Duncan, Robert

Of the War

Berkeley, CA: Oyez Press, 1966. First Edition. Stapled Wrappers. (Bertholf A19, pp. 70-73). “For the Good, / […] / the good of the people / the soul’s good. / I put aside / whatever I once served of the poet, master / of enchanting words and magics, / not to disown the old mysteries, sweet / muthos / our mouth’s telling. / and I will still tell the beads, in the fearsome / street I see glimpses of. / I will pray again / to those great columns / […] / to see / the dirty papers, monies, laws, orders / and corpses…” (from “Orders, Passages 24” of this unpaginated collection). Offered here is an obscure yet impressive work by Robert Duncan (1919-1988), “Passages 22-27” of a larger work titled “Of the War” — which our research identifies as Duncan’s tribute to Ezra Pound’s (1885-1972) “Cantos,” that most problematic masterpiece of Late High Modernism. Duncan was among the greatest 20th century American poets associated with the Beat Generation, the San Francisco Renaissance (of which he is considered a Founding Father) & the Black Mountain School. While his association with Black Mountain is largely built on his correspondence with the super-sized literary eminence, Charles Olson (1910-1970) Duncan’s essence as a San Francisco poet is on fuller display in this piece: and the worldliness of the man seems to ricochet off these stanzas. A great Duncan collectible at an entry-level price point—making this a great opportunity for the seasoned collector & eager initiate alike. Chapbook in stapled wrappers: "First Edition, paperbound copies, first issue (of text)" per Robert J. Bertholf's definitive Duncan bibliography; 1/1000 copies issued in October, 1966. From the collection of Robin Eichele (b. 1941), noted Mimeograph Revolutionary & co-founder (with John Sinclair) of the Detroit Artists’ Workshop. Eichele's ownership signature is present at top left-hand corner of front cover at verso side. Thankfully, — as the pictures attached to this listing make clear — Eichele’s ownership signature does not bleed into the art on the front cover of this intriguing, underread Duncan collectible. At any rate, Eichele’s ownership signature (in thin, black pen ink) simply reads: “Eichele.” In strong near fine condition with only mild-to-moderate shelf-wear, light bumping to fine-edges & corners of front, back covers & spine-edge; a few tame, low-visibility nicks, scuffs, variously present at same; light-to-moderate age-toning (e.g., muted or microscopic fleck-like instances of rusting and/or light bleeding) to staples at interior & exterior, otherwise commendably clean. Near Fine. [Item #6854]

Price: $30.00 save 15% $25.50