Clark, Tom; Keats, John; Pope, Alexander; Tennyson, Lord Alfred; Wordsworth, William et al.

The Mutabilitie of the Englishe Lyrick

Berkeley, CA: e Typographeo Poltroniano (Poltroon), 1978. First Softcover Edition. Softcover. Signed by Tom Clark & with an original drawing. "It is as if, as toward the silent tomb we go,/ We feel that we are greater than we know we know" ("Thoughts in Repression," William Wordsworth) A chapbook of poem-lyrics by canonical British poets from the sixteenth through nineteenth centuries, arranged & selected by Tom Clark (1941-2018), the prolific poet, editor & biographer who perhaps most exemplifies our category of "The Prolific & Underappreciated." Arranged chronologically, these ye-olde-Englishe lyricks were penned by John Keats, Alexander Pope, Alfred lord Tennyson, William Wordsworth & other towering figures of the English language. But they are mostly whimsical & often ribald little rhymes, like more learned limericks. A beautiful, handmade letterpress chapbook production in sewn binding of unknown limitation; we have seen reference to a limited hardcover edition issued the same year (1978). On shorter title page, Clark has hand-drawn & initialed an exquisite depiction of "English guitar of the/ XVth Century." On the title page, Clark has boldly hand-written his signature. A most unusual collectible in the Clark Oeuvre that indicates the breadth of his literary scholarship; especially rare with this drawing & signature. In very fine condition with only very light creasing & waving to front, back covers & spine (esp. spine & its nearest edges); a tiny bit of wear at edges & corners of same; one thin, faint line across depth of lower text block edge. Interior very fine, substantially mint. Very Fine. [Item #3690]

Price: $75.00 save 20% $60.00