Various (Tawson, Boyce; Wagner, D.R. et al.)

Moonstones Vol. 1 No. 1 (1966)

Niagara Falls, NY: press: today: niagara, 1966. First Printing. Stapled Wrappers. “Poetry exists in an atmosphere that is constantly changing. The ability of the poet to interpret this change calls for a mode of speaking that contains within itself the idea of change, without losing contact with what the poet has ordained as unchanging. This ‘constant’ is communication. Whatever else a poem does, it is essential that it communicates. The poets appearing in this issue of Moonstones are such communicators: people concerned with the self-defining of the human condition, people handling and exploring the fragments, the attitudes, and the incidents which combine to constitute an experience, people attempting to create a miniscule section of reality carefully contained within the totality of the poem, and people who while realizing that a poem is not reality, nevertheless employ it as an art form in an effort to locate a universal mooring spot,” writes D.R. Wagner (1943-2023), a poet from Niagara Falls, NY who published this journal. His works often appear alongside d.a.levy’s (1942-1968), as the Niagara Falls scene Wagner presided over was directly & impactfully connected to the underground literary world of his mimeograph revolutionary brothers in Cleveland, OH. A favorite passage of ours from this first issue of Moonstones is provided by one Boyce Tawson, who writes the following in his poem, “Marijuana Notation.” “My buddy gave me some pot to smoke, so I did. Never again. I thought I was a seagull for three hours. I had always wanted to be a seagull, but Honest to God, Bob [sic], they don’t have it so sweet.” Hilarious! For a full list of contributors and contents, see photographs attached to this listing. Large-format mimeographed magazine in stapled wrappers: the first-&-only printing of Moonstones 1. In Fair-Good condition with moderate-to-significant rubbing, staining, shelf-wear, bumping, scuffs, age-toning (spotting, browning, etc.) & artifacts similar in nature to these alternately present at front, back covers & spine-edge & at interior; final leaf separated but magazine complete; & otherwise, generally clean. Fair-Good. [Item #8301]

Price: $75.00