[Item #5425] The Dark Kingdom. Kenneth Patchen.
The Dark Kingdom
The Dark Kingdom
The Dark Kingdom
The Dark Kingdom

The Dark Kingdom

New York, NY: Ganis and Harris, 1948. Second Printing, First Edition Thus. Hardcover. "The Dark Kingdom stands above the waters as a sentinel warning man of danger from his own kind. On its altars the deeds of blood are not offered: Here are watchers whose eyes are fixed on the eternal undertakings of the spirit. What has been common and tarnished in these poor wombs, here partakes of immortality. In its windows are reflected the unreturning events of childhood. All who ask life, find a peace everlasting in its radiant halls. All who have opposed in secret are here provided with green crowns. All who have been dragged through the cowled flame of this world, are here clothed in the bright raiment of the tempest. Here all who sorrow and are weary under strange burdens- fearing death, are seen to enter the white throne room of God" (prelude, preceding copyright page) A collection of 59 numbered, titled poems (plus the stirring prelude quoted above in its entirety) by Kenneth Patchen (1911-1972), the brilliant American poet, artist & pacifist who was an inspiring influence on the Beat Generation/ San Francisco Renaissance & is still revered with a devoted following today. The poems here vary in their topics & concerns, but form a whole that is an intensely evocative tour-de-force- it is no wonder that respected contemporary critics (including as quoted on flaps & back cover of dust jacket) compared his works to those of William Blake & Walt Whitman. Originally published in 1942, offered here is the second printing of 1948 as stated on copyright page, hardcover in unclipped dust jacket with jacket & book graphics, colors etc. different from the first edition-printing, therefore this qualifies to us as a first edition thus. A classic Patchen collectible in its penultimately rarest form. Book in relatively good-to-near-fine condition with moderate-to-significant rubbing, Staining-fading & occasional spotting to green cloth front, back covers & spine (the latter much less with white lettering fully bright & intact); mild-to-moderate wear at edges & corners of same; some small blisters at lower left area of back cover; moderate-to-medium rubbing, browning, small areas of staining at side & lower edges of text block; moderate-to-significant fading, light scratching to black-dyed upper edge of same. Interior fine with small areas of (water?) staining to blank black paste-downs & endpapers; light browning mostly to blank margins/edges of page leaves; thin upper edges of some leaves with bled black dye (perhaps as issued); tiny bumps at corners of a few leaves. Dust jacket relatively good-to-near-fine with mild-to-medium rubbing, browning, scratching & occasional spotting to front, back covers, spine & flaps; light wear & some bumps, creases, chips & mostly closed tears at edges & corners of same with minor loss of paper esp. at upper edges/corners; two tiny tear-holes at mid-left area of front cover barely effecting graphics thereon. Good- Near Fine / Good- Near Fine. [Item #5425]

Price: $40.00

See all items in Philosophy & Culture, Poetry
See all items by