Meltzer, David

Harps

Berkeley, CA: Oyez, 1975. First Edition. Hardcover. Dated, inscribed & signed by David Meltzer to William Everson a.k.a. Brother Antoninus. "My new book of poems will be called Harps. I can think of no nicer title. / Besides the angels who chose it for their music, a Marx brother played one well enough. Even my mother was once known to be a harpist. / The harp is in the Bible almost from the beginning. All variations of it strove to be the harp. / In Louis XIV's court the harps were painted by artists. When the music didn't reach you, the art work would. Or the elegant carpentry." (from first page introduction, unpaginated) A collection of poems by David Meltzer (1937-2016), the great American poet associated with the Beat Generation & especially the San Francisco Renaissance. Always most-fascinated by music (see our item No. 5914), Meltzer here mostly concentrates on musings regarding the harp, among the most venerable musical instruments from ancient times through our day. Hardcover in unclipped dust jacket, a superb & exemplary Oyez production with no information as to printing status or limitation, though we have encountered references to this being from an edition of 500 copies. With harp-related vintage photographs & illustrations at front cover dust jacket, frontispiece & throughout, design credited to Graham Macintosh at recto of final leaf. On the blank orange front endpaper, Meltzer has dated, drawn, inscribed & signed in bold brown ink: "22 Aug(ust) 75 / (drawing of star) / for / Brother Bill / (drawing of star) / (signed in stylized manner) David / Meltzer." "Brother Bill" is none other than William Everson (1912-1994), the great American poet, critic & academician who was, along with his friend & colleague Meltzer, a key figure of the San Francisco Renaissance, & who acquired the designated name of "Brother Antoninus" while he was a catholic monk of he Dominican order. Everson removed himself from the priesthood, married & became a stepfather during 1969, but continued his journey toward spiritual transcendence in his own way. An outstanding Meltzer collectible in its scarcest contemporary form, singular in its rarity & significance with this kindred poet-to-poet inscription & signature dated right about the time of publication. Book in very fine condition with only a touch of wear to edges & corners of brown-cloth front, back covers & spine; otherwise substantially mint inside & out. Dust jacket very fine with only a hint of rubbing to front, back covers, spine & flaps; a bit of wear & some tiny bumps, creases at esp. upper edges & corners of same; one tiny chip at middle-upper edge of rear flap with miniscule loss of paper. Very Fine / Very Fine. [Item #6893]

Price: $60.00