Stella born 14 June, 1938 eds.

  • Mrs Philips

    Philips, Mrs.
    Mary Reeves' [née Philips] mother KG

Bibliography

    • Title: Red Dog [poem] [Not traced. Apparently not published. DW]
    • Author: Graves, Robert
    • Date: 1937-08-22