Is Mississippi Mississippi? Is there a Petula in Indiana? I was told by an art editor from Harper’s Bazaar I spoke with clarity.

I clipped a page from Life magazine showing Marilyn Monroe’s tomb stone which read Em Em 1926-1962. I was impressed by her dates. Like Joe. (Joe D.). Joe De Em. Joe Death. A playing card figure this way also that way. The card part of the Cardinals, a baseball team.

As William Wilson signing off on the telephone wittily said Tah Tah I did not get it and he said it was hat hat backwards. There is no necessity for two hats one does not have two heads but in scarpbook I kept as a a child (yes, scarpbook, not scrapbook. I did not glue down crap but carp. Now those fish did struggle with Elemrs glue in that book!) I treASUREd a photo of a two-headed turtle. ASURE is a mistake in useing the typewriter.

Marianne Moore is certainly not Marilyn Monroe. In collage, Marilyn’s head could be but on Marianne’s body. One could pretend to be someone one is not. Children’s play. I’ll be you and you be me. Be my valentine. Ray Johnson wearing Marianne Moore’s hat. Lend me your ears. May I have a pint of your blood? Can you lend me a dime? Can you spare a brother?

(Ray Johnson, typescript sent to William S. Wilson, November 2, 1966)