Various (di Prima, Diane (Editor); Berman, Wallace; Doyle, Kirby; Jones, LeRoi; Kandel, Lenore; McClure, Michael; Pommy-Vega, Janine; Snyder, Gary et al.)

The Floating Bear: A Newsletter No. 37 (1969)

San Francisco, CA: Diane di Prima, 1969. First Printing. Staplebound. "O RIGHTFULL FATHER OF OURS | FOREVER FOREVER LUCIFER | OF THE HIGHEST OF POWER IN MIND | WE SHALL WORK AS IF IT WERE PLAY | FOR HERE WE ARE FOUR REAL | "HELLS ANGELS" | TORMENTING THE LOST AND WORTHLESS | SOULS OF THE FRIGHTENED PEOPLE | "GIVE US YOUR SPIRIT, OUR SOULS DELIGHT" | "FOREVER" "FOREVER" | O FATHER SATAN" (Hells Angels Prayer, back cover). Offered today is the penultimate issue of the Floating Bear series, The Floating Bear: A Newsletter No. 33, published & edited by Diane di Prima (1934-2020, the most primary figure among the sparse female members of the original Beat Generation). Founded in 1961 by di Prima (1934-2020) and LeRoi Jones (1934-2014, a/k/a Amiri Baraka), it was a mimeographed “newsletter” distributed by mailing list whose mission was the speedy dissemination of new literary work. Twenty-five issues came out in the magazine’s first two years and featured contributing literary icons such as: Charles Olson (1910-1970), Robin Blaser (1929-2005), Robert Creeley (1926-2005), Philip Whalen (1923-2002), Paul Blackburn (1926-1971), and Ed Dorn (1929-1999), while Ray Johnson (1927-1995) & Wallace Berman (1926-1976) were among the many visual artists whose work was presented. This tremendous output was due at least in part to Jones’ experience as editor at "Yugen" and Totem Press and to his voracious working habits. While "The Floating Bear" was widely loved by readers & kept afloat by subscribers, the publication unfortunately ran into trouble. One of the recipients of Floating Bear 9 was Harold Carrington, a poet who was in prison in New Jersey. The postman read his mail and objected to the contents of the issue, which included Jones’ "The System of Dante’s Hell" and William S. Burroughs' (1914-1997) "Routine." Jones & di Prima were subsequently arrested on obscenity charges on October 18, 1961. Di Prima remembers, “I heard a knock on my door early in the morning which I didn’t answer because I never open my door early in the morning in New York City. In the morning in New York City is only trouble. It’s the landlords, it’s Con Edison, it’s the police, it’s your neighbors wanting to know why you made so much noise last night, it’s something awful, and before noon I never open my door.” There was a grand jury hearing, but after Jones’ two-day testimony, they failed to return an indictment. Jones resigned from The Floating Bear in 1963 after issue 25. Di Prima moved briefly to California in 1962 and the magazine came out irregularly over the next several years, culminating in a very large issue in 1971 guest-edited by Allen De Loach (1939-2002) in Buffalo. It was called The Intrepid-Bear Issue: Intrepid 20/Floating Bear 38. This issue features contributions from Kirby Doyle (1932-2003), "Unfinished Letter," "The belly of the moon," Again the butterfly visits me," I came to the top of this," Upon Jail," "The Alchemist," "The Angel," "The Singer," "The Fallen" & "The Risen;" the aforementioned Jones ("What the Arts Need Now”); Lenore Kandel (1932-2009), “Hymn to Maitreya in America”); Michael McClure (1932-2020, “Tear Gas”); Janine Pommy-Vega (1942-2010, “Poem for David” & “Poem to Pitt”) & Gary Snyder (b. 1930, "Buddhism & The Coming Revolution") as well as a poem from di Prima (“Canticle of St. Joan (for Robert Duncan)”) and many more. Cover art by the aforementioned Berman. See Item No.s 6025, 8659 & 8817 et al. for more issues of this indelible mimeograph newsletter. From the collection of Albert Glover (1942-2026), the esteemed American poet, bibliographer, editor, publisher & academician who was the foremost remaining authority on Olson- he was a student of & anointed by Maximus himself at SUNY Buffalo during the 1960s, & was ever since the premiere bearer of the Olsonian Torch until his very recent passing, which has left us bereaved- we were most-honored to be acquainted with this Great Man of Letters. Twelve loose sheets stapled twice along left fine edge, once near upper left corner & secondly near lower left corner, first-&-only printing. A most collectible item for any collector of Beat Generation/Black Mountain/San Francisco poetry in its rarest contemporary form with highly relevant association & very distinguished provenance. In relatively fine condition with mild-to-moderate age-toning mostly to blank margins & fine edges of all sheets; mild wear & tiny bumps, creases at/from edges & corners of sheets; very moderate spot-staining to verso first sheet & recto final sheet. Fine. [Item #8951]

Price: $125.00