The ground that the book is obscene
and, hence, is subject to seizure, forfeiture,
confiscation and destruction is in opposition
to a creed that is earnest, and is missing the consequence
the Government’s destruction costs many.
The confiscation of books is extremely unsatisfactory,
if not an almost impossible, in its entirety, to understand.
But there has been much written about it, and properly
to approach the consideration of it is a heavy task.
The intent is obscene—that is, for the purpose of exploiting.
The conclusion is the end of inquiry and forfeiture of frankness.
I detect the leer of the old tyrant not only bent on occupation
of thought—consciousness with ever-shifting plastic palimpsest
in the focus of a penumbral domain. The subconscious affects
the life and behavior of the character which he seeks
to background—visible but somewhat blurred and out of focus
in varying degrees. To convey an effect which lends itself
to obscurity, sow low minds. If adopted, the result would be
psychologically and artistically inexcusable, and has necessary
implications that attack purpose and misrepresent honesty.
His objective has required him incidentally to use certain words
which are generally considered dirty words and has led at times
to what many think is a preoccupation with the thoughts
of almost all men and women. Sincere and honest books
are entirely of rational force. Such a difficult objective
as to dull and obscure seems disgusting. Each word the book
contributes, like a bit of mosaic, is seeking to construct
for readers one’s own choice to read. A real artist in words
seeks to draw a true picture for the public to see what is
commonly called intent, to apply a more objective standard,
in order to respect. We are concerned the United States does not
marshal against books the spectrum of condemnatory laws
tending to lead thought, to court opinion, to effect a person
with average instincts. The role of art questions invention in law:
the risk involved in the use of facts to be subservient to idiosyncrasies.
Avoid this by adopting literary opinion and value—reading, as
a book must be read to excite thought, its net effect very powerful
on the inner lives of men and women. The only obscenity
in the case of a book is a serious attempt to devise
a literary drought to take effect on the reader.
A found poem composed entirely of text fragments from the historic judgment of Judge John M. Woolsey of the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, delivered on 6 December 1933, which removed the censorship ban on James Joyce’s Ulysses.
Originally from the west of Ireland and living in Australia for three decades, Anne Casey is the author of six poetry collections. Her work is widely published internationally, ranking in The Irish Times Most Read. Her recent awards include the American Writers Review Prize, Henry Lawson Prize for Poetry and American Association of Australasian Literary Studies Poetry Prize. She has a PhD in archival poetry and poetics of resistance from the University of Technology Sydney where she teaches creative writing. anne-casey.com @1annecasey
2026 Bloomsday Supplement - Table of Contents
