Various (Malone, Marvin (Editor); Malone, Christa; Locklin, Gerald)

Wormwood Review Vol. 36 No. 3 (No. 143, 1996) with: Ephemera

Stockton, CA: Wormwood Books and Magazines, 1996. Limited First Printing. Stapled Wrappers. "once in a while i wish there were a god,/ mainly so that he could preside,/ as vengefully as possible,/ over a real lollapalooza of a last judgement." (Gerald Locklin, "The Last Round-Up,'" first stanza, pg. 97) This later number of the legendary literary journal edited by the late Marvin Malone is completely dedicated to the poetry of Gerald Locklin (1941-2021), the noted poet & former editor of Chiron Review who was a close friend & colleague of Charles Bukowski (1920-1994), the great American cult favorite poet-denizen of the dive bar & racetrack. With a collection of riveting, unforgettable poems clearly influenced by his mentor Buk (or perhaps partly the other way around?), beginning with the above-quoted "The Last Round-Up." We found & have retained, between pages 114-115, a hand-written signed letter on WR stationary dated May 29, 1997 to one Michael Sherick by Christa Malone, Marvin's late daughter who had just taken over editor-publishership of WR from him upon his passing. In this letter, in purple ink, Christa mentions that Locklin had passed a letter to him from Sherick that was complimentary of her father, & goes on to write that she was working on the following WR issue No. 144, & that "a special tribute issue for MM..." was being planned for later in that year (1997). Single letter-size sheet folded twice horizontally, printed & hand-written on recto only, in excellent condition with only fold-creases & a few tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners. Chapbook-format journal in stapled wrappers, one of an edition of 700 hand-numbered copies of which this is No. 379/700 per colophon at rear cover. It is mentioned thereon that the first 70 copies were hand-signed by Locklin, this subsequent number has only a facsimile signature below the first poem noted & quoted above, but Christa Malone's letter makes this copy uniquely collectible & sui generis. Another wonderfully rewarding & scarce issue in this most-collectible series, of particular interest to Locklin (& Bukowski) devotees & with very enriching ephemera. In very fine condition with only a hint of rubbing, faint scratching to front, back covers & stapled spine; a few tiny bumps, creases at/from edges & corners of same; staples beginning to rust with miniscule interior bleeding. Interior very fine with only tiny bumps at corners of some page leaves; one very small crease at upper corner of final leaf where once-folded; minimal staple-rusting at middle as noted above. Very Fine. [Item #7168]

Price: $60.00