Wieners, John

Ace of Pentacles

New York, NY, USA: James F. Carr & Robert A. Wilson, 1964. First Softcover Edition. Softcover. "Since winter froze your flowing summer sound,/ And dried your copper ducts of spring and fall,/ You sheltered four have waited, wrapped and bound/ In ice, for March to loose your muffling shawl./ Though workmen came to clean your eyes and arms/ And brush your sculptured garments smooth of leaves,/ You were not satisfied. You knew the south/ And needed warmer hands. No northern charms/ Could shiver you to song or break the wreaths/ That winter wound about your pipes and mouth." ("Ode On a Common Fountain," first stanza, pg. 11) The second published collection of poems by John Wieners (1934-2002), the great American lyric poet of the Beat Generation-&-Beyond who was mentored by Charles Olson & Robert Duncan at Black Mountain College & was also a major figure of the San Francisco Renaissance. Trade-format softcover in sewn binding, first softcover edition, first printing though neither specified at copyright page- a co-production of two legendary NYC bookseller/publishers, James F. Carr & Robert A. Wilson (1922-2016, proprietor of the fabled Phoenix Bookshop). From the collection of Robin Eichele (b. 1941), an esteemed American poet who co-founded the Detroit Artists' Workshop with the late great John Sinclair (1941-2024) during 1964, & is our good nearby friend. Eichele has hand-written his ownership signature, & below that the date "2-20-65," in bold black ink at upper right margin of blank recto first leaf. This date so soon after publication is another certain indication of this volume's status as a first softcover printing. An essential, foundational Wieners collectible in its penultimately rarest contemporary form, with most-distinguished, relevant association & provenance. See our many other Wieners collectible productions & contributions incl. item No. 8123. In relatively near-fine-verging-on-fine condition with mild-to-moderate rubbing, mostly faint scratching & moderate age-toning (the latter esp. from edges) to front, back covers & spine; light wear & some tiny bumps, creases at edges & corners of same; chipping at lower edge/corners of spine with minimal loss of paper; one very short penetrating scratch from lower right corner of front cover, decreasingly echoed onto inner front cover & first few leaves; mild-to-moderate rubbing, age-toning to edges of text block. Interior fine with mild-to-moderate age-toning to blank inner covers & page leaves (chiefly at blank margins); tiny bumps, creases at esp. lower corners of some leaves. Near Fine- Fine. [Item #8802]

Price: $80.00