In March 1973, Finlay writes to Stephen Bann to compliment him on an account of a Tarasque weekend and to discuss a poem in French by Claudel, from "100 Phrases for Fans," that had been translated and sent to him by Edward Lucie-Smith. He encloses a copy of this poem which he retyped with his own modifications as well as a letter from Smith. Finlay requests Bann's opinion as to the appropriateness for him to interpret the poem's layout as a sundial inscription and of Finlay's rendition. Still in March 1973, Finlay writes to Edward Lucie-Smith for clarification of Claudel's poem that he had sent to Finlay previously. The poem reads Fan (opposite page), Poems written upon the breath. Finlay asks Smith as to why "Fan" is on the opposite page and why the words have been split. Finlay wonders whether the disjointed words equate to a fan-picture when the fan is closed and if the phrase in the poem, "written upon a breath" signifies that the fan makes a little breathing. Bann responds to Finlay's letter, first by reiterating the events of the Tarasque weekend and then commenting on the Claudel poem. Bann believes that Claudel's word fragmentation imitates Japanese calligraphy. He thinks Finlay should incorporate "Fan" from the poem as a sundial image. Finally, he states that "written upon the breath" may be the "breath of wind" when the "fan" is shaken & signifies that the dead poet's breath (or life) lives again in the fluttering of the fan. In Sept 1973, Finlay writes to Tom Clark for his opinion on the Claudel poem sundial and his modification of the poem. He accepts some of the explanation offered by Bann but rejects the hours-line-as-fan-image idea because he thinks it would identify the work as a seashell. Clark replies is in agreement with Finlay's ideas. He suggests a slight difference in visual presentation for Finlay's adaptation of the poem. In Nov 1973, Finlay writes to Harvey about details of his drawings for the sundial. In Dec 1973, Thorpe responds to a letter by Finlay (not kept in this Archive) with techical details about carving the sundial in wood. He again writes to Finlay with technical problems about maintaining the shape of the wooden sundial from weathering. Finlay agrees with Thorpe's solution of a preservative and expresses happiness that they are working together on Pacific, a wooden indoor piece. In Aug 1974, Finlay writes to Lucie-Smith about the sundial and mentions that photographs are enclosed of it. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.