Dos Passos and E.E. Cummings

Once again, a sweet recollection from Virginia Spencer Carr’s biography of Dos Passos, paperback, page 547:

1962, Dos Passos reacts to E.E. Cummings’ death. “I can hardly believe it yet. Though I didn’t see him very often, it leaves a great hole in my life. I had grown fonder of him through the years. As to your life, what can I say? As I know from experience the greatest pain carries with it is own antidote. Somehow we manage to live. I’m so happy that we had that pleasant little time together at Silver Lake. Cummings and his pet chipmunk…The memory is very vivid–the porch the table the vines Cummings’ face and the chipmunk with his cheeks stuffed with peanuts. Nothing can take these things away. Love, Dos.”