Blaser, Robin (De Nerval, Gerard)

Les Chimeres

San Francisco, CA: White Rabbit Press, 1965. First Edition Thus. Stapled Wrappers. “In this volume, I have translated Nerval's twelve sonnets known as Les Chimeres, which were published as a sequence in 1854 at the end of Les Filles du Feu. Seven of them had been published previously under the title Mysticisme in Petits Châteaux de Bohème, 1853. The change of title is significant. The poems do not seem to me to be mystical and I think Nerval must have wished to separate his poems from that difficulty. They live by correspondences between the personal and the mysterious, whether Nerval is drawing from the numerology of the Tarot, French history, or Virgil. To put it another way, these poems live by entrances to images of gods and goddesses; they lack the completeness and receptiveness I connect with mysticism. They seem to me to be about the mental death of god. They are among the greatest of love poems. In the preparation of these translations, I have studied Nerval's works and his biography, investigated French free-thinkers, and the Fabre d'Olivet edition of the Vers Dorés des Pythagoriciens only to come to the conclusion that though many have done well by him, especially Jeannine Moulin in an annotated edition of these poems, far too much attention has been given the biography, where we are meant to depend upon the poems. The reader may be disturbed that I have only once kept the Shape of Nerval's poems, but I have had to make These my own. Here, it is true I wanted to give translations, not versions, but I have taken liberties - there are omissions and interpretations - and I am handing them over to the reader with respect, care, and a considered knowledge of the French poems. I wish here to present poems, a first concern. In my view, these translations required that I become Nerval and yet remain my own poet” (from “NOTE”). A volume of poems by Robin Blaser (1925-2009), the American-born, Canadian poet variously associated with the New American Poetry. As enumerated above, this volume contains some wonderful self-styled translations of the French poet, Gerard de Nerval (1808-1855): and for fans of French literature in translation, these are the finest translations of the poet this writer has ever seen. Chapbook in stapled wrappers: 1/500 copies, though increasingly rare these days; the First Trade Edition of the White Rabbit Press version of this title. From the collection of Albert Glover (b. 1942), the acclaimed American poet, author, bibliographer, editor & publisher whom we're honored to be acquainted with, & who is the foremost living authority on Charles Olson [1910-1970], the canonical American poet among the most Gigantic (literally & literarily) men-of-letters of the twentieth century—our favorite Maximus Obscurantist. Glover studied with & was anointed by the Maximus Master himself, & has outstandingly served as his bibliographer & editor (see for example our item No. 8126). In fine condition with only minute-to-mild shelf-wear to fine-edges & corners of front, back covers & spine-edge, & some rusting/bleeding to staples at interior & exterior; otherwise quite clean. Fine. [Item #8173]

Price: $50.00