Clark, Tom

Under The Fortune Palms

Isla Vista, CA: Turkey Press, 1982. Limited First Edition. With signed autograph poem by Tom Clark; & original drawing. "A project begun in 1980, and culminating in the present edition, Under The Fortune Palms is a sequence of sixty poems anatomizing in verse that complex cultural, sociological and geographical entity known as "So Cal." " (from prospectus) A collection of poems about the place-phenomenon of Southern California by Tom Clark (1941-2018), the great American poet, editor, novelist, biographer & artist who presides over our category of "The Prolific & Underappreciated." A most sumptuous production in unclipped dust jacket over Dutch linen-wrapped boards, one of 175 copies with thick, handmade Frankfurt white paper per colophon. Included as issued is a prospectus (quoted above) with Clark's illustration reproduced in gold as on title page on recto, & contents page on verso. Although this copy is not from the special lettered edition of 26 copies with wraparound painting noted in colophon, Clark has hand-written & signed an original poem ("Into," title-first word) not included in the volume, concerning the violent demise of the legendary actor James Dean (within the book are poems with references to Jack Kerouac, Kenneth Patchen, Jane Fonda & others) on shorter title page. Also, on blank recto of this page, Clark has hand-drawn & initialed an image of a land-&-skyscape with a palm tree in the foreground, protected by two sheets of tissue. An astonishingly beautiful & substantial Clark rarity, quite perhaps unique among all copies. Book in very fine condition, substantially mint inside & out with irregular edges of handmade paper as issued. Dust Jacket very fine with only very slight wear & a few tiny bumps at edges & corners of front, back covers & flaps; one very short, mostly closed tear-gouge at mid-right upper edge of front cover. Publisher's clear protective over-jacket very fine with only mild rubbing to front, back covers, spine & flaps; a few tiny bumps, creases to edges & corners of same. Prospectus very fine with only a few tiny bumps & short, faint creases at thin edges & corners. Very Fine / Very Fine. [Item #3932]

Price: $125.00