De Loach, Allen

Elegy: for Walt Whitman

Buffalo, NY: Anonym Press, 1968. Limited First Edition. Stapled Wrappers. Inscribed, signed & dated by Allen DeLoach. "O Walt the pulse of America's rhythm/ deafens my ears- the sound nocturnal-/ America's bed is becoming a Dracula coffin/ at night her wings fly the earth spilling blood" (Part I, first stanza, unpaginated) A poem by Allen DeLoach (1939-2002), the American author, publisher & editor who was very active in the Beat Generation-morphing-into-Hippie counterculture as an important participant in the 1960s mimeograph revolution- Lower East Side NYC literary scene- including his journal Intrepid which published major cut-up writings by William S. Burroughs. The poem is titled, inspired by & evokes the iconic, quintessential American poet Walt Whitman (1819-1892)- as updated with allusions to the turbulent events of the late1960s era in which it is written. With illustrations of Whitman & DeLoach at title page by Ann Rosen. Chapbook in stapled wrappers, one of 900 trade copies in a total limited edition of 1000. At title page, between the portraits of Whitman & DeLoach, the poet has cursively hand-written, signed, placed & dated in bold black ink: "for Paul & family-/ with much pleasure-/ Pax-/ (signed) Allen DeLoach/ London visit/ July 71." From the collection of Richard Cupidi (b. 1945), our esteemed friend in the UK who was manager of the legendary Unicorn Bookshop in Brighton, England founded by Bill Butler (1934-1977, the famed American-expatriate poet, bookseller & publisher). From the late 1960s through the early 1970s, Unicorn proffered & published many outstanding productions by WSB, J.G. Ballard et al., some of which have become the scarcest, all-but-unobtainable Beat-&-Beyond collectibles (see for example our item No.s 8217, 8366). 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 which is also now closed, & he still resides there. We have been honored to obtain what Cupidi has termed "The Last Hurrah," all the remaining rarities of Unicorn & Public House such as this. Third Mind Books is reverently engaged in the incremental curation & presentation of the Butler-Cupidi-Unicorn-Public House Legacy that is in our custodial hands- until it passes to yours. An essential collectible in the scarce DeLoach oeuvre, in its rarest contemporary limited trade form & greatly enriched by his inscription dated close to publication, with the most highly distinguished & relevant provenance. See also our item No.s 4407, 6909, 8404. In relatively quite exceptionally very fine condition with only a hint of rubbing, faint scratching to front, back covers & stapled spine; a few tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same. Interior very fine with only tiny bumps at corners of page leaves. Very Fine. [Item #8406]

Price: $45.00