Levertov, Denise

With Eyes at the Back of Our Heads

New York, NY, USA: New Directions, c. 1967. First Softcover Edition. Softcover. "Miss (Denise) Levertov'ss third book of poetry, With Eyes at the Back of Our Heads, is now reissued as a paperbook...Sensitivity...delicacy without softness...a kind of imagination which eliminates all but the essence...a metric which conceals the strict discipline which gives it its grace- these are a few of the qualities that distinguish the work of Denise Levertov and make her one of the most impressive among the younger poets writing today." (from back cover) The third collection of poems by Denise Levertov (1923-1997), the award-winning, acclaimed British-American poet. Originally published in hardcover during 1959, we here offer the first softcover edition of c.1967 (the publication year of the then-newest volume referred to at back cover, The Sorrow Dance). Trade-format softcover, first edition thus, presumed first printing with no references to further printings at copyright page or elsewhere, an exemplary "Paperbook" production of James Laughlin's legendary New Directions imprint. From the collection of Robin Eichele (b. 1941), a venerable American poet who co-founded the Detroit Artists' Workshop with John Sinclair (1941-2024) in 1964, & is our good nearby friend & mentor. An essential Levertov collectible in its penultimately rarest near-contemporary American form, with distinguished & relevant provenance. See our many Levertov collectibles & contributions, esp. item No.s 4236, 7918, 7920. In relatively good condition with mild-to-moderate rubbing, mostly faint creasing/scratching, age-toning & occasional spotting, light spot-staining to front, back covers & spine; light wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; two small indeterminate spot-stains at front cover slightly effecting image; mild-to-moderate rubbing, age-toning & occasional spotting to edges of text block. Interior (again relatively) fine with very slight bleeding of one stain from front cover noted above onto blank inner front cover; mild age-toning to blank inner covers & page leaves (the latter chiefly at blank margins/edges); one very small, light spot-stain at lower blank margin of one leaf (pgs. 9-10); tiny bumps at corners of a few leaves. Good. [Item #7923]

Price: $25.00