Creeley, Robert

The Finger: Poems 1966-1969

ISBN: 071450422X
London, England: Calder and Boyars Ltd, 1970. First UK Edition. Hardcover. "Robert Creeley has long been recognised in America as one of the most influential contemporary poets, and The Finger must certainly consolidate the reputation he gained here with the publication of Poems 1950-1965. These new poems contain all those elements of precision of phrase and image, subtlety of ear, that we have come to expect from Creeley, but now, with the inclusion of poems of a more ranging and sustained length, a greater ease and variety is apparent. In London, the last of the three sections which make up the book, consists of poems written during (Creeley's) last visit to London in 1969, and collected here for the first time." (from jacket back cover) An early-mid-career collection of poems by Robert Creeley (1926-2005), the canonical American poet of the Black Mountain School who was associated with the Beat Generation. Preceded two years earlier (1968) by an American edition (a Black Sparrow Press production) not including this volume's later "In London" section of poems as noted above. Hardcover in unclipped dust jacket, first UK edition. With jacket front cover illustration by the noted artist Jim Dine; excerpts from an interview with Creeley transcribed in The Paris Review Vol. 11 No. 44 (Fall 1968- see our item No. 3734, that very issue, which includes a facsimile manuscript page of the title poem). Though apparently not relevant to the text of the title poem or other contents, we cannot help but note the compelling ghostly presence of William S. Burroughs here: Dine's illustration is of a cutting instrument & the title of the collection is The Finger- reminding us of a certain youthful incident in WSB's life when he cut off a portion of his little finger to impress an acquaintance. Also, this publisher issued the UK editions of many of WSB's works, some of which are noted on rear flap. From the collection of the late Erin Black Matson, the artist-poet who, with her then-husband the acclaimed poet & educator Clive Matson, was a member of the Beat Generation- morphing into the hippie counterculture during the 1960s. The Matsons were protégé-colleagues (in lifestyle & literature...) of Herbert Huncke, Bonnie Bremser et al. An essential Creeley collectible from the poet's prime, with distinguished provenance. The condition of this rarity reflects its long use & ownership by Erin, a tride-&-true Beat-Bohemian to the end: Book near-fine with very slight rubbing & occasional light spot-staining to green front, back covers & spine (with gilt lettering on spine completely bright & intact); light wear at thin edges & corners of same incl. very small area with loss of green surface at lower left edge/ corner of back cover; moderate-to-somewhat-significant rubbing, browning, spotting & spot-staining to upper edge of text block; much less to side & lower edges of same. Interior very fine with only light browning, a few spots to blank paste-downs & endpapers; very slight bleeding of spots & spot-stains onto upper edges of a few page leaves; otherwise virtually mint. Dust jacket (again relative to Erin) good-to-near-fine with moderate rubbing, light scratching, moderate-to-significant browning & spotting to front, back covers, spine & flaps; mild wear & some tiny bumps, chips, creases & mostly closed, very short tears at thin edges & corners of same incl. miniscule loss of paper esp. at upper spine-edge & corner. Near Fine / Good- Near Fine. [Item #4724]

Price: $40.00 save 20% $32.00