Eigner, Larry

The breath of once Live Things In the field with Poe

Los Angeles, CA: Black Sparrow Press, 1968. Limited Edition. Sewn Wrappers. Signed by Larry Eigner “a hole in the lawn / or the brick steps / robins may eat worms / or fallen leaves / the suns / work / to have a good / time / all / together / a baby comes fictitiously / into the world / he seizes as concrete / Milestones the caterpillar's / inch / unable ever to gauge / butterflies / and the thrashing of man / making the seasons heavy” (pg. 2-3). Larry Eigner (1927-1996) was one of the principal figures of the Black Mountain School of poetry and was closely associated with Robert Creeley. Eigner’s poetic works impressively number over 3,000 given that his physical limitations affected his typing abilities. He was part of a group known as the Language Poets, contributors to the L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E magazine, which only ran thirteen issues between 1978 and 1981. The focus of the Language Poets was the role of the reader in bringing meaning out of a work, similar to the Third Mind philosophy of William S. Burroughs which emphasized the combination of the creator’s intentions and the consumer’s experience in the interpretation of art and literature. Eigner utilized formatting variations to amplify the power and tone of the words themselves as the readers’ eyes move across the page, and this is a prime example of such technique with only 532 words stretched across 8 pages. Large-format chapbook in sewn binding: Limited Edition, printed by Plantin Press for Black Sparrow Press. This is copy no. 179 of 250 sewn in paper wrappers and signed by the poet. Larry Eigner’s unusually jagged signature is in pencil on the colophon (See photos). Item is in good condition with significant shelf-wear to fine edges of front, back covers. The front cover’s color faded in comparison to the pale green color of the interior. Mild aging is creeping in from the edges of front, back covers; pages are crisp and clean. Good. [Item #5583]

Price: $35.00 save 20% $28.00