Various (Sinclair, John (Editor); Eichele, Robin; Eshleman, Clayton; Harwood, Lee; Lansing, Gerrit; Tysh, George et al.)

Work No.1 (Summer 1965)

Detroit, MI: Detroits Artists' Workshop, 1965. First Edition. Stapled Wrappers. "The work is the thing. The measure of a man. All there is to look at, count up, judge him by. His work. The words are no mark, are noise. Talk is cheap, &c, but let's see the work, &c. The 'solid artifact,' what draws the mind. (The word as act only. As prophecy. As poem, is act/shun, choice of one design (ys) over, act. The poem, as thing. What has been made, worked with, what has been made of the workings...You start with the work of a man," writes John Sinclair (1941-2024) in the opening editorial to "Work/1," published by John Sinclair and Robin Eichele's (b. 1941) Detroit Artists' Workshop in Summer, 1965. This issue—and really the whole "Work" publication sub-series issued by Sinclair and Eichele's Detroit Artists' Workshop Press in the mid-late 1960s—signifies the go-getting, action-backed culture of the Mimeograph Revolution, writ large. However, this is not to say that it does not flatter what was going on there in Detroit under the sagacious literary-cultural quarterbacking of figures like Sinclair and Eichele. Both of these men (along with the woman Sinclair would later marry, Madelene "Leni" Sinclair née Arndt) are THE key members the Detroit Artists' Workshop Press, and their unitized involvement in this very issue is just one of many exemplary DAW publications. This issue is so massive and so ambitious (in comparison to the typical Mimeograph Publication of this stripe) that to do it justice it only makes sense to list off the contributors and contributions in their voluminous whole. Contributor list and contributions include: [1] “Editorial” by John Sinclair; [2] “2 poems” by the late, great Clayton Eshleman; [3] “rumor: a letter for three” by Ron Caplan; [4] “3 poems” by Gerrit Lansing; [5] “3 poems” by Victor Coleman; [6] “2 poems” by George Bowering; [7] “2 poems” by Lionel Kerns; [8] “from MOUNTAIN” by Fred Wah; [9] “3 poems” by Tom Raworth; [10] “2 poems” by Lee Harwood; [11] “An Invocation” by Andrew Crozier; [12] “3 poems” by Joan Gilbert [13]. Beginning the “Artists’ Workshop Active Anthology, we have: [14] “Introduction,” by an “Editor,” presumably Eichele or Sinclair; [15] “beat/buck of the cock and the hen, or the poet takes a wife” by Robin Eichele; [16] “2 poems” by George Tysh; [17] “Saloon” by Bill Hutton; [18] “3 poems from THIS IS OUR MUSIC,” by John Sinclair; [19] “from Flip-Outs for children,” by Jim Semark; [20] “A Blue Bag,” by Gary Johnston; [21] “A Section of Silence,” by Jessica Swain; [22] “The Clock” by Michael Ortner; [23] “3 poems” by Jerry Younkins; [24] “3 poems” by Ron English. Next, a section of reviews, featuring: [25] “Jack Spicer/The Holy Grail,” by George Tysh; [26] “Leroi Jones/Duchman,” by Magdalene Arndt (Leni Sinclair); [27] “Michael McClure/Ghost Tantras” by Jerry Younkins; [28] “Grachan Moncur/Some Other Stuff” by John Sinclair; [29] “Archie Shepp/Four For Trane” by Charles Moore; [30] “John Coltrane/A Love Supreme,” by John Sinclair; [31] “Anthony Williams/Lifetime” by Bill Harris; [32] “The Definitive Jazz Scene Vol. II,” & [33] “Freddie Hubbard/Breaking Point,” also by John Sinclair. Photograph on the front cover was taken by Eichele “in front of the old Workshop before it burned down on Memorial Day 1965,” per notes on contributors — further distinguishing the astonishing rarity of this item. From the collection of Robin Eichele (b. 1941), noted Mimeograph Revolutionary & co-founder (with John Sinclair) of the Detroit Artists’ Workshop. In very fine condition, virtually as new (Eichele himself told us they were put into a box at the time of publication from which they were moved precisely one time [to a safer, archival box] in the last forty years. This is as absolutely clean of a copy as is procurable anywhere: a collector's dream. In very fine condition, virtually as new. Very Fine. [Item #6306]

Price: $400.00