Various (Plath, Sylvia (Editor); Creeley, Robert; Guest, Barbara; Levertov, Denise; Merwin, W.S.; Sexton, Anne; Stafford, William et al.)

Critical Quarterly Poetry Supplement Number 2: American Poetry Now

London, England, UK: Oxford University Press, 1960. First Edition. Stapled Wrappers. “My love’s manners in bed / are not to be discussed by me, / as mine by her / I would not credit comment upon gracefully. / But I ride by that margin of the lake in / the wood, the castle; / and the excitement of strongholds; / and have a small boy’s notion of doing good. / Oh well, I will say here, / knowing each man, / let you find a good wife too, / and love her as hard as you can.”--Robert Creeley, “The Way,” pg. 18. Part of the Critical Quarterly, American Poetry Now No. 2 was a significant snapshot of the milieu of American poetry in 1960. Notably edited by literary legend Sylvia Plath (1932-1963), this issue features the likes of: “I Only Am Escaped Alone to Tell Thee,” and “The Vacuum” by Howard Nemerov (?-1991), the Edward Mallinckrodt Distinguished University Professor of English and Distinguished Poet in Residence at Washington University in St. Louis. He was twice Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, from 1963 to 1964 and again from 1988 to 1990; the poem “The Five-Day Rain” by Denise Levertov (1923-1997), British-American poet who was deeply influenced by the Black Mountain poets and the political milieu around the Vietnam War; “Kind Sir: These Woods,” and “Some Foreign Letters” by Anne Sexton (1928-1974), Pulitzer prize winning poet (1967); “The Way” by Robert Creeley (1926-2005), Black Mountain associated poet, and close friend of Robert Duncan (1919-1988) and Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997); “The Marsh,” and “Operation” by W. D. Snodgrass (1926-2009), legendary American poet and winner of the Pulitzer prize in 1960; and the three poems “The Evil Eye,” “Living in Sin,” and “Moving In Winter” by Adrienne Rich (1929-2012), American poet, essayist and feminist–often called one of the most widely read and influential poets of the second half of the 20th century–among many other great contributions! From the collection of Richard Cupidi (b. 1945), our esteemed mate in the UK who managed the legendary Unicorn Bookshop in Brighton, England with Bill Butler (1934-1977, the famed American-expatriate poet, publisher & bookseller). From the late 1960s through the early 1970s, Unicorn proffered & published 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.s 8217, 8366). After prevailing against censorious harassment 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. 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 in the reverent process of incrementally curating & presenting the Butler-Cupidi-Unicorn-Public House Legacy that is in our custodial hands until it passes to yours. Stapled wrappers. First & presumably only printing. In relatively fine-very fine condition with minor wear to fine edges, moderate smudging/staining to front and back covers, moderate rusting at staples, and slight discoloration due to age-toning; interior in very fine condition with only slight age-toning. Fine-Very Fine. [Item #8451]

Price: $50.00