Butterick, George F.

The Collected Poems of George F. Butterick

ISBN: 0922668000
Buffalo, NY: The Poetry/ Rare Books Collection, SUNY at Buffalo, 1988. First Edition. Softcover. "While George Butterick was known as a devoted scholar of the work of Charles Olson, he was also an accomplished poet in his own right. This volume contains the poems published in smaller volumes, from The Norse in 1973 to Mummy Strands and Others in 1987. Before his death in August 1988, he and the editor of this volume, Richard Blevins, identified additional, uncollected poems for inclusion. The plan of the volume is George Butterick's. Together the poems form, as Robert Creeley writes in his introduction, an "intelligent response" to the human situation." (front flap) A comprehensive compilation of poems by George Butterick (1942-1988), the most-respected (if tragically short-lived) American poet & scholar who was indeed the foremost authority on Charles Olson (1910-1970), the Towering Black Mountain-&-Beyond super-influential Poet's-Poet who is our favorite Maximus Obscurantist. Along with his friend & colleague Albert Glover (b. 1942), Butterick was mentored & anointed by the Maximus Master himself at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo during the 1960s, co-authored Olson's first bibliography with Glover, & built a definitive mountain of editorial & critical published scholarship before his untimely passing at the age of 45. Edited & compiled by Richard Blevins (b. 1950), the noted poet & editor, alongside Butterick himself during his last months; & with an introduction by Robert Creeley (1926-2005), the great Black Mountain School alumnus/Olson acolyte-colleague poet. Trade-format softcover original in dust jacket, first edition, presumed first-&-only printing though neither specified at sparse copyright page. A sparely elegant production of SUNY at Buffalo- where it all began. From the collection of Albert Glover, who is noted among the "Contributors to the Edition" (pg. 243) along with Allen Ginsberg, Robert Kelly, James Laughlin & many other luminaries; & who as noted above was Butterick's contemporary colleague & remains the foremost surviving authority on Olson- having served devotedly & outstandingly as the Gloucester Sphinx's co-bibliographer, editor & publisher all these years. The definitive Butterick poetry collection, in its singularly rarest form & with the highest, most relevant possible provenance. See also our item No.s 8427, 8429, 8431, 8433. Book in fine-to-very-fine condition with only a touch of wear & a few tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of blank front, back covers & spine; a bit of rubbing & occasional spotting to edges of text block. Interior fine-to-very-fine with slight loosening of first & last few page leaves from binding (quite possibly as issued); tiny bumps at corners of some leaves. Dust jacket near-fine with light rubbing, faint scratching, a hint of age-toning & occasional spotting/small markings to front, back covers & spine; slight wear & some tiny bumps, creases at/from edges & corners of same & flaps; several short, closed tears from upper edge of front cover. Fine-Very Fine / Near Fine. [Item #8425]

Price: $40.00