Various (Gosciak, J.G. (Editor); Kenny, Maurice (Editor); Ai (Anthony, Florence); Congdon, Kirby; Gioseffi, Daniela; Glover, Albert; Hemingway, Ernest; Jordan, June; Lau, Alan Chong; Paley, Grace et al.)

Contact/II Vol. 7 No. 38/39/40 (Winter/Spring 1986)

New York, NY, USA: Contact II Publications, 1986. First Printing. Stapled Wrappers. “What we were eventually left with was the work of three poets: Ines Asinc Ramos who writes of the day to day joys and miseries of a people victimized by militarism and underdevelopment; Rafael Ymasato, who during a consuming illness, wrote poems celebrating the sexual encounters of two passionate lovers; and Jose Watanabe whose candid voice and provincial upbringings have created satirical images of life in the modern South American City. We chose what we felt were the best poems hoping that they would carry the same impact in English as they did in Spanish as well as give a sense of what these poets felt is important in their craft and their lives as writers and fellow human beings.” (From introduction to “This Wanting to Sing / Asian in South America: Poetry From Peru, Ecuador, Brazil.”) This number of the literary journal co-edited by J.G. Gosciak, an academician & biographer, & poet Maurice Kenny (1929-2016) is focused on its “Asian American: North & South” feature, which includes poetry, art & reviews by & about Asian writers in the Americas. It was edited by artist, poet and American Book Award winner Alan Chong Lau, who is the longtime arts editor of Asian American newspaper International Examiner. There are pieces about the experience of Japanese Canadians in relocation camps; reviews of pieces by Ai (b. Florence Anthony, 1947-2010), the acclaimed American poet of mixed Native American, African American & Japanese ethnicity; poems about being Korean in L.A.; and the aforementioned insert, “This Wanting to Sing,” along with dozens of short poems by Asian American writers. Other notable appearances and references include: a dispatch by poet Kirby Congdon about Key West and its literary traditions after the death of famous resident Ernest Hemingway; reviews by poet, novelist and American Book Award winner Daniela Gioseffi (b. 1941) of works by short story author and activist Grace Paley (1922 – 2007) and poet, author & activist June Jordan (1936 – 2002); and even an appearance by Albert Glover (“Song,” pg. 87). From the collection of Glover (b. 1942), the esteemed American poet, editor, publisher & academician who is the foremost living authority on Charles Olson (1910-1970), the iconic American poet's-poet who is our favorite Maximus Obscurantist. Glover was a student of & anointed by the Maximus Master himself during the 1960s, & has ever since carried the Olsonian torch as his scholar, editor & publisher. Stapled Wrappers. First-and-only printing. In Near Fine condition with moderate staining to front cover; light rubbing to front & back covers; some tiny bumps, creases & some small, closed tears to same. Interior relatively Fine with light age-toning throughout and some creasing and tiny tears to edges & corners of page leaves. Near Fine. [Item #8520]

Price: $30.00