Bukowski, Charles

A Conversation Not to Remember

n/p (North Salem, NY?): RMC Press, 2002. Limited First Edition. Sewn Wrappers. "Try shoveling sand, seems like/ there's nothing heavier/ than sand./ What? I asked./ Try shoveling sand, he said./ Shut up, I said./ Wanna fight? He asked./ I'll rip your God damned head off, I told him./ Maybe we better not fight, he said." The title poem by Charles Bukowski (1920-1994), the iconic American cult favorite poet-denizen of the dive bar (where he probably held this forgettable conversation) & the racetrack. Written in Buk's twilight in 1992, this poem is presented in a chapbook published in 2002 by Bill Roberts, not as usual by his venerable Bottle of Smoke Press but by the mysterious imprint "RMC Press." Chapbook in sewn wrappers, colophon at verso final leaf states: "This gratis edition is / limited to 50 numbered / copies handsewn in / wrappers and numbered / 1-50. This is copy (hand-numbered in blue ink) 16." With photo-image of a brooding Buk at front cover, facsimile of a signed doodle-drawing by him at inner front cover. Debritto, D118, pg. 500- wherein Roberts is quoted: "It is not an official release and really nothing more than a little home project. It is a single poem and about 45 of them were destroyed. The remaining 5 or so are of little value, except for as a curiosity." Like our good friends at The Buk Shop (TheBukShop.com, the only other seller offering a copy of this), we "beg to differ." An extremely scarce collectible for the dedicated Bukowski completist, in its singularly rarest contemporary form. In very fine condition with only a hint of light rubbing to back cover; tiny bumps at lower corners of front & back covers; slight loosening of a green binding thread at spine (probably as issued); otherwise appearing substantially mint inside & out. Very Fine. [Item #8452]

Price: $100.00