Eshleman, Clayton

Core Meander (Sparrow No. 57)

Los Angeles, CA: Black Sparrow Press, 1977. First Edition, First Printing. "The term Beat is better used for a smaller group of writers ... the immediate group around Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, plus Gregory Corso and a few others. Many of us ... belong together in the category of the San Francisco Renaissance. ... Still, beat can also be defined as a particular state of mind ... and I was in that mind for a while"-- Gary Snyder. Joining our collection today is the 57th issue of the respected Sparrow poetry magazine, featuring the esteemed American poet and scholar Clayton Eshleman's (1935-2021) poem Core Meander as well as the poems (Untitled), Still-Life, with African Violets, After the Second Death, Om Hollow & Variations Done for John Digby. Black Sparrow Press was started in 1966 by husband and wife John and Barbara Martin in order to publish the works of Charles Bukowski (1920-1994) and other avant-garde authors, and is still in operation today. Clayton Eshleman, born in Indiana, loved creating art from a young age, learning to play piano, specializing in Jazz music. Writing came easy to him, leading him to receive 2 grants from the National Endowment for the Arts in Poetry and ultimately achieving emiritus professor status at the local Eastern Michigan University in neighboring Ypsilanti. Eshleman was considered a Beat Generation scholar, with many of his works inspired by his earliest mentor, (quoted above) Beat Generation/San Francisco Renaissance poet Gary Snyder (b. 1930). The poetry showcased here is both lyrical and surreal, highlighting his Jazz Music/Beat Generation influences. On front cover, as with other issues in this series, is a haunting quote of D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930) that serves as a motto: "Living, I want to depart to where I am". With list of then-current publications by the Press on back cover. From the collection of scholar, poet and our dear friend Robin Eichele (b. 1941), noted Mimeograph Revolutionary & co-founder of the Detroit Artists' Workshop with the late, great John Sinclair (1941-2024). Staple-bound softcover original. First edition and first printing though not explicated as such at copyright page. A rewarding Eshleman collectible, in its rarest contemporary form, with distinguished provenance. In fine-to-very-fine condition with only a few miniscule bumps at edges & corners of front, back covers; hardly discernible light age-toning & short, faint creasing at/ near stapled spine; minor age-toning and chipping to text block. Interior is relatively fine-to-very fine with hardly discernable age-toning. Fine-Very Fine. [Item #7733]

Price: $30.00