Blaser, Robin (Glover, Albert)

Image-Nations 1-12 & The Stadium of the Mirror

London, England, UK: Ferry Press, 1974. Limited First Edition. Softcover. "the participation is broken/ fished from a sky of fire/ the fiery lake pouring itself/ to reach here// that matter of language caught/ in the fact so that we/ meet in paradise in such/ times, the I consumes itself// white trees, rings around them,/ wander and roll, the fog breaks,/ the sky, blue in the window" ("IMAGE-NATION I (the fold," first three stanzas, pg. 9) A compilation of the first twelve poems in the Image-Nation cycle, along with an expository essay, by Robin Blaser (1925-2009)- the acclaimed & prize-winning American-Canadian poet, playwright, translator & opera composer. Compiled here for the first time are the initial Image-Nations poems written & variously published individually between 1962-1973, followed by "The Stadium of the Mirror," Blaser's explanatory-autobiographical-critical essay on the development & meanings of the Image-Inations cycle. An early colleague of Black Mountain/ San Francisco Renaissance Giants Robert Duncan (1919-1988) & Jack Spicer (1925-1965), Blaser refers to their & his Mentor-of-Mentors Charles Olson (1910-1970, Sage of the Black Mountain School & our favorite Maximus Obscurantist) whom he knew, learned from & conversed with. Large-format softcover in blank wrappers with front-illustrated dust jacket incl. flaps- a beautiful production, one of 474 trade copies in a total edition of 500 per colophon (recto final leaf). From the collection of Albert Glover (b. 1942), the renowned American poet, editor, publisher & academician who is the foremost living authority on Olson, with whom he studied & by whom he was anointed during the 1960s. At inner front cover, Glover's regal coat-of-arms bookplate is affixed. Blaser & Glover were close friends & colleagues, & Blaser is among the authors who contributed to Glover's epic, Olson-inspired "A Curriculum of the Soul" series of chapbooks (see our item No. 8141). An essential, especially scarce Blaser collectible in its rarest contemporary limited trade form; with the highest, most relevant association & provenance. See also our item No.s 8138, 8279, 8281, 8283, 8285. Book in relatively quite very fine condition with only very slight rubbing, faint scratching & occasional waving to blank front, back covers & spine; a touch of wear, age-toning & a few tiny bumps, creases at thin edges & corners of same; a hint of rubbing to edges of text block. Interior very fine with only tiny bumps, occasional miniscule spots at corners of a few leaves. Dust jacket (again relatively) fine-to-very-fine with mild rubbing, faint scratching to front, back covers & spine; a bit of wear & a few tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same & flaps; one tiny spot at lower left corner of rear flap. Fine-Very Fine / Fine. [Item #8287]

Price: $100.00