Butler, Bill

Static of the Star-Filled Wind: Selected Poems 1959-1977

ISBN: 0954107004
Llandeilo, Wales UK: MWH, 2001. Limited First Edition. Softcover. "the light from your window/ a star in the sky/ your body moves by me/ I feel I could die/ we never grew closer/ it's no use to try/ your body moves by me/ a star in the sky" ("the light from your window," pg. 121) A compilation of poems by Bill Butler (1934-1977), the legendary American-born expatriate poet, bookseller & publisher. Large-format softcover original, an elegantly stark & plain production "Published privately in Great Britain 2001 by MWH" as stated at copyright page, "One of a limited edition of 500..." as stated on opposite (bibliographic) page, followed by "-No..." & line for hand-numbering which is unfilled. With photographs of the elusive Butler at front & rear inner covers. From the collection of Richard Cupidi (b. 1945), our esteemed friend in the UK who managed the fabled Unicorn Bookshop in Brighton, England with Butler. From the late 1960s until the early 1970s, Unicorn proffered & published many outstanding productions by William S. Burroughs, J.G. Ballard et al., some of which have become the scarcest, all-but-unobtainable Beat-&-Beyond collectibles (see for example our item No. 8217). After prevailing against censorious harrassment efforts, Unicorn closed & Butler died in short order. Cupidi went on to found the Public House Bookshop in Brighton, which had a long & successful run but is also now closed, & he still resides there as of this writing. We have been privileged to obtain what Cupidi has termed "The Last Hurrah," all the remaining treasures of Unicorn & Public House, some of which have become the stuff of Beat-&-Beyond myth (again see item No. 8217). Third Mind Books is in the process, as here, of reverently curating & incrementally presenting the Butler-Cupidi-Unicorn-Public House Legacy that is in our custodial hands- until it passes to yours. An extraordinarily scarce, career-spanning Butler collectible in its singularly rarest contemporary form; with the most possibly distinguished & relevant association & provenance. In relatively (we assume, since we can locate no comparables...) quite very fine condition with only very slight rubbing, faint scratching to front, back covers & spine; a touch of wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; a hint of rubbing & occasional light spotting to edges of text block. Interior very fine with only miniscule bumps at corners of some page leaves. Very Fine. [Item #8294]

Price: $100.00