Ammons, A.R.

Garbage: A Poem

ISBN: 0393035425
New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 1993. First Edition. Hardcover. Inscribed & Signed by A.R. Ammons to Laurence Goldstein (1943-2023), the renowned American author, poet, film critic, editor & academician here at the University of Michigan. “Ammons always has been equally superb in a long poem, as in Sphere and Hibernaculum, or in such visionary lyrics as “The City Limits,” “Plunder,” and a hundred more. The outrageously entitled Garbage is strong Ammons: wise, eloquent, exuberantly argumentative, imbued with the continued inventiveness of a maker who would have delighted Whitman and Emerson” (Harold Bloom [1930-2019], from Back Cover copy). Offered here is the book-length poem, "Garbage" by A.R. Ammons (1926-2001), the great American poet and longtime professor at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, where he taught for thirty-four years, producing several prodigious students during his tenure there. The poet’s upbringing alone provides no shortage of intrigue or Frostian flair: for Ammons grew up on a tobacco farm in Whiteville, North Carolina — a small town in the southern part of the state. While much could be said (and likely has been written) about this aspect of Ammons’ literary life-&-mind, far more intriguing to Your Devoted VP-of-Operations here at Third Mind Books (and far more relevant to this here curation, considering the Harold Bloom quotation which started it) is the fact that Bloom’s relation to Ammons should be thought of as the literary equivalent of Clement Greenberg’s (the famous art critic: [1909-1994]) relation to famed American Abstract Expressionist, Jackson Pollock (1912-1956). This, because it was after Ammons’ chance meeting with Bloom at Cornell in 1968 that Ammons’ star began to rise inordinately. He was already recognized as a prodigy: he was, after all, hired to teach Creative Writing at Cornell before he’d even finished securing his master’s degree from that haloed Ivy League institution. Whether or not you trust or value Bloom in other situations — whether you favor or flame his highly-controversial literary criticism — doesn’t really matter. You can trust him here, because Ammons is considered, almost universally, a great American poet; and it’s volumes like this one that remind us why. From the collection of Laurence Goldstein (1943-2023), a renowned American author, film critic, poet, editor & academician here at the University of Michigan. This copy is additionally signed (twice) by the legendary American poet to Goldstein on half-title and title page. Ammons' first signature, in thin, black pen ink, reads: "all good wishes + wish admiration to / Larry Goldstein / from Archie / 76 Sept '96." Ammons' second signature, in same black pen ink, includes the crossing off of the author's name on title page, and "A.R. Ammons" written below the poet's last name near center-middle of same. Hardcover in unclipped first-issue dust jacket (with "8-93" and "$17.95" publisher's price sticker on front flap): first edition, as stated on copyright page, first printing, as indicated by number sequence thereon. Book is in very fine condition, virtually as new with only slightest shelf-wear to fine-edges & corners of front, back covers & spine-edge, otherwise pristine. Dust-jacket also in very fine condition with only corresponding light shelf-wear to fine-edges & corners of front, back covers & spine-edge & lone closed tear to topmost fine-edge of back cover near spine-edge, otherwise clean. Very Fine / Very Fine. [Item #6956]

Price: $85.00