Clark, Tom

Stones with: Ephemera

New York, NY, USA: Harper & Row, 1969. First Softcover Edition. Softcover. "You approach me carrying a book/ The instructions you read carry me back beyond birth/ To childhood and a courtyard bouncing a ball/ The town is silent there is only one recreation/ It's throwing the ball against the wall and waiting/ To see if it returns" ("Superballs," first six lines, pg. 11) An early collection of poems by Tom Clark (1941-2018), the prodigious poet, editor & biographer who got off with a bang during the heady 1960s, & carried on prolifically even as his star faded, leaving us a vast & brilliant legacy. Indeed, Clark epitomizes our category of The Prolific & Underappreciated. Trade-format softcover in sewn binding, first edition as stated at copyright page, presumed first printing though not specified as such thereon, published simultaneously with a hardcover edition (the first hardcover appearance of Clark, see our item No. 5218). Featuring front cover artwork by Joe Brainard (1942-1994), the legendary, unclassifiable New York School-&-Beyond artist & writer who tragically fell victim to AIDS. We found & have retained, between inner front cover & front endpaper, a small slip of paper on which Clark's initials ("TC") & address in California are hand-written in bold blue felt-tip ink, presumably by Clark himself. From the collection of Robin Eichele (b. 1941), the acclaimed American poet who was a co-founder of the Detroit Artists' Workshop with the legendary John Sinclair (1941-2024), & is our good nearby friend. Clark attended the University of Michigan here in Ann Arbor around this period, where he twice-won the prestigious Hopwood Awards, & it is probable that he & Eichele crossed paths here or in Detroit, thus this ephemera, in fine condition with some creases from having been folded, slight rubbing, finely perforated side-edge & with some tiny bumps, creases at other edges & corners- written on one side, with blank verso. A foundational Clark collectible in its penultimately rarest contemporary form, with (almost certainly Clark's) autograph ephemera & distinguished provenance. In relatively quite fine condition with mild rubbing, faint scratching & browning to front, back covers & spine; slight wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; light rubbing, browning & occasional spotting to edges of text block. Interior very fine with only a hint of browning to blank inner covers & page leaves (the latter chiefly at blank margins/edges); tiny bumps at corners of some leaves. Fine. [Item #7282]

Price: $40.00