Various (di Prima, Diane (Editor); De Loach, Allen; Doyle, Kirby; Lamantia. Philip; Rosenthal, Irving; Spicer, Jack; Pommy-Vega, Janine; Wieners, John et al.)

The Floating Bear: A Newsletter No. 33 (1967)

San Francisco, CA: Diane di Prima/LeRoi Jones, 1967. First Printing. Stapled Sheets. "night rides | through forest & jungle | where to go | doesn't really matter" (opening stanza, "The A Train," Allen De Loach). Offered today is 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) with guest editor John Wieners (1934-2002, the avant garde Beat Generation/San Francisco Renaissance poet & Black Mountain poet Charles Olson (1910-1970) mentee). 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 writers such as: the aforementioned 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 De Loach ("The A Train”); Kirby Doyle (1932-2003, "A Valo Poem”); Philip Lamantia (1927-2005, “For Real”); Irving Rosenthal (1930-2022, “The Mouse King”); Jack Spicer (1925-1965, “The Bridge Game” & “Lives of the Philosophers: Diogenes”); Janine Pommy-Vega (1942-2010, “On Train to Holland, 12-29-65,” “October, 65, Ibiza Spain,” “Paris 9-64, to Alex:,” “Spring, Paris 65, to Fernando:” & “Two Line Poems Written in Paris ‘65”) as well as literary contributions from the editors, di Prima (“Song for My Spooks” & “First Snow, Kerhonkson, for Alan”) & Wieners (“The Drug Addict’s Dilemma: An Answer to America”) and many more. With fascinating contemporary "Notices" at verso of final page. Cover art by Paolo Lionni (1938-1985). 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 have been acquainted with this Great Man of Letters. Printed in Detroit, MI by the Detroit Artists Workshop Press. Twenty loose sheets previously 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; moderate chipping to left fine edge at horizontal crease across middle of sheets where once-folded; affixed with handwritten address label ("Mike Glover | 11 Tower St | Buffalo, NY | 14215"), return address, presidential Franklin D. Roosevelt stamp (6¢!) and printed postal marks to recto final page. "Mike" was a nickname Glover went by. Fine. [Item #8959]

Price: $125.00