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Poems by Isaac Rosenberg

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POEMS BY ISAAC ROSENBERG<br />

work on it then. I do believe I could make a<br />

fine thing of Judas. Judas as a character is more<br />

magnanimous than Moses, and I believe I could<br />

make it very intense and write a lot from material<br />

out here. Thanks very much for your joining in<br />

with me to rout the pest out, but I have tried all<br />

kinds of stuff; if you can think of any preparation<br />

you believe effective Fd be most grateful for it."<br />

The " louse hunt" refers to a night scene in which<br />

<strong>Rosenberg</strong> took part, and which forcibly struck his<br />

imagination as a subject for a Goya picture or for<br />

a poem like the "Jolly Beggars": a barn full of<br />

naked soldiers—Scottish and others—singing,<br />

swearing, and laughing, in mad antics as they<br />

pursued the chase.<br />

To Gordon BottomUy {Postmark, April 8, 1917).<br />

" All through this winter I have felt most<br />

crotchety, all kinds of small things interfering<br />

with my fitness. My hands would get chilblains<br />

or bad boots would make my feet sore ; and this<br />

aggravating a general run-down-ness, I have not<br />

felt too happy. I have gone less warmly clad<br />

during the winter than through the summer,<br />

because of the increased liveliness on my clothes.<br />

I've been stung to what we call dumping ' '<br />

a great<br />

40

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