Charters, Samuel

As I Stand At This Window

Berkeley, CA, USA: Oyez Press, 1970. Limited First Edition. Stapled Wrappers. Inscribed, dated, and signed by Samuel Charters to William “Bill” Everson. “As I stand, look out / this window, this place / I feel, this moment, the sense / of being / in this place, / that it is as I stand here / that I become defined / become real…” (lines 1-8) Samuel Charters (1929-2015) was a legendary polymath—historian, musician, poet, and scholar—as well as the partner in life and work of Ann Charters, the acclaimed, pioneering Beat scholar, the supreme authority on Jack Kerouac, and our esteemed colleague at the European Beat Studies Network (ebsn.eu). “As I Stand at This Window” is a poem in which Charters muses on the power of poetry to capture the feeling of a single moment. This copy is inscribed by Charters to “Bill” which refers to William Everson (a.k.a. Brother Antoninus)(1912-1994), the American poet, educator, literary critic, and printer who was a primary & influential member of the San Francisco Renaissance and Beat Generation. The inscription on the first front endpaper in black, felt-tip pen reads: “Aug. 20, 1970 / For Bill— / with love, / Sam Charters”. Chapbook in stapled wrappers: limited first edition, first printing, one of 250 copies, “for circulation among friends of the poet and the press / [July 1970]” as stated at colophon. In fine condition with minor bumping, creasing to the fine edges and corners of front, back covers & spine; small spot of paper peeling near bottom edge of back cover; interior is crisp and clean. Fine. [Item #6853]

Price: $45.00