THE HIGH EMBRACE.
Los Angeles: Dawson's Book Shop, 1986. First edition, limited issue. First separate appearance of Everson’s poem. Number 55 of 100 numbered copies SIGNED BY EVERSON, WIENER, & REAGH on colophon leaf (the first 10 copies were not for sale). Illustrated with five mounted black-and-white photographs of Everson – EACH ONE SIGNED AND NUMBERED BY WIENER. Eleven loose leaves of text in total, including the introduction by Everson on 2 leaves, the poem itself on 3 leaves, dedication leaf (“....to Mel Smith who brought together poet & photographer”), and leaf with Wiener’s descriptions of each of the photos. Housed together in publisher’s folio green cloth-covered folding case with white, printed labels on front and spine. ALSO INCLUDES a copy of the original prospectus and TLS FROM MEL SMITH, a friend and admirer of Everson who reportedly funded the book. The letter, to the collector, Allen K. Mears, describes the genesis of the book (“ .... Leigh Wiener and I spent three days with Everson in Santa Cruz and at his home in Davenport in 1980....”) and, referring to an academic program he attended, quotes from a letter in his collection (“In my collection of letters there is one by JOHN STEINBECK in which he writes, ‘After the drives for survival and procreation, man’s strongest instinct is to bore. He is a success when people will sit still for it.’”) Altogether fine.
Item #55621
Price: $750.00