THE YELLOW BINDER, LINE BY LINE
391 pieces have a place in Tom's yellow binder index (A1, A2, A3 ...). Here they are in the binder's own order: letter, then line. How the binder is ordered (Tom's own ruling): inside each letter, the first few lines (about 5, up to 10) are his best ones, ranked best to worse - that part is not date order. Every line after those is in the exact order he wrote them. The gap between two lines can be a day or two years. One letter does not compare to another. The grey code is the line. Click a piece and you are there.
A — 26 pieces
B — 21 pieces
B32525The toilet paper song — written at age 23 to 29 for the 4-line sheet from BUILDING A CASTLE; written by age 34 at the latest for THE TOILET PAPER SONG. · W2
C — 29 pieces
C21989Ten of my better poems created in this class (December 5, 1999) — written at age 18 to 23 · W2
C26172I have known and lost someone — The first piece, I have known and lost someone: written at age 18 to 23 · W4
D — 14 pieces
E — 9 pieces
F — 25 pieces
F21749When you feel safe here there's no need to ask of your last residence — written at age 18 to 23 · W4
G — 11 pieces
H — 22 pieces
I — 12 pieces
J — 2 pieces
K — 3 pieces
L — 13 pieces
L9124Today is the day I know that I will make it — The first piece, Today is the day I know that I will make it: written at age 18 to 23 · W1
M — 33 pieces
N — 10 pieces
O — 16 pieces
O16780The smoke from the fire soon disapaited, with the love and desire I anticipated — written at age 23 to 29 · W4
P — 26 pieces
P10152PRISON GUARD ANTHEM / Escape From Alcatraz — The first piece, Prison Guard Anthem: written at age 18 to 23 · W1
R — 13 pieces
S — 43 pieces
S10194Trapped in this invisable cage — The first piece, Trapped in this invisable cage: written at age 18 to 23 · W4
S2493SMELL THE FLOWERS / CLARIDALIA — The first piece, SMELL THE FLOWERS: written at age 18 to 23 · W1
S37387A Passing Daydream Floated By — The first piece, A Passing Daydream Floated By: written at age 18 to 23 · W1
T — 31 pieces
T12709When you're feelin' confused and you gotta get away — The first piece, When you're feelin' confused and you gotta get away: written at age 18 to 23 · W4
T13669There once was a girl and a guy and me — The first piece, There once was a girl and a guy and me: written at age 18 to 23 · W4
T28567Just what is wrong with me? — written at age 18 to 23 for the lyric; the essay page is not dated yet · W4
T37502TWO SEASONS — written at age 23 to 29 for the TWO SEASONS pages; written by age 32 at the latest for the pencil sheet IN A CLICK · W2
T44428They told me I was born better — The first piece, They told me I was born better: written at age 23 to 29 · W4
U — 3 pieces
U1130you'll be wise to take my advice — written at age 18 to 23 for the UNITED WE STAND strips; written by age 29 at the latest for the CLIMBING THE LADDER drafts · W2
V — 3 pieces
V782I See Faces On The Wall — The first piece, I See Faces On The Wall: written at age 18 to 23 · W4
W — 23 pieces
W23185One's loss, another's gain — The first piece, One's loss, another's gain: written at age 18 to 23 · W1