Allen Ginsberg on Christopher Smart continues
AG: Then there’s a series on the Hebrew alphabet.
Then there’s a series on the English alphabet:
For A is the beginning of learning and the door of heaven,
For B is a creature busy and bustling.
For C is a sense quick and penetrating
For D is depth.
For E is eternity—such is the power of the English letters taken singly.
For F is faith.
For G is God—whom I pray to be gracious to Livemore my fellow prisoner.
For H is not a letter, but a spirit—Benedicatur Jesus Christus, sic spirem!
For I is identity. God be gracious to Henry Hatsell.
For K is king. For L is love. God in every language.
For M is musick and Hebrew מ [Hebrew character mem] is the direct figure of God’s harp.
For N is new.
For O is open.
For P is power.
For Q is quick.
For R is right
For S is soul.
For T is truth. God be gracious to Jermyn Pratt and to Harriote his Sister.
For U is unity, and his right name is Uve to work it double.
For W is word.
For X [drawn as a backwards G and a G stuck together] is hope — consisting of two check G — God be gracious to Anne Hope.
For Y is yea. God be gracious to Eennet and his family!
For Z is zeal.
For in the education of children it is necessary to watch the words, -which they pronounce with difficulty, for such are against them in their consequences
For A is awe, if pronounced full. Stand in awe and sin not….
And then he goes through different… (the letters again, (but) with slightly different pronunciation).
[Audio for the above can be heard here, beginning at approximately sixty-four-and-three-quarter minutes in and concluding at approximately sixty-six-and-quarter minutes in]