CONTENTS
A Letter of Ballast [1]
The Palimpsest, 19 A TIME OF CRISIS, 21 INSCRIPTION FOR A BUTTERFLY'S WING, 22 ADVICE TO THOSE HIRING YOUNG MANDARINS, 23 INSCRIPTION FOR A MAN-HOLE IN BROOKLYN, 24 INSCRIPTION FOR A DOOR-KNOCKER ON TENTH STREET, 25 "THE SUN'S OVER THE FOREYARD", 26 THE OLD MANDARIN ON HIS TRAVELS, 27 AN AMERICAN MYSTIC, 28 HE LIKES TO GIVE BOTH SIDES OF THE MATTER, 29 HE PASSES ON THE GOOD WORD, 30 THE OLD MANDARIN GRIEVES, 31 A LETTER TO HIS FRIEND HO KUM, 32 VIGNETTE OF A POET, 33 VERY FEW REMEMBER, 34 THOUGHTS IN A KITCHEN, 35 ONLY WORD OF MOUTH, 36 CERTAINTY, 37 A LETTER TO HIS FRIEND MU KOW, 38 HE COMFORTS HIMSELF, 40 HE IS ONLY HUMAN, 41 A MOMENT OF MEDITATION, 42 LITTLE MINDS EVERYWHERE THE SAME, 43 AN ENIGMA IN THE WOODPILE, 44 HIS EXPERIENCE WITH THE NEWSPAPERS, 45 DEUS HAEC OTIA FECIT, 47 BURROWING LIKE A MOLE, 48
THE HUBBUB OF THE UNIVERSE, 49 AN ARTIST, 50 A PATTERN IN THE MUD, 51 THE CIGARETTE STUB, 52 TO HIS SERVING MAID, 53 CONTRADICTION, 55 EXEMPT, 56 MEDITATIONS OF POETRY, 57 A PRAGMATIST, 58 A HAPPY LIFE, 59 A NATIONAL FRAILTY, 60 THE MAN WITH THE RAKE, 61 VERITAS VOS DAMNABIT, 63 ANOTHER POSTPONEMENT, 64 ADVANTAGE OF A BOOKISH UPBRINGING, 65 (A + B)², 67 SECRET THOUGHTS, 68 THE REALIST, 69 OVERDUE, 70 ONEIROMANCY, 71 MUTUAL ESTEEM, 72 APOCALYPSE, 73 SUNK WITHOUT TRACE, 74 IRRITATION OF THE OLD MANDARIN, 75 HE BROODS, 76 BIVALVES, 77 ETERNITY AND THE TOOTH, 78 A PROVERB, 79 THE TOLERATOR, 80 THE PAINTER, 81 THE POET, 82 ADJUSTMENT, 83 ANTICRASTINATION, 84 OH, INEQUITABLE BUILDINGS!, 85 TICK DOULOUREUX, 86
