Kelly, Robert

Round Dances

New York, NY, USA: Trobar, 1964. Limited First Edition. Stapled Sheets. "Interval & recurrence make the dance. The dance is round, but not to say it comes to an end & begins again. When the dancer comes to the place he was, he is changed, he is another place. She is another place. Interval & recurrence make the dance. I have not imposed a rhythm. Since the dance is the body's dance, it moves as the body will. Or must." (from Introduction dated "8 May 1964," unpaginated) The collected "Round Dance" cycle of poems by Robert Kelly (b. 1935), the eminent & prolific American poet associated with the Black Mountain &, most especially, Deep Image schools. Large (appx. 8&1/2" x 14") volume of stapled sheets including covers, an exemplary production of the NYC Mimeograph Revolution, all sheets printed at recto only. With reproductions of movement-evoking line drawings throughout by Josie Rosenfeld, about whom we could obtain no information. Per colophon at copyright page, this is one of 150 copies, after the printed statement "This is number..." there is a space & period, no number has been hand-written. Therefore, this may be an author's copy or proof. From the collection of Robin Eichele (b. 1941), an acclaimed American poet who co-founded the Detroit Artists' Workshop with the legendary John Sinclair (1941-2024) during the 1960s, & is our good nearby friend. Eichele has written his ownership signature in blue ink at blank upper right margin of first leaf/ title page. A scarce & significant early Kelly collectible in its singularly rarest contemporary form, with distinguished & relevant provenance. See our many other Robert Kelly collectibles & contributions, incl. item No.s 3226, 7721, 7723, 7725. In relatively quite fine-to-very-fine condition with mild rubbing, fading, age-toning & faint scratching to front & back cover sheets; a touch of wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; mild rubbing, mild-to-moderate age-toning, light bumping & creasing to edges of text block incl. uncovered spine-side. Interior fine-to-very-fine with light rubbing & age-toning to blank inner covers; very slight age-toning to page leaves esp. at margins/edges; tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of some leaves. Fine-Very Fine. [Item #7719]

Price: $80.00