Dorn, Edward

Twenty-Four Love Songs

San Francisco, CA: Frontier Press, 1969. First Edition. Stapled Wrappers. Inscribed, signed & dated by Edward Dorn. "It is deep going from here/ from the old world to the new/ from Europa home/ the brilliant scrolls of the waves/ wave// the runic secret of homeward/ when Diego de Landa/ the glyphic books destroyed/ there were old towns/ in our hemisphere sadness/ now as then// no sense in old towns chontal/ got to have/ newtowns of the soul" (Love Song No. 1, unpaginated) A vintage 1969 collection of poems by Edward Dorn (1929-1999), among the greatest of the Black Mountain school of poets along with his colleagues/mentors Robert Creeley, Robert Duncan & Charles Olson. The twenty-four numbered, untitled short poems all share the broader theme of the poet's love- for people, places, things & ideas. Chapbook in stapled wrappers, a beautiful letterpress production "designed & printed in San Francisco by Graham Mackintosh (1935-2015, the greatly esteemed printer & publisher)" per brief colophon at recto of final leaf, presumed first edition/ first printing published in an unknown limitation. On the title page (recto second leaf), Dorn has hand-written, signed & dated in bold black ink: "1 April(underlined)/ 1989/ For Harold Wyndham(?)/ "great tradition"/ (signed) Edward Dorn/ Pocatello Edward Dorn/ on his Birthday/ actually the day before/ on Main Street." Dorn's birthday was April 2, therefore this date precedes it by one day as he notes in his inscription. Pocatello is a city in the State of Idaho, USA which is the home of Idaho State University, the probable location of the event at which Dorn inscribed & signed this copy. From the collection of Dan Rzicznek (b. 1979), an acclaimed poet & professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. A very important Dorn collectible in its rarest contemporary trade form, inestimably enriched by the great poet's interesting date, inscription & signature; & with distinguished, relevant provenance. In relatively quite very fine condition with only light fading to thinner margins & edges of front, back covers & stapled spine; a bit of wear & some tiny bumps, creases at/from edges & corners of same; staples in process of rusting with minimal exterior & interior bleeding. Interior very fine, appearing substantially mint except for minor rust-bleeding at middle noted above. Very Fine. [Item #7976]

Price: $75.00