Tag Archives: Oyez Press

David Meltzer – Books and Broadsides

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SECTION A:
This index includes books, chapbooks, pamphlets, and broadsides; all contents are poems unless otherwise noted.


1. Meltzer. David. AN UNPUBLISHED LETTER TO SOME LOST RELATIVES
First edition:
Los Angeles: Wallace Berman, 1956
Broadside, 3.5″ x  6″, letterpress printed by Wallace Berman. Laid into Semina, No. 1.

Contents: “An Unpublished Letter to Some Lost Relatives” [uncollected]

Note: see also C2.

2. Meltzer, David. POEMS 
First edition:
San Francisco: Donald and Alice Shenker, [1957]
Side-stapled sheets in printed and illustrated wrappers with library tape binding, 5.75″ x 8.75″, 16 pages, 25 copies, offprint of David Meltzer / Donald Shenker book comprising only the Meltzer section. Cover art by Tina Meltzer.

Contents: “Poem”, “Journey”, “Now for instance the Idiot”, “Oration at the Funeral of a Chinese Youth”, “Erratum: A Poem for Idell”, “On a Popular Song for Namiko”, “The Approach to Her Body”, “I Have Taken You out of the Wind’s Sound”, Highsung Song for Baza”, “Prophecy: Requiem Blues”, “Less of a More Greatness fo W. & S. & T. Berman”, “Poem”, “All in Pure Death”, “For Wallace Berman, Poet-Maker”, “Tired of Being Tired”, “Today was so Large to Live in”, “Love Story”

Note: See also B1.

3. Meltzer, David. 24TH RAGA / FOR TINA *
First edition:
New Haven: Penny Poems, 1959
Broadside, 8.5″ x 11″, offset printed. Published as Penny Poems, No. 27

Contents: “24th Raga/ For Tina” [collected in Ragas]

4. Meltzer, David. THE PROPHET
First edition:
New Haven: Penny Poems, 1959
Broadside, 7″ x 10″, offset printed. Published as Penny Poems, No. 54

Contents: “The Prophet” [collected in Ragas]

5. Meltzer, David. FROM: THE CLOWN, BOOK II/ AIR & INTERIM
First edition:
New Haven: Penny Poems, 1959
Broadside, 7″ x 10″, offset printed. Published as Penny Poems, No. 69

Contents: “From: The Clown, Book II/ Air & Interim” [collected in Ragas]

6. Meltzer, David. MORNING POEM
First edition:
New Haven: Penny Poems, 1959
Broadside, 7″ x 10″, offset printed. Published as Penny Poems, No. 83

Contents: “Morning Poem” [uncollected]

7. Meltzer, David. RAGAS 
First edition:
San Francisco: Discovery Books, 1959
Saddle-stapled in printed wrappers, 52 pages, (1500 copies), printed at the Troubador Press. Cover design by Peter LeBlanc.

Contents: “30th/ June:59”, “Vision”, “Mexico”, “2nd Raga: The Woods”, “Revelation”, “from: The Hollywood Poem”, “Love Poem”, “from: Night Before Morning”, “from: The Clown / Book II”, “Two Poems for Joey Loewinsohn…”, “12th Raga / for John Wieners”, “14th Raga / for Donald Schenker”, “15th Raga / for Bela Lugosi”, “23rd Raga / for Tina”, “24th Raga / The Birds”, “The Dance”, “The Mechanikons”, “Poem for Tuolumne’s First & Last Artist Investigator of Truth”, “Home Life of the Gods”, “6th Raga / for Bob Alexander”, The Prophet”, “Ward Poem”, “Filbert Street”, “The Last Word”

8. Meltzer, David. SAMPSON AGONISTES
First edition:
San Francisco: Wallace Berman, 1959
Broadside, 3.5″ x 5.5″, letterpress printed by Wallace Berman. Laid into Semina, No. 4.

Contents: “Sampson Agonistes” [uncollected]

Note: see also C5.

9. Meltzer, David. TODOS SANTOS. VILLA
First edition:
Larkspur: Wallace Berman, 1959
Broadside, 3.5″ x 5.5″, letterpress printed by Wallace Berman. Laid into Semina, No. 5.

Contents: “Todos Santos. Villa” [uncollected]

Note: see also C10.

10. Meltzer, David. THE CLOWN
First edition:
Larkspur: Semina, 1960
Printed sheets laid into printed folder, 335 copies, letterpress printed by Wallace Berman. Published as Semina, No. 6.

Contents: “The Clown” [uncollected]

11. Meltzer, David. WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY…
First edition:
San Francisco: Auerhahn Press, 1962
Saddle-stapled illustrated wrappers, 6.25″ x 8.5″, 12 pages, 750 copies, letterpress printed by Dave Haselwood. Published as Auerhahn Pamphlet No. 2.  (Auerhahn 19)

Contents: “Patchen” [essay], “Summa”, “A Recognition”, “So good to know…”, “I went to the shore…”

12. Meltzer, David. BAZASCOPE MOTHER
First edition:
Los Angeles: Drekfesser Press, [1964]
Single sheet folded once to make four pages, 5.5″ x 8.5″, 250 copies (approximately 150 copies were supposedly destroyed). Cover collage by I.E. Alexander, rear photograph by Zack Walsh.

Contents: “BazaScope”

13. Meltzer, David. STATION *
First edition:
San Francisco: San Francisco Arts Festival Commission, 1964
Broadside, 13″ x 20″, 300 copies, printed by East Wind Printers. Illustrated by Peter Bailey. Laid into portfolio entitled A Poetry Folio 1964.

Contents: “Station” [uncollected]

14. Meltzer, David. THE BLACKEST ROSE
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1964
First edition, broadside, 11″ x 17.5″, 350 copies, letterpress printed by Dave Haselwood. Published as Oyez 6.

Contents: “The Blackest Rose” [uncollected]

15. Meltzer, David. THE PROCESS
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1965
Saddle-stapled illustrated french-fold wrappers, 44 pages, 500 copies, printed by Graham Mackintosh, designed by Dave Haselwood. Cover illustration by  Peter LeBlanc. This is the first Oyez book.

b. First edition, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1965
Hardcover in cloth-bound boards with illustrated dust jacket, 44 pages, 25 numbered and signed copies, printed by Graham Mackintosh, designed by Dave Haselwood. Cover illustration by  Peter LeBlanc. This is the first Oyez book.

16. Meltzer, David. OYEZ! *
First edition:
[Berkeley]: Oyez Press, [1965]
Single sheet folded once to make four pages, 6″ x 9″, 250 copies. Cover illustration by Meltzer.

Contents: “In Hope I Offer A Fire-wheel”

17. Meltzer, David. THE DARK CONTINENT *
a. First edition,  regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1967
Perfect-bound in illustrated and printed wrappers, 94 pages, 1000 copies, printed by Graham Mackintosh. Cover design by Peter LeBlanc.

b. First edition, lettered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1967
Hardcover in cloth-bound boards without dust jacket as issued, 94 pages, 26 lettered and signed copies, printed by Graham Mackintosh.

18. Meltzer, David. NATURE POEM *
First edition:
Santa Barbara: Unicorn Book Shop, 1967
Broadside, 13″ x 18.25″, 200 copies printed by Noel Young. Illustrated with an engraving by Janeen Vanden Berg.

Contents: “Nature Poem” [uncollected]

Note: published on the occasion of David Meltzer’s reading at the Unicorn Bookshop, Nov. 18, 1967

19. Meltzer, David. JOURNAL OF THE BIRTH *
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1967
Saddle-stapled in printed wrappers, 5.75″ x 9″, 24 pages, 1000 copies.

Contents: “Journal of the Birth” [prose] [previously published in Journal for the Protection of All Beings, No. 1 (City Lights, 1961)]

20. Meltzer, David. ORF *
Hollywood: Essex House, 1968

21. Meltzer, David. THE AGENT *
Hollywood: Essex House, 1968

22. Meltzer, David. HOW MANY BLOCKS IN THE PILE? *
Hollywood: Essex House, 1968

23. Meltzer, David. ROUND THE POEM BOX *
a. First edition, regular copies:
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, 1969
Perfect-bound in printed wrappers, 8.5″ x 5.5″, 32 pages, 300 copies. Illustrated by David Meltzer. (Morrow & Cooney 60a)

b. First edition, numbered and signed copies:
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow, 1969
Hardcover in paper-bound boards and cloth backstrip with printed paper label in acetate dust jacket, 32 pages, 125 numbered and signed copies. Illustrated by David Meltzer. (Morrow & Cooney 60b)

c. First edition, lettered and signed copies:
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow, 1969
Hardcover in leather-bound boards in acetate dust jacket, 32 pages, 26 lettered and signed copies. Illustrated by David Meltzer. (Morrow & Cooney 60c)

24. Meltzer, David. YESOD *
a. First edition, regular copies:
London: Trigram Press, 1969
Perfect-bound in printed wrappers, 61 pages. Illustrated by David Meltzer.

b. First edition, numbered and signed copies:
London: Trigram Press, 1969
Hardcover in gilt-stamped cloth-bound boards in acetate dust jacket, 61 pages, 100 numbered and signed copies. Illustrated by David Meltzer.

25. Meltzer, David. LOVELY *
North Hollywood: Essex House, 1969

26. Meltzer, David. HEALER *
North Hollywood: Essex House, 1969

27. Meltzer, David. THE MARTYR *
North Hollywood: Essex House, 1969

28. Meltzer, David. GLUE FACTORY *
North Hollywood: Essex House, 1969

29. Meltzer, David. OUT *
North Hollywood: Essex House, 1969

30. Meltzer, David. FROM EDEN BOOK *
First edition:
San Francisco: Maya, 1969
Hand-sewn in plain wrappers with printed paper label, 7.5″ x 10″, 12 pages, 300 copies, letterpress printed by Clifford Burke. Published as Maya Quarto Four.

31. Meltzer, David. ABULAFIA SONG *
a. First edition, regular copies:
Santa Barbara: Unicorn Press, 1969
Folded broadside tipped into printed folder, 950 copies, letterpress printed by Noel Young, designed by Alan Brilliant. Illustrated by David Meltzer.

b. First edition, numbered and signed copies:
Santa Barbara: Unicorn Press, 1969
Folded broadside tipped into printed folder, 50 numbered and signed, letterpress printed by Noel Young, designed by Alan Brilliant. Illustrated by David Meltzer.

Contents: “Abulafia Song” [uncollected]

32. Meltzer, David. BRONX LIL. *
First edition:
Portland: Yes! Press, 1970
Broadside, 4.25″ x 11″, 125 copies, letterpress printed.

Contents: [untitled] “Bronx lil…” [uncollected]

33. Meltzer, David. FOR RAYMOND CHANDLER *
First edition:
Santa Barbara: Unicorn Press, 1970
Broadside, 12.5″ x 19″, letterpress printed. Published as Unicorn Broadsheet No. 5.

Contents: “For Raymond Chandler” [uncollected]

34. Meltzer, David. STAR *
North Hollywood: Essex House, 1970

35. Meltzer, David. ISLA VISTA NOTES *
Santa Barbara: Christopher Books, 1970
Saddle-stapled in printed wrappers, 14 pages, 1000 copies.

36. Meltzer, David. LUNA
a. First edition, regular copies:
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, July 1970
Perfect-bound in illustrated wrappers, 82 pages, 1000 copies, printed by Noel Young. Cover illustration by Wallace Berman. (Morrow & Cooney 88a)

b. First edition, numbered and signed copies:
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, July 1970
Hardcover bound in printed paper-covered boards in acetate dust jacket as issued , 16 pages, 200 numbered and signed copies, printed by Noel Young. Cover illustration by Wallace Berman. (Morrow & Cooney 88b)

c. First edition, lettered and signed copies:
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, July 1970
Hardcover bound in printed paper-covered boards in acetate dust jacket as issued, 16 pages, 26 lettered and signed copies, printed by Noel Young. Frontispiece illustration by David Meltzer. Cover illustration by Wallace Berman. (Morrow & Cooney 88c)

37. Meltzer, David. GREENSPEECH *
a. First edition, regular copies:
Goleta: Christopher Books, 1970
Saddle-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 16 pages, 950 copies, letterpress printed by Noel Young.

b. First edition, numbered and signed copies:
Goleta: Christopher Books, 1970
Hardcover in printed and illustrated paper-bound boards with cloth backstrip , 16 pages, 50 numbered and signed copies, letterpress printed by Noel Young.

38. Meltzer, David. 32 BEAMS OF LIGHT *
Portland: Yes! Press, 1970
Broadside, 100 copies.

39. Meltzer, David. KNOTS *
Bolinas: Tree Books, 1971
Wrappers, 500 copies

40. Meltzer, David. IT’S SIMPLE *
Seattle: Michael Wiater, 1971
Broadside

41. Meltzer, David. ON A LEASH *
San Francisco: Panjandrum Press, 1972
Broadside

42. Meltzer, David. BARK, A POLEMIC *
a. First edition, regular copies:
Santa Barbara: Capra Press, February 1973
Perfect-bound in printed wrappers, 42 pages, 75 numbered and signed copies. Published as Yes! Capra Chapbook Number 6.

b. First edition, numbered and signed copies:
Santa Barbara: Capra Press, February 1973
Hardcover bound in printed paper-covered boards, 42 pages, 75 numbered and signed copies. Published as Yes! Capra Chapbook Number 6.

43. Meltzer, David. HERO/LIL
a. First edition, regular copies:
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow, 1973

b. First edition, numbered and signed copies:
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow, 1973
Hardcover bound in printed paper-covered boards in acetate dust jacket as issued, 175 numbered and signed copies.

c. First edition, lettered and signed copies:
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow, 1973
Hardcover bound in printed paper-covered boards in acetate dust jacket and slipcase as issued, 26 lettered and signed copies. Original illustration by David Meltzer bound in.

44. Meltzer, David. UNTITLED and FROM THE WORDBOOK *
East Lansing: East Lansing Arts Workshop Press, 1973
Broadside featuring two poems, 8.5″ x 11.5″

Note: printed for the 1973 National Poetry Festival at Thomas Jefferson College.

45. Meltzer, David. WHAT DO I KNOW OF JOURNEY *
London: Trigram Press, 1973
Broadside, 75 signed copies. Illustrated by Pip Benveniste

46. Meltzer, David. TENS *
New York: McGraw-Hill, 1973

47. Meltzer, David. FRENCH BROOM *
Berkeley: Oyez, 1973

48. Meltzer, David. THE EYES, THE BLOOD *
San Francisco: Mudra, 1973
Hand-sewn plain white wrappers in printed dust jacket, 20 pages, 500 copies printed at the Cranium Press.

49. Meltzer, David. IN CELEBRATION OF THE WEDDING OF ALLEN SAY & DEIRDRE MYLES *
San Francisco: privately printed, 1974
Wrappers, 26 copies

50. Meltzer, David. AMULET *
Cambridge: Pomegranate Press, 1974
Broadside, 180 copies

51. Meltzer, David. BLUE RAGS *
Berkeley: Oyez, 1974

52. Meltzer, David. HARPS *
Berkeley: Oyez, 1975

53. Meltzer, David. SIX *
Santa Barbara: Black Sparrow, 1976

54. Meltzer, David. TWO-WAY MIRROR *
Berkeley: Oyez, 1977

55. Meltzer, David. ARROWS: SELECTED POETRY, 1957-1992 *
Santa Rosa: Black Sparrow Press, 1994

56. Meltzer, David. NO EYES: LESTER YOUNG *
Santa Rosa: Black Sparrow, 2000

57. Meltzer, David. DAVID’S COPY *
New York: Penguin Group Press, 2005

58. Meltzer, David. WHEN I WAS A POET *
San Francisco: City Lights, June 2011

[*not in archive]

Jack Spicer – Books

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Section A:
This index collects books, chapbooks, and pamphlets


1. Spicer, Jack. AFTER LORCA
spicer_lorcaa. First edition, regular copies:
San Francisco: White Rabbit Press, November-December 1957
Saddle-stapled in illustrated wrappers, 6.5″ x 8.5″, 76 pages, 474 copies, multilith printed by Joe Dunn. Jack Spicer’s first book of poetry. Cover illustration by Jess Collins. Introduction by Federico Garcia Lorca.
(Johnston A2)

b. First edition, lettered and signed copies: 
San Francisco: White Rabbit Press, November-December 1957
Saddle-stapled in illustrated wrappers, 6.5″ x 8.5″, 76 pages, 26 copies lettered and signed with a drawing by the author, multilith printed by Joe Dunn. Jack Spicer’s first book of poetry. Cover illustration by Jess Collins. Introduction by Federico Garcia Lorca.
(Johnston A2)

c. First edition, second issue:
San Francisco: White Rabbit Press, November-December 1957
Unbound (but collated and folded) without wrappers issued in mailing envelope at a later date.
(Johnston A2)

d. First UK edition:
London: Aloes Books, 1969

e. Second edition:
n.p.: Marco Polio, 1974

2. Spicer, Jack. HOMAGE TO CREELEY 
spicer_homageFirst edition:
Annapolis: Harold and Dore Dull, Summer 1959
Side-stapled in printed covers, 8.5″ x 11″, 33 pages, 100 copies, spirit-mimeo printed. Incorporated into A4.


3. Spicer, Jack. BILLY THE KID
spicer_billya. First edition, first state:
Stinson Beach: Enkidu Surrogate, October 1959
Saddle-stapled in illustrated wrappers, 6.5″ x 8.5″, 16 pages, 750 copies, offset printed.  Illustrations by Jess Collins.

b. First edition, second state:
The second state includes holograph corrections to text on page 8; holograph addition of ‘Face’ at end of section VI.

c. Second edition:
Dublin: New Writers’ Press, 1969

d. Third edition
n.p.: Oyster Press, March 1975

4. Spicer, Jack. THE HEADS IF THE TOWN UP TO THE AETHER
spicer_headsa. First edition, regular copies:
San Francisco: Auerhahn Press, 1962
Perfect-bound in illustrated  and printed wrappers, 4.75″ x 6.75″, 109 pages, 750 copies, letterpress printed by Dave Haselwood. Illustrated by Fran Herndon.
(Auerhahn 21)

b. First edition, hardcover, signed copies:
San Francisco: Auerhahn Press, 1962
Hardcover in cloth-bound boards, 4.75″ x 7.25″, 109 pages, 50 copies signed by the author and artist, with an original drawing by Spicer, letterpress printed by Dave Haselwood, bound by the Schuberth Bindery. Illustrated by Fran Herndon.
(Auerhahn 21)

Note: Printed announcement issued.

5. Spicer, Jack. LAMENT FOR THE MAKERS
spicer_lamenta. First edition:
Oakland: White Rabbit Press, 1962
Hand-sewn in illustrated wrappers, 5.5″ x 8″, 16 pages, 100 copies, offset printed. Illustrated by Graham Mackintosh.
(Johnston A11)

Note: According to Johnston, “Back of title page has a fictitious acknowledgments list (by Graham Mackintosh) taken from Robert Duncan’s The Opening of the Field.”

b. First UK edition:
London: Aloes, 1971

6. Spicer, Jack. THE HOLY GRAIL
spicer_holya. First edition, regular copies:
San Francisco: White Rabbit Press, 1964
Saddle-stapled and glued into illustrated wrappers, 6.25″ x 8.5″, 80 pages, offset printed. Illustrated by Graham Mackintosh.
(Johnston A19)

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
San Francisco: White Rabbit Press, 1964
Hardcover, 6.25″ x 8.5″, 80 pages, 13 copies signed (4 were reportedly destroyed during signing), offset printed. Illustrated by Graham Mackintosh.
(Johnston A19)

spicer_holy2c. Second, Pirated edition:
Berkeley: Jolly Roger Press, February 1969
Side-stapled printed and illustrated sheets, 8.5″ x 11″, 20 pages, 500 copies. Published anonymously by Richard Krech and John Oliver Simon at the Undermine Press.

Pirate’s Note: “I only heard Jack Spicer read once, at the the Berkeley poetry conference in july 65. an hour after he read THE HOLY GRAIL, the last copy was gone from the avenue bookstores… this free pirate edition is distributed to make the poem available to those who need it.”

d. Third edition:
Watertown: Augtwofive, 1970





e. Fourth edition:
Portland: Timeworn (Poor Claudia at Revolution Publishing), 2014

7. Spicer, Jack. LANGUAGE
spicer_languagea. First edition:
San Francisco: White Rabbit Press, June 1965
Perfect-bound illustrated wrappers, 6.25″ x 10″, 72 pages, 950 copies, letterpress printed by Graham Mackintosh.
(Johnston A30)

Note: Most of these poems first appeared in OPEN SPACE.

b. First edition, second printing:
San Francisco: White Rabbit Press, 1970
Perfect-bound illustrated wrappers, 6.25″ x 10″, 72 pages, 950 copies, offset printed from the first edition. Text added to the colophon: “Second printing 1970”.
(Johnston A54)

8. Spicer, Jack. BOOK OF MAGAZINE VERSE
spicer_magazinea. First edition:
San Francisco: White Rabbit Press, 1966
Perfect-bound printed and illustrated wrappers, 5.5″ x 7.75″, 56 pages, 1500 copies, letterpress printed by Graham Mackintosh. Prepared for publication from the original manuscript by Stan Persky. Illustrated by Graham Mackintosh.
(Johnston A33)

According to Johnston, “The cover is a parody of the cover of Poetry (Chicago). The poems are arranged in groups intended for various little magazines and newspapers, each section printed on a stock appropriate to that publication, so that for example, the poems for Tish are on blue mimeo paper, those for the St. Louis Sporting News on newsprint.”

b. First edition, second printing
San Francisco: White Rabbit Press, 1970
Perfect-bound printed and illustrated wrappers, 5.5″ x 7.75″, 56 pages, 1500 copies, letterpress printed by Graham Mackintosh. Prepared for publication from the original manuscript by Stan Persky. Illustrated by Graham Mackintosh.
(Johnston A33)

9. Spicer, Jack. A BOOK OF MUSIC
spicer_musica. First edition, regular copies:
San Francisco: White Rabbit, 1969
Saddle-stapled illustrated wrappers, 6.25″ x 9.25″, 20 pages, 1800 copies designed and printed by Ron and Graham Mackintosh from a typescript made available by Peter Howard. The cover was one decided upon by the author. Illustrated by Graham Mackintosh.
(Johnston A48)

b. First edition, variant copies:
Variant copies include additional printed text on the front leaf: “150 copies printed Christmas, 1969 / for friends of White Rabbit, Oyez, / and the author”.
(Johnston A48a)

10. Spicer, Jack. THE RED WHEELBARROW
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Arif Press, June 1971
Hand-sewn printed and illustrated wrappers, 5.5″ x 5.5″, 24 pages, 475 copies, letterpress printed. Illustrated by  Wesley Tanner. Printed by Wesley Tanner at Cranium Press.

b. First edition, numbered copies:
Berkeley: Arif Press, June 1971
Hand-sewn printed and illustrated wrappers, 5.5″ x 5.5″, 24 pages, 25 copies with hand-colored frontispiece, signed by the illustrator, letterpress printed. Illustrated by  Wesley Tanner. Printed by Wesley Tanner at Cranium Press.

Note: Printed announcement issued.

11. Spicer, Jack. SOME THINGS FROM JACK
First edition:
Verona: Plain Wrapper Press, 1972
Wrappers, 6.5″ x 10.25″, 11 pages, 91 numbered copies, printed letterpress. Introduction by Richard Rummonds. Linocut by Miroslav Zahradka.

12. Spicer, Jack. ADMONITIONS
First edition:
New York: Adventures in Poetry, 1974
Side-stapled printed wrappers, 8.5″ x 11″, 44 pages, mimeograph printed.



13. Spicer, Jack. QUARTUS 1: A LOST POEM
First edition:
Verona: Plain Wrapper Press, 1974
Hardcover in cloth-bound boards, 9.5″ x 11.5″, 8 pages, 114 numbered copies signed by the artist, letterpress printed. Postscript by Richard-Gabriel Rummonds. Illustrated with two etchings by Ariel Parkinson.

14. Spicer, Jack. FIFTEEN FALSE PROPOSITIONS ABOUT GOD
First edition:
South San Francisco: Manroot, September 1974
Saddle-stapled printed and illustrated wrappers, 6.5″ x 8.5″, 16 pages, offset printed.

Note: This poem first appeared in Beatitude, No. 3 (San Francisco, May 1959)

15. Spicer, Jack. THE COLLECTED BOOKS OF JACK SPICER
a. First edition, paperback copies:
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, May 1975
Perfect-bound printed wrappers, 6.25″ x 8.75″, 382 pages including bibliography of first editions, 1000 copies. Edited and with commentary by Robin Blaser. Typography by Graham Mackintosh/White Rabbit.

b. First edition, hardcover copies: 
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, May 1975
Hardcover in acetate dust jacket, 6.5″ x 9″, 382 pages including bibliography of first editions, 1000 copies. Edited and with commentary by Robin Blaser. Typography by Graham Mackintosh/White Rabbit.

c. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, May 1975
Hardcover in acetate dust jacket and slipcase, 6.5″ x 9″, 382 pages including bibliography of first editions, 100 copies, numbered and signed by Robin Blaser. Edited and with commentary by Robin Blaser. Typography by Graham Mackintosh/White Rabbit.

16. Spicer, Jack. ONE NIGHT STAND & OTHER POEMS
First edition:
San Francisco: Grey Fox Press, 1980
Hardcover in cloth-bound boards without dust jacket as issued, 98 pages. Edited by Donald Allen. Preface by Robert Duncan.

17. Spicer, Jack. COLLECTED POEMS, 1945-46
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez/White Rabbit Press, 1981
Saddle-stapled printed wrappers, 7″ x 9″, 32 pages, lithographed from the author’s typescript.


18. Spicer, Jack. THE TOWER OF BABEL
First edition:
Hoboken, N.J: Talisman House, 1994
Perfect-bound photo-illustrated wrappers, 170 pages. Chapter one of Jack Spicer’s Detective Novel, edited by Ed Foster and Kevin Killian.

Described by Lewis Ellingham and Kevin Killian as “a satiric look at the private world of poetry gone public in the wake of the Six Gallery HOWL reading of October, 1955.”

19. Spicer, Jack. TRAIN OF THOUGHT
First edition:
Gran Canaria: Zasterle Press, 1994
Perfect-bound in illustrated wrappers, 62 pages, 300 numbered copies. Edited with an introduction by Lewis Ellingham and Kevin Killian.
Chapter three of Jack Spicer’s unpublished detective novel

20. Spicer, Jack. MAP POEMS
First edition:
Berkeley: The Bancroft Library Press, 2005
Thirty-five copies printed: bound in brown paper wrappers. Introduction by Kevin Killian and Peter Gizzi

Michael McClure: Books and Broadsides

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Section A:
This index includes books and broadsides, and focuses primarily on the entries found in the Clements bibliography.


1. McClure, Michael. PASSAGE
mcclure_passageFirst edition:
Big Sur: Jonathan Williams – Publisher, June 1956
Hand-sewn in printed wrappers, 7.25″ x 10.75″, 12 pages, 200 copies, letterpress printed by the Windhover Press. Cover by Jonathan Williams. Published as Jargon 20.
(Clements A1)

2. McClure, Michael. PEYOTE POEM
First edition:
(San Francisco): Wallace Berman, 1958.
Broadside folded and tipped into printed and  photo-illustrated folder, 9″ x 12″, (200 copies), printed by Wallace Berman. Published as Semina 3.
(Clements A2)

3. McClure, Michael. FOR ARTAUD
mcclure_forartaudFirst edition:
New York: Totem Press, June 1959
Saddle-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 5.5″ x 8.5″, 12 pages, (750 copies). Published as Blue Plate #2.
(Clements A3)

4. McClure, Michael. WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A DEEP CLOUD
First edition:
(San Francisco): (Wallace Berman), (1959)
Broadside, 3.5″ x 4.25″, letterpress printed by Wallace Berman. Laid into Semina 4.
(Clements C14)


5. McClure, Michael. HYMNS TO ST. GERYON AND OTHER POEMS
mcclure_hymnsFirst edition:
San Francisco: Auerhahn Press, October 1959
Perfect-bound in printed and illustrated wrappers, 7.25″ x 10″, 62 pages, (950 copies), letterpress printed by Dave Haselwood. Cover illustration by McClure.
(Clements A4, Auerhahn 4)

6. McClure, Michael. FUCK DEATH *
First edition:
(San Francisco): privately printed, (1959)
Folded card, 5″ x 3.5″.
(Clements A5)

7. McClure, Michael. !THE FEAST!
First edition:
San Francisco: The Batman Gallery, 1960
Side-stapled printed sheets, 8.5″ x 11″, 14 pages, mimeograph [?] printed. A working script of the play performed at The Batman Gallery on Thursday, December 22, 1960.
(Clements A6)

8. McClure. Michael. WE ARE IMPERVIOUS…
First edition:
(Los Angeles): (Wallace Berman), (1960)
Broadside, 4″ x 6.25″, letterpress printed by Wallace Berman. Laid into Semina 5.
(Clements C17)


9. McClure, Michael. THE NEW BOOK / A BOOK OF TORTURE
First edition:
New York: Grove Press, August 1961
Perfect-bound in printed and illustrated wrappers, 64 pages, (4,000 copies). Photo of McClure on rear wrapper by Wallace Berman.
(Clements A7)

10. McClure, Michael. PILLOW *
First edition:
New York: New York Poets Theatre, October 1961
Side-stapled in printed wrapper, 8.5″ x 11″, 7 pages, photocopy printed. A working script of the play produced by the New York Poets Theatre at the Off-Bowery Gallery in New York City in October and November 1961.
(Clements A8)

11. McClure, Michael. SPONTANEOUS HYMN TO KUNDALINI
First edition:
(New Orleans): (Loujon Press), (Fall 1961)
Broadside, 5.75″ x 9″, letterpress printed by Jon and Louise Webb. An offprint from The Outsider, Vol. 1, No.1.
(not in Clements)

12. McClure, Michael. DARK BROWN
mcclure_darkbrowna. First edition, regular copies:
San Francisco: Auerhahn Press, Winter 1961
Perfect-bound in printed wrappers, 6″x 9″, 56 pages, 725 copies, letterpress printed by Dave Haselwood and Andrew Hoyem.
(Clements A9, Auerhahn 13)

b. First edition, numbered and signed copies:
San Francisco: Auerhahn Press, Winter 1961
Hardcover in gilt-stamped cloth-bound boards, 6″ x 9″, 56 pages, 25 numbered and signed copies, letterpress printed by Dave Haselwood and Andrew Hoyem, bound by the Schuberth Bindery. (Clements A9, Auerhahn 13)

c. Prospectus:
San Francisco: Auerhahn Press,  (1961)
Postcard announcement, 6″ x 3.25″, letterpress printed.
(not in Clements)

13. McClure, Michael. MEAT SCIENCE ESSAYS
First edition:
San Francisco: City Lights Books, June 1963
Perfect-bound in printed and photo-illustrated wrappers, 84 pages, (3,000 copies).  Author photo by Ettore Sotsass.
(Clements A10, Cook 41)

14. McClure, Michael. GRAHHR SHEET
First edition:
(San Francisco): privately printed, (1963)
Broadside, 6.25″ x 2″, letterpress printed.
(Clements A11)

Note: according to Clements, copies were given away by the author as tickets at readings in San Francisco and at the University of California at Berkeley. [These were used as tickets for the performance of ¡The Feast! at the Batman Gallery in 1960.]

15. McClure, Michael. TWO FOR BRUCE CONNER
First edition:
(San Francisco): Oyez Press, 1964
Broadside, 12″ x 17.5″, 500 copies, letterpress printed by Dave Haselwood at the Auerhahn Press. Published as Oyez #1.
(Clements A12)

16. McClure, Michael. POETRY IS A MUSCULAR PRINCIPLE
First edition:
(Los Angeles): privately printed, 1964
Broadside, 8.5″ x 5.5″. Photograph of McClure by Wallace Berman; make-up by Robert LaVigne. Beneath the photo is a statement by McClure beginning “Poetry is a muscular principle…”
(Clements A13)

17. McClure, Michael. BLUE-BLACK... *
First edition:
(Los Angeles): privately printed, (Summer 1964)
Broadside, 7.5″ x 2.5″. Contains one-line poem: “BLUE-BLACK SPACE RAINBOW GRAHHR”.
(Clements A14)

18. McClure, Michael. THE BLOSSOM: OR BILLY THE KID
mcclure_blossomFirst edition:
New York: American Theatre for Poets, 1964
Side-stapled sheets in printed cover, 8.5″ x 11″, 26 pages, mimeograph printed. A working script of the play.
(Clements A15)

19. McClure, Michael. GHOST TANTRAS
a. First edition, regular copies:
San Francisco:  privately printed, 1964
Perfect-bound in printed and illustrated wrappers, 108 pages, 1480 copies, cover photo of McClure by Wallace Berman.
(Clements A16)

b. First edition, signed copies: 
Hardcover in gilt-stamped cloth-bound boards in illustrated dust jacket, 109 pages, 20 numbered and signed copies, cover photo of McClure by Wallace Berman.
(Clements A16)

20. McClure, Michael. DOUBLE MURDER! VAHROOOOOOOHR!
First edition:
(Los Angeles): (Wallace Berman), 1964
Broadside, 3″ x 4.75″, (200 copies). Contained in a small manila envelope bearing an altered photograph of Jack Ruby at the point of murdering Lee Harvey Oswald. Published as Semina 9.
(Clements A17)

21. McClure, Michael. LOVE LION, LIONESS *
a. First edition, poster:
(San Francisco):  privately printed, (1964)
Poster, 28″ x 22″, 350 copies printed in the style of a boxing poster.
(Clements A18)

b. First edition, flyer:
(San Francisco):  privately printed, (1964)
Flyer, 11″ x 8.5″, 70 copies printed in black in the style of a boxing poster.
(Clements A18)

c. First edition, tickets:
(San Francisco):  privately printed, (1964)
Tickets, 5.5″ x 2.25″, printed in the style of theater tickets for the fictitious event.
(Clements A18)

22. McClure, Michael. 13 MAD SONNETS
mcclure_13madFirst edition:
Milan: East 128, 1964
Saddle-stapled and tipped in to printed dust jacket, 8.5″ x 11″, 28 pages, 299 numbered copies (plus 16 for the author’s use). Author photo by Ettore Sotsass Jr.
(Clements A19)

23. McClure, Michael. THE BEARD
First edition:
(San Francisco):  privately printed, April 1965
Perfect-bound in printed and photo-illustrated wrappers, 8.5″ x 13″, 71 pages, 350 copies planned, 330 produced (only 75 for sale).
(Clements A20)

24. McClure, Michael. POISONED WHEAT
mcclure_poisoneda. First edition, regular copies:
(San Francisco):  (Oyez Press), April 1965
Saddle-stapled in printed and photo-illustrated wrappers, 5.75″ x 7.75″, 16 pages, 576 copies.
(Clements A21)

b. First edition, signed copies:
Hardcover in cloth-bound boards in photo-illustrated dust jacket, 5.75″ x 7.75″, 16 pages, 24 copies lettered alpha through omega and signed by the author. Bound by Dorothy Hawley.
(Clements A21)

25. McClure, Michael. UNTO CAESAR
mcclure_untoFirst edition:
(San Francisco): (Dave Haselwood), (1965)
Hand-sewn in printed and collaged wrappers, 6.5″ x 4″,  24 pages, (60 copies), letterpress printed by Dave Haselwood.
(Haselwood 1)

26. McClure, Michael. DREAM TABLE
First edition:
San Francisco: Dave Haselwood, 1965
Thirty double-sided printed and illustrated cards, 2.5″ x 3.5″, 200 sets (30 signed), letterpress printed. Each card is illustrated with a Lion and a Tree on one side and two words on the other.
(Haselwood 5)

27. McClure, Michael. LOBE KEY STILLED LIONMAN LACED WINGED APRIL RAPHAEL DANCE WIRY
First edition:
(San Francisco): (Dave Haselwood), (1966)
Twenty-four printed and illustrated cards in printed envelope, cards measure 2″ x 2″, envelope measures 4.5″ x 5.75″. Each card is printed with  four words one side and a “hallucinogram” by Bruce Conner on the other.
(Haselwood 10)

28. McClure, Michael and Bruce Conner. MANDALAS
First edition:
San Francisco: Dave Haselwood, 1966
Saddle-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 10″ x 10″, 32 pages, 1200 copies. Illustrated by Bruce Conner. Printed announcement issued.
(Haselwood 11)

29. McClure, Michael. LOVE LION BOOK
a. First edition, regular copies:
San Francisco: Four Seasons Foundation, 1966
Saddle-stapled in printed wrappers, 5.5″ x 8.5″, 21 pages, 1000 copies. Published as Writing 11.

b. First edition, numbered and signed copies:
San Francisco: Four Seasons Foundation, 1966
Hardcover in printed paper-bound boards with gilt-stamped cloth backstrip, 6″ x 9″, 21 pages, 40 numbered and signed copies.
Published as Writing 11.

30. McClure, Michael. POISONED WHEAT
mcclure_poisonedFirst edition, second printing:
San Francisco:  Coyote, 1966
Saddle-stapled in illustrated wrappers. 5.75″ x 7.75″, 16 pages, 5000 copies. Distributed by City Lights Books.


31. McClure, Michael. MEAT SCIENCE ESSAYS
Second expanded edition:
San Francisco: City Lights Books, June 1966
Perfect-bound in printed and photo-illustrated wrappers, 120 pages.
(not in Cook)

Note: This expanded edition contains three essays not found in the 1963 publication: “Phi Upsilon Kappa”, “Defense of Jayne Mansfield”, and “Reason”.

32. McClure, Michael. THE BEARD *
a. First Coyote edition, regular copies:
San Francisco: Coyote, 1967
Perfect-bound in printed and photo-illustrated wrappers, 82 pages,  4960 copies, cover art by Wes Wilson, introduction by Norman Mailer.

b. First Coyote edition, numbered and signed copies:
Specially-bound, 82 pages,  40 numbered and signed copies, cover art by Wes Wilson, introduction by Norman Mailer.

33. McClure, Michael. THE BEARD *
First Grove Press edition:
New York: Grove Press/Black Cat, 1967
Perfect-bound in printed and photo-illustrated wrappers, 96 pages.

Note: two different covers were issued.

34. McClure, Michael. WAR IS DECOR IN MY CAVERN CAVE *
First edition:
San Francisco: Communication Company, 1967
Broadside, 8.5″ x 11″, mimeograph printed.




35. McClure, Michael. THE BLOSSOM, OR BILLY THE KID *
First edition:
Milwaukee: Great Lakes Books, 1967
Saddle-stapled in printed and illustrated wrappers, 32 pages, 500 numbered copies (the first 10 signed).


36. McClure, Michael. FREEWHEELIN FRANK
First edition:
New York: Grove Press, 1967
Hardcover in gilt-stamped cloth bound board in illustrated dust jacket, 7.75″ x 9.75″, 160 pages.

Note: First hand account of the Hell’s Angels as told by their secretary Frank Reynolds.

37. McClure, Michael. HAIL THEE WHO PLAY *
a. First edition, regular copies:
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, August 1968
Perfect-bound in printed wrappers, 233 numbered and signed copies.

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, August 1968
Hardcover in printed paper-bound boards with cloth backstrip with printed paper label, 75 numbered and signed copies, each with an original drawing by the author.

38. McClure, Michael. LITTLE ODES: Jan – March 1961 *
First edition:
New York: Poets Press, 1968
Hand-sewn in printed and illustrated wrappers, 150 numbered and signed copies.

39. McClure, Michael. THE SERMONS OF JEAN HARLOW AND THE CURSES OF BILLY THE KID
a. First edition, regular copies:
San Francisco: Four Seasons Foundation with Dave Haselwood Books, 1968
Saddle-stapled in printed wrappers, 6″ x 9.25″, 24 pages, 1200 copies, letterpress printed by Dave Haselwood.
(Haselwood 17)

b. First edition, numbered and signed copies:
San Francisco: Four Seasons Foundation with Dave Haselwood Hardcover in printed paper-bound boards, 6″ x 9.25″, 24 pages, 50 copies signed.
(Haselwood 17)

40. McClure, Michael. MUSCLED APPLE SWIFT
First edition:
Los Angeles: Love Press, 1968
Hand-sewn in illustrated wrappers, 16 pages, 150 copies (63 of which are numbered and signed), cover art by George Herms.

41. McClure, Michael. GRAHHR APRIL GRHARRR APRIL
First edition:
(Buffalo): (Gallery Upstairs Press), (1968)
Broadside, 28.5″ x 21.25″, offset lithography printed.

42. McClure, Michael. GREETINGS
First edition:
London: Cape Goliard Press, 1968
Broadside, 11″ x 12″.

43. McClure, Michael. HYMNS TO ST. GERYON & DARK BROWN
a. First edition, regular copies:
London: Cape Goliard, 1969
Perfect-bound in printed wrappers.

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
London: Cape Goliard, 1969
Hardcover in gilt-stamped cloth-bound boards in illustrated dust jacket.

Note: two titles previously published by Auerhahn Press, published here dos-a-dos. Illustrated and with cover art by Wallace Berman.

44. McClure, Michael. LITTLE ODES AND THE RAPTORS *
a. First edition, regular copies:
Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press,  March 1969
Perfect-bound illustrated wrappers, 6.25″ x 9.25″, 43 pages, 1000 copies.

b. First edition, numbered copies:
Hardcover in paper-covered boards with cloth backstrip and paper label, 6.75″ x 9.5″, 43 pages, 200 copies numbered and signed.

c. First edition, lettered copies:
Hardcover in gold stamped leather-bound boards, 6.75″ x 9.5″, 43 pages, 26 copies lettered and signed with each with an original drawing by the author.

45. McClure, Michael. THE SURGE *
Columbus, OH: Frontier Press, 1969

46. McClure, Michael. LION FIGHT *
New York: Pierrepont Press, 1969

47. McClure, Michael. GHOST TANTRAS
San Francisco: Four Seasons Foundation, 1969

48. McClure, Michael. PLANE POMES *
New York: Phoenix Book Shop, 1969

49. McClure, Michael. THE SHELL *
London: Cape Goliard, 1969

50. McClure, Michael. MUSCLED APPLE SWIFT *
Sacramento: Runcible Spoon, 1969

51. McClure, Michael. TO JAMES B. RECTOR *
San Francisco: Privately Published, 1969

52. McClure, Michael. LIBERATION *
Oakland: Mills College Tape Music Center, 1969

[* not in archive]

David Meltzer

beatphotolg
Wallace Berman, Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag, 1964

David Meltzer was born in Rochester, New York, and raised in Brooklyn. He began his literary career during the San Francisco Beat and Berkeley Renaissance period in California, and his work was included in the anthology, The New American Poetry 1945-1960. At the age of 20 he recorded his poetry with jazz musicians in Los Angeles and also became a singer-songwriter and guitarist for several bands during the 1960s, including The Serpent Power. He is the author of over 40 volumes of poetry, and has also published fiction and essays, and has edited numerous anthologies and collections of interviews.


David Meltzer Checklist:

Section A: Books and Broadsides
Section B: Contributions to Books and Other Publications
Section C: Contributions to Periodicals
Section D: Publications Edited and Published


Meltzer taught in the humanities and poetics programs at the New College of California in San Francisco for 30 years. In 2008, he received the Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award. He was also given the Bay Area Guardian’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2012 was nominated for the Northern California Book Award in Poetry.

Diane di Prima has said, “David Meltzer is a hidden adept, one of the secret treasures on our planet. Great poet, musician, comic; mystic unsurpassed, performer with few peers.”


References Consulted:

Bohn, Dave. OYEZ: THE AUTHORIZED CHECKLIST
Berkeley: n.p., 1997

Johnston, Alastair. A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE AUERHAHN PRESS & ITS SUCCESSOR DAVE HASELWOOD BOOKS
Berkeley: Poltroon Press, 1976

Kherdian, David. DAVID MELTZER: A SKETCH FROM MEMORY AND DESCRIPTIVE CHECKLIST
Berkeley: Oyez, 1965

Lepper, Gary M. A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION TO SEVENTY-FIVE MODERN AMERICAN AUTHORS
Berkeley: Serendipity Books, 1976

Morrow, Bradford and Seamus Cooney. A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE BLACK SPARROW PRESS, 1966-1978
Santa Barbara: Black Sparrow Press, 1981


Online Resources:

· Big Bridge – tribute to David Meltzer

Oyez Press

Oyez Press was founded in 1964 by Robert Hawley and Stevens van Strum in Berkeley, California. Its inaugural run was a series of 10 broadsides featuring poems by Michael McClure, Brother Antoninus, Josephine Miles, Robert Duncan, Robert Creeley, David Meltzer, Denise Levertov, Charles Olson, Gary Snyder and William Bronk. These broadsides were printed by Dave Haselwood’s Auerhahn Press based in San Francisco.

Oyez would continue to publish books for over 20 years by poets primarily from the Black Mountain school and the Bay Area “Renaissance”; publishing over 80 books in addition to numerous keepsakes and broadsides, featuring authors such as David Meltzer, Josephine Miles, Lew Welch, Philip Lamantia, and many others.

The first Oyez book was a collection of poetry by David Meltzer. It was during this period that Hawley began his business relationship with printer Graham Mackintosh. The Oyez poetry editions were well regarded for the simplicity and elegance of their designs. Although not all Oyez books were designed by Mackintosh, several of his designs did receive awards, including an edition of William Everson’s Single Source that was selected as one of the 50 books of the year by the American Institute of Graphic Arts.

A note on this index: the sequence of publication for Oyez items has been difficult to establish. The Oyez bibliography lists items alphabetically rather than chronologically. Items here are listed chronologically but alphabetically within years where no further sequential information is available.


Section A:
Books and Broadsides

A1. McClure, Michael. TWO FOR BRUCE CONNOR
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1964
Broadside, 12″ x 17″, 500 copies, letterpress printed at the Auerhahn Press. Published as Oyez 1.

A2. Everson, William. THE ROSE OF SOLITUDE
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez 1964
Broadside, 13″ x 17.5″, letterpress printed at the Auerhahn Press. Published as Oyez 2.

A3. Miles, Josephine. IN IDENTITY
First edition:
San Francisco: Oyez, 1964
Broadside, 11.5″ x 17″, letterpress printed at the Auerhahn Press. Published as Oyez 3.

A4. Duncan, Robert. WINE
First edition:
San Francisco: Oyez, 1964
Broadside, 11.5″ x 17″, letterpress printed at the Auerhahn Press. Published as Oyez 4.

A5. Creeley, Robert. TWO POEMS
First edition:
San Francisco: Oyez, 1964
Broadside, 11.25″ x 16.5″, 423 copies, letterpress printed at the Auerhahn Press. Published as Oyez 5.

A6. Meltzer, David. THE BLACKEST ROSE
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1964
Broadside, 10.75″ x 17.5″, letterpress printed at the Auerhahn Press. Published as Oyez 6.

A7. Levertov, Denise. CITY PSALM
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1964
Broadside, 11.5″ x 17.5″, 300 copies, letterpress printed at the Auerhahn Press. Published as Oyez 7.

A8. Olson, Charles. SIGNATURE TO PETITION
First edition:
San Francisco: Oyez 1964.
Broadside, 11″ x 17.25″, letterpress printed at the Auerhahn Press. Published as Oyez 8.

A9. Snyder, Gary. HOP, SKIP, AND JUMP
First edition:
San Francisco: Oyez, 1964
Broadside, 11″ x 17.5″, 350 copies, letterpress printed at the Auerhahn Press. Published as Oyez 9.

A10. Bronk, William. THE CIPHER
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1965
Broadside, 10.75″ x 17.5″, letterpress printed at the Auerhahn Press. Published as Oyez 10.

A11. Meltzer, David. THE PROCESS
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1965
Perfect-bound printed and illustrated wrappers, 37 pages, 475 copies. Designed by Dave Haselwood and printed by Graham Mackintosh. Cover illustration by Peter Le Blanc.

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1965
Hardcover in printed and illustrated dust jacket, 37 pages, 25 numbered and signed copies. Designed by Dave Haselwood and printed by Graham Mackintosh. Cover illustration by Peter Le Blanc.

items are alphabetized by author within years from this point on

A12. Dijkstra, Bram. FACES IN SKIN
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1965
Saddle-stapled in plain wrappers in printed and illustrated dust jacket, 32 pages, 500 copies.

A13. Duncan, Robert. MEDEA AT KOLCHIS: THE MAIDEN HEAD
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1965
Saddle-stapled in illustrated wrappers, 44 pages, 500 copies.

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1965
Hardcover, 44 pages, 28 copies, numbered and signed.

A14. Kherdian, David. DAVID MELTZER: A SKETCH AND CHECKLIST
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1965
Saddle-stapled printed wrappers, 9 pages, 500 copies

A15. Kherdian, David. GARY SNYDER: A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH AND DESCRIPTIVE CHECKLIST
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1965
Saddle-stapled printed wrappers, 30 pages, 500 copies

A16. McClure, Michael. THE BEARD
First edition:
(San Francisco):  (Oyez Press), April 1965
First edition, perfect-bound wrappers, 71 pages, 350 copies planned, 330 produced. (Clements A20)


A17. McClure, Michael. POISONED WHEAT
mcclure_poisoneda. First edition, regular copies:
(San Francisco):  (Oyez Press), April 1965
Saddle-stapled illustrated wrappers. 5.75″ x 7.75″, 16 pages, 576 copies. (Clements A21)

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
(San Francisco):  (Oyez Press), April 1965

Hardcover in printed dust wrapper, 5.75″ x 7.75″, 16 pages, 24 copies lettered alpha through omega and signed by the author. Bound by Dorothy Hawley.
(Clements A21)

A18. McGaugh, Lawrence. A FIFTH SUNDAY
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1965
Paperback, 26 pages, 500 copies

A19. Welch, Lew. ON OUT
lew_onoutFirst edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1965
Stapled sheets bound into printed wrappers, 6″ x 9.25″, 36 pages, 500 copies. Printed by Graham Mackintosh, photograph of poet by Jim Hatch. Dedication: “This book is for Magda”

A20. Alexander, D. NOT A WORD
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
Stapled wrappers, 58 pages, 500 copies.

A21. Duncan, Robert. THE YEAR AS CATCHES
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
Paperback, 93 pages, 1800 copies.

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and  signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
Hardcover, 93 pages, 30 copies, numbered and signed.

A22. Duncan, Robert. OF THE WAR PASSAGES, 22-27
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
Paperback, 11 pages, 500 copies.

b. First edition, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
Paperback, 11 pages, 100 copies, numbered and signed.

c. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
Hardcover, 11 pages, 6 copies, numbered and signed.

A23. Everson, William. SINGLE SOURCE: THE EARLY POEMS OF WILLIAM EVERSON (1934-1940)
a. First edition, regular hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
Hardcover, 105 pages, 1000 copies

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
Hardcover, 105 pages, 25 copies, numbered and signed

A24. Fabilli, Mary. THE OLD ONES
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
Paperback, 28 pages, 500 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
Hardcover, 28 pages, 3 copies

A25. Hogg, Robert. THE CONNEXIONS
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
Paperback, 40 pages, 500 copies

A26. Lamantia, Philip. TOUCH OF THE MARVELOUS
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
Paperback, 65 pages, 1450 copies

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
Hardcover, 65 pages, 50 copies, numbered and signed.

A27. Miles, Josephine. CIVIL POEMS
First edition :
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
First edition, paperback, 16 pages, 500 copies

A28. Miles, Josephine. FIELDS OF LEARNING
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1966
Paperback, 25 pages, 500 copies

A29. Dusenbery, Gail. THE MARK
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1967
Paperback, 68 pages, 1200 copies.

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1967
Hardcover, 68 pages, 26 copies, numbered and signed.

A30. Everson, William. IN THE FICTIVE WISH
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1967
Hardcover, 22 pages, 200 copies, numbered and signed.

A31. Korte, Mary Norbert. HYMN TO THE GENTLE SUN
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1967
Paperback, 45 pages, 900 copies

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1967
Hardcover, 45 pages, 26 copies, numbered and signed

A32. Meltzer, David. JOURNAL OF THE BIRTH
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1967
Paperback, 19 pages, 1000 copies

A33. Meltzer, David. THE DARK CONTINENT
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1967
Paperback, 94 pages, 1000 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1967
Hardcover, 94 pages, 26 copies

A34. Antoninus, Brother (William Everson). ROBINSON JEFFERS: FRAGMENTS OF AN OLDER FURY
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1968
Hardcover, 173 pages, 2600 copies

A35. Charters, Ann. OLSON/MELVILLE: A STUDY IN AFFINITY
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1968
Paperback, 90 pages, 1000 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1968
Hardcover, 90 pages, 500 copies

A36. Fabilli, Mary. AURORA BLIGH & EARLY POEMS
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1968
Paperback, 108 pages, 500 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1968
B. First edition, hardcover, 108 pages, 250 copies

A37. Korte, Mary Norbert. BEGINNING OF LINES
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1968
Paperback, 37 pages, 500 copies

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1968
Hardcover, 37 pages, 200 copies, numbered and signed

A38. Antoninus, Brother. THE LAST CRUSADE
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1969
Hardcover, 18 pages, 165 numbered and signed copies

A39. Boar, Gerard (Ebbe Borregaard). SKETCHES FOR 13 SONNETS
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1969
Paperback, (12 pages), 1600 copies

A40. Charters, Samuel. TO THIS PLACE
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1969
Saddle-stapled wrappers, 50 pages, 750 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1969
Hardcover, 50 pages, 250 copies

A41. McGaugh, Lawrence. VACUUM CANTOS
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1969
Paperback, 30 pages, 500 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1969
Hardcover, 30 pages, 30 copies

A42. Blazek, Douglas. FLUX & REFLUX
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1970
Paperback, 57 pages, 1000 copies

A43. Chiarrello, Gail (Gail Dusenbery). THE BHANGRA DANCE
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1970
Paperback, 34 pages, 485 copies.

A44. Edelman, Richard Wayne. THE WEDDING FEAST
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1970
Paperback, 37 pages, 1000 copies. Introduction by Denise Levertov.

A45. Hottel, Christopher. THE KNIVES OF DAWN
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1970
Paperback, 37 pages, 1000 copies

A46. Korte, Mary Norbert. THE MIDNIGHT BRIDGE
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1970
Paperback, 44 pages, 1000 copies

A47. Levertov, Denise. SUMMER POEMS, 1969
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1970
Paperback, 10 pages, 300 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1970
Hardcover, 10 pages, 50 copies

A48. Olson, Charles. THE SPECIAL VIEW OF HISTORY
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1970
Paperback, 61 pages, 1000 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1970
Hardcover, 61 pages, 500 copies

A49. Charters, Samuel. SOME POEMS POETS
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1971
Paperback, 118 pages, 1000 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1971
Hardcover, 118 pages, 500 copies

A50. Di Prima, Dianne. KERHONKSON JOURNAL, 1966
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1971
Paperback, 39 pages, 1000 copies

A51. Everson, William. EARTH POETRY
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1971
Paperback, 4 pages

A52. Brugnola, Orlanda. KING OF THORNBUSHES
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1972
Paperback, 39 pages, 500 copies

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1972
Hardcover, 39 pages, 20 copies, numbered and signed

A53. Charters, Samuel. FROM A SWEDISH NOTEBOOK
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1972
Paperback, 60 pages, 500 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1972
Hardcover, 60 pages, 500 copies

A54. Eigner, Larry. SELECTED POEMS
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1972
Paperback, 125 pages, 1000 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1972
Hardcover in dust jacket, 125 pages, 500 copies

A55. Horsley, James. GOD’S NAKED DAUGHTER
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1972
Paperback, 38 pages, 850 copies

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1972
Hardcover, 38 pages, 150 copies, numbered and signed.

A56. Hooker, Craig Michael. HONOR AWAKENS AGAIN
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1973
Paperback, 34 pages, 500 copies

A57. Palmer, Doug.  IN QUIRE
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1973
Paperback, 56 pages, 650 copies

A58. Cebulski, F.J. CORM
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1974
Paperback, 59 pages, 750 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1974
Hardcover, 59 pages, 250 copies

A59. Hill, Lindsay. AVELAVAL
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1974
Paperback, 59 pages, 500 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1974
Hardcover, 59 pages, 250 copies

A60. Meltzer, David. BLUE RAGS
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1974
Paperback, 25 pages, 1000 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1974
Hardcover, 25 pages, 250 copies

A61. Everson, William. ARCHETYPE WEST: THE PACIFIC COAST AS A LITERARY REGION
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1975
Paperback, 181 pages, 1000 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1975
Hardcover, 181 pages, 500 copies

A62. Fabilli, Mary. THE ANIMAL KINGDOM: POEMS & DRAWINGS
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1975
Paperback, 69 pages, 500 copies

A63. Meltzer, David. HARPS
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1975
Paperback, 28 pages, 500 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1975
Hardcover, 28 pages, 500 copies

A64. Alvarado de Ricord, Elsie; Lucha Corpi, and Concha Michel. FIREFLIGHT
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1976
Paperback, 109 pages, 1000 copies. Translated by Catherine Rodriguez-Nieto.

A65. Charters, Samuel. IN LAGOS
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1976
Paperback, 15 pages, 600 copies.

A66. Everson, William. RIVER-ROOT
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1976
Paperback, 45 pages, 1000 copies

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1976
Hardcover, 45 pages 250 copies, numbered and signed

A67. Garcia, Luis. BEANS
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1976
Paperback, 67 pages, 1000 copies

A68. Morrison, Rusane. SUMMER PATCHWORK
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1976
Paperback, 24 pages, 500 copies

A69. Meltzer, David. TWO-WAY MIRROR
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1977
Paperback, 149 pages, 1000 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1977
Hardcover, 149 pages, 500 copies

A70. Canan, Janine. OF YOUR SEED
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1977
Paperback, 60 pages, 500 copies.

A71. Clark, Naomi. BURGLARIES AND CELEBRATIONS
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1977
Paperback, 80 pages, 750 copies.

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1977
Hardcover, 80 pages, 250 copies. Foreword by William Everson.

A72. Dean, Robert. DINNER AT MME
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1977
Paperback, 40 pages, 1000 copies.

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1977
Hardcover, 40 pages, 50 copies, numbered and signed

A73. Gitin, David. LEGWORK
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1977
Paperback, 59 pages, 950 copies

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1977
Hardcover, 59 pages, 50 copies, numbered and signed

A74. Lummis, Dayton. CLOSETS OF MERCY
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1977
Paperback, 33 pages, 500 copies

A75. Korn, Richard. THE JUDGMENT OF THE CONDOR
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1978
Paperback, 80 pages, 500 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1978
Hardcover, 80 pages, 250 copies

A76. Korte, Mary Norbert. MAMMALS OF DELIGHT
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1978
Paperback, 37 pages, 550 copies

b. First edition, hardcover, numbered and signed copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1978
Hardcover, 37 pages, 50 copies, numbered and signed

A77. Charters, Samuel. OF THOSE WHO DIED
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1980
Paperback, 22 pages, 1000 copies.

A78. Everson, William. EARTH POETRY
a. First edition, regular copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1980
Paperback, 251 pages, 1000 copies

b. First edition, hardcover copies:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1980
Hardcover, 251 pages, 500 copies

A79. Hiller, Tobey. CROSSINGS
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1980
Paperback, 17 pages, 600 copies

A80. Korn, Richard and Brugnola Orlanda. JOB
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1981
Paperback, 22 pages, 1000 copies

A81. Hiller, Tobey. CERTAIN WEATHERS
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1987
Paperback, 62 pages, 500 copies

A82. Charters, Samuel. A COUNTRY YEAR
First edition:
Berkeley: Oyez, 1992
Paperback, 140 pages, 1000 copies.

The San Francisco Renaissance

[excerpt from Steve Clay and Rodney Phillips’ A SECRET LOCATION ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE. Granary Books, 1998]

The San Francisco Renaissance, a timeline of events

1951

1953

      • City Lights Bookstore opens in North Beach

1955

1956

      • Allen Ginsberg’s Howl published by City Lights

1957

      • Howl confiscated by customs; Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Shigeyoshi Murao arrested
      • Jack Spicer‘s Poetry as Magic Workshop, San Francisco Public Library
      • Charles Olson reads and lectures in San Francisco
      • First book from White Rabbit Press, Steve Jonas’s Love, the Poem, the Sea & Other Pieces Examined

1958

1959

      • Philip Lamantia‘s Ekstasis published by Auerhahn Press
      • Bob Kaufman’s The Abomunist Manifesto published by City Lights
      • J, edited by Jack Spicer
      • Cid Corman’s Origin Press publishes Gary Snyder’s first book, Riprap

1960

      • Gary Snyder’s Myths and Texts published by Corinth Books
      • Lew Welch‘s Wobbly Rock published by Auerhahn Press
      • William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin’s The Exterminator published by Auerhahn Press

1962

      • White Rabbit Press revived by Graham Mackintosh with Spicer’s LAMENT FOR THE MAKERS, which was published in a small edition of less than 100 copies and illustrated by Mackintosh

1963

      • Vancouver Poetry Conference

1964

      • Open Space publishes Robin Blaser’s first book, The Moth Poem

1965

1966

      • Lenore Kandel’s The Love Book published by Stolen Paper Editions
      • Philip Lamantia‘s Touch of the Marvelous published by Oyez Press
      • John Martin’s Black Sparrow Press begins in Los Angeles

1967

      • The Pacific Nation, edited by Robin Blaser in Vancouver

1968

      • Janine Pommy-Vega’s Poems to Fernando published by City Lights

1969

      • Gary Snyder’s book of essays Earth House Hold published by New Directions

1975

      • Jack Spicer‘s Collected Books published by Black Sparrow

 

In San Francisco, the commingling of several activities helped to prepare the ground for the remarkable literary explosion that was soon to take place. The Libertarian Circle held regular literary events; poet members included Kenneth Rexroth, Muriel Rukeyser, William Everson, Robert Duncan, Jack Spicer, and Thomas Parkinson. Rexroth also ran a literary program on KPFA, the country’s first listener-sponsored radio station. Madeline Gleason (assisted by Rexroth and Duncan) founded the San Francisco Poetry Center, housed at San Francisco State College and managed by Ruth Witt-Diamant. The magazines Circle, Ark, City Lights, Goad, Inferno, and Golden Goose helped to consolidate the growing literary underground.

The famous reading at Six Gallery on Fillmore Street was publicized by Allen Ginsberg (via a hundred mailed postcards and a few flyers) thus:

mcclure_sixgallery

On October 7, 1955, in a room measuring 20 x 25 feet with a dirt floor, Ginsberg “read Howl and started an epoch.”(1) Gary Snyder, Philip Lamantia, Michael McClure, and Philip Whalen shared the bill and, by all reports, also read brilliantly. Aside from Rexroth and Whalen, all the readers were in their twenties. Again, in the words of Kenneth Rexroth, “What started in SF and spread from there across the world was public poetry, the return of a tribal, preliterate relationship between poet and audience.”(1)

These events, along with the flourishing of Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s City Lights Bookshop and publishing house, helped to inaugurate and consolidate what has become known as the San Francisco Renaissance. City Lights published Howl in 1956 (Ferlinghetti asked Ginsberg for the manuscript the same night it was read at the Six Gallery) as Number Four in the Pocket Poets Series. (It had been preceded by an extremely rare mimeographed edition, typed by Martha Rexroth and mimeographed by none other than Robert Creeley. Ginsberg’s Siesta in Xbalba had been mimeographed by the man himself on a freighter in the Alaskan Ocean.) Among the audience members that night was one who added his own chant, the young novelist Jack Kerouac, whose On the Road, published in 1957, was to make this reading and its readers legendary. It was also in 1957 that Charles Olson, rector of the experimental Black Mountain College, visited San Francisco and gave a series of lectures on Alfred North Whitehead at the Portrero Hill home of Robert Duncan and his companion, the painter Jess Collins. Among the attendees at the lectures were, of course, Duncan himself, but also Michael McClure, Gary Snyder’s Reed College friend Philip Whalen, Jack Spicer, and Richard Duerden. The same year saw the “San Francisco Scene” issue of Evergreen Review. Poet Helen Adam’s flamboyant 1961 ballad opera, entitled San Francisco’s Burning, epitomized the time, outrageous both aesthetically and socially. Other writers associated with the San Francisco Renaissance included James Broughton, Lew Welch, Ron Loewinsohn, Madeline Gleason, David Meltzer, Kirby Doyle, and Lenore Kandel.

Experimentation with forms of literature and lifestyle had long been an attractive characteristic of life in San Francisco. But the tolerance felt in Northern California was not as evident in Los Angeles. In 1957, an exhibit of work by assemblage artist Wallace Berman at the Ferus Gallery was closed by the Los Angeles Police Department, and Berman was jailed on charges of exhibiting “lewd and lascivious pornographic art.” Found guilty (by the same judge who ruled against Henry Miller), Berman and family left L.A. for San Francisco that year. Berman edited and published a fascinating assemblage magazine called Semina. After the raid of his exhibit at Ferus, he announced in Semina 2 that “I will continue to print Semina from locations other than this city of degen-erate angels.” Berman’s friend, artist George Herms, designed his own books and provided the artwork for others, including Diane di Prima. Herms had likewise found the political climate in L.A. intolerable and had preceded the Bermans to Northern California.

In the mid-1960s, John Martin’s Black Sparrow Press began publishing broadsides and booklets and has, over the years, published a wide variety of experimental and alternative poetry and prose, including work by Duncan, Olson, Spicer, and Creeley among very many others. 

Because of the previous associations of house printer/designer Graham Mackintosh, Black Sparrow is linked to earlier literary small presses of Northern California, particularly White Rabbit Press (at the urging of Jack Spicer, Mackintosh resurrected the press in 1962, printing Spicer’s own Lament for the Makers); Robert Hawley’s Oyez Press (Mackintosh had printed its first book in 1963); and Dave Haselwood’s Auerhahn Press, which flourished during the 1960s and early 70s in San Francisco. Auerhahn published a wide variety of well-designed books, including The Exterminator, an early example of William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin’s cut-up technique, in 1960. Auerhahn also published John Wieners’s first book, The Hotel Wentley Poems. Oyez published many memorable volumes including Philip Lamantia‘s Touch of the Marvelous. Joe Dunn’s White Rabbit Press, which had begun publishing in 1957 with Steve Jonas’s rough work Love, the Poem, the Sea & Other Pieces Examined, produced books somewhat less elegant than Auerhahn’s or Oyez’s but with a beauty all their own.

The editorial genius behind White Rabbit was the irrepressible Jack Spicer, who published his own remarkable mimeographed magazine, J. Spicer emphasized the inclusion of writers who were not well published elsewhere, and accepted contributions for consideration in a box that was kept in one of three bars in the North Beach area of San Francisco. J is representative of the best of the mimeograph revolution: an uncompromising editorial stance combined with a playful, even colorful, formal character thanks to Fran Herndon, who edited the artwork for the magazine. Spicer’s model for J was Beatitude, which had begun publication in San Francisco slightly before J. And a recalcitrant model it was, since Spicer was not a fan of the Beats and carried on a running war against Ferlinghetti in particular. He imagined Ferlinghetti had become commercial and financially successful, thereby, in Spicer’s mind, “selling out” to the establishment. Magnificently consistent with his principles, Spicer never copyrighted his own work, anticipating the “no copyright, no nuthin” statements of Tom Clark’s London-based Once Series. The performative aspects of Spicer’s poetics as well as his personality also prefigured the rise of poetry readings in the 1950s, particularly those sponsored by the Poetry Center at San Francisco State, which featured mimeographed programs and booklets printing selections from the poets who were reading, among them, Charles Olson, Denise Levertov, and Louis Zukofsky.

Although Spicer’s J didn’t publish the works of “established” poets, Spicer did include the work of Robert Duncan in four issues of his magazine. Duncan and Jess Collins (whose work adorned the cover of many magazines and books of the period, including Open Space, Caterpillar, and The Floating Bear) were important influences on the literary and artistic scene in San Francisco in the 60s. Duncan’s early work was published in Berkeley or North Carolina (his Song of the Border-Guard was published by the Black Mountain College Press with a cover by Cy Twombly in 1952). Other earlier works were multilithed (Fragments of a Disordered Devotionin San Francisco in 1952) or mimeographed (the first hundred copies of Faust Foutu were mimeographed by Duncan himself, and the next 150 or so of one act of the play were multilithed by Joe Dunn of White Rabbit Press at his place of employment, the Greyhound Bus offices in San Francisco). The multilithed third edition of Faust Foutu, although also produced by Dunn, was published under Duncan’s own imprint, Enkidu Surrogate, of Stinson Beach. Duncan’s work was published by an amazing variety and number of publishers, including Oyez, Auerhahn, White Rabbit, Black Sparrow, Divers Press, Jargon, Perishable Press, City Lights, Grove Press, New Directions, and Scribners.

Slightly outside the Spicer circle (although some of his own poems were published in J) was Donald Allen, who, after the publication of The New American Poetry, 1945-1960 and before his removal to New York, established the Four Seasons Foundation in San Francisco, which published the work of a number of the writers from the anthology, including Charles Olson, Ed Dorn, Ron Loewinsohn, Philip Lamantia, Michael McClure, Joanne Kyger, Robin Blaser, and Robert Creeley. Among the early Four Seasons publications were two important works by poet Gary Snyder (the Reed College roommate of Lew Welch and Philip Whalen and the “Japhy Ryder” of Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums): Six Sections from Rivers and Mountains Without End and Riprap and Cold Mountain Poems, both published in 1965. Riprap, it should be noted, was originally published in 1959 as a booklet by Cid Corman’s Origin Press. Snyder’s Myths and Textswas published in 1960 by Corinth Books. Snyder was out of the country on an extended stay in Japan, and the text used for the Corinth publication was probably from a manuscript that LeRoi Jones had hand-copied from one that Robert Creeley had received from Snyder in 1955 or 1956. Snyder’s poetry was extremely popular in the 60s and was often used as text for broadsides by small presses, particularly those whose owners were ecologically minded. For instance, Snyder’s poem “Four Changes” was published in 1969 by Earth Read Out, a Berkeley environmental protection group, as four mimeographed pages, as well as in a folded, printed version in 200,000 copies by environmentalist Alan Shapiro for free distribution to schools and citizens’ groups.

Literary scenes with strong affiliations to the New American Poetry were in evidence elsewhere in California — most notably Bolinas in the 1970s, when that somewhat remote hippie village north of San Francisco became home to many poets. In particular, the transplanted easterner and Poetry Project veteran Bill Berkson and his press Big Sky flourished there in the decade, publishing both a magazine and a series of books. Bolinas residents of the period also included Robert Creeley, Bobbie Louise Hawkins, David Meltzer, Lewis Warsh, Tom Clark, Lewis MacAdams, Philip Whalen, Aram Saroyan, Joanne Kyger, Jim Carroll, and Duncan McNaughton, among others. Ted Berrigan, Alice Notley, and Joe Brainard were among many occasional visitors, with Joe Brainard’s Bolinas Journal providing an interesting record of one such extended stay.


(1) Kenneth Rexroth. AMERICAN POETRY IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY (New York: Herder and Herder, 1971), p. 141.

Philip Lamantia

lamantia
photo by Harry Redl

 

Philip Lamantia was born to Sicilian immigrants in San Francisco in 1927. His father was a produce broker in the old Embarcadero. He began writing poetry in elementary school and was later inspired by the paintings of Miro and Dali at the San Francisco Museum of Art. After being expelled for “intellectual delinquency” at age sixteen, he dropped out of high school and moved to New York City, where he lived for several years and where he was associated with Andre Breton and other exiled European artists such as Max Ernst and Yves Tanguy. During these years he worked as an assistant editor of View magazine and his poems were published in View as well as in publications like Hemispheres, which was being published by another French ex-patriot Yvan Goll.

In 1943, when Lamantia was only fifteen years old, Breton heralded him as being “a voice that rises once in a hundred years.” In 1946, at the age of nineteen, his first book of poems Erotic Poems was published by Bern Porter Books in Berkeley, California, followed by two collections (Narcotica and Ekstasis) published in 1959 by Auerhahn Press. A literary prodigy whose poems delved into the worlds of the subconscious and dreams, his love of Surrealism had a major influence on the Beats and other American poets. On March 7, 2005 he died of heart failure in his North Beach, San Francisco apartment at age seventy-seven.

–Thomas Rain Crowe


Section A: Books and Broadsides

1. Lamantia, Philip. EROTIC POEMS
First edition:
(Berkeley): Bern Porter, 1946
Hardcover issued without dust jacket, 42 pages.

2. Lamantia, Philip. EKSTASIS
lamantia_ekstasisFirst edition:
San Francisco: Auerhahn Press, 1959
Perfect-bound in printed wrappers, 5.75″ x 7″, 48 pages, (circa 950 copies). Titling by Robert La Vigne.
(Auerhahn 3)

Note: Printed announcement issued.

3. Lamantia, Philip. NARCOTICA
lamantia_narcoticaFirst edition:
San Francisco: Auerhahn Press, 1959
Saddle-stapled in printed and photo-illustrated wrappers, 6.25″ x 8.5″, 16 pages, (750 copies). Cover photographs by Wallace Berman. Published as Auerhahn Pamphlet No. 1.
(Auerhahn 5)

Note: Printed announcement issued.

4. Lamantia, Philip. DESTROYED WORKS
lamantia_destroyeda. First edition, regular copies:
San Francisco: Auerhahn Press, 1962
Perfect-bound in photo-illustrated wrappers, 7″ x 8.75″, 48 pages, 1250 copies.
(Auerhahn 18)

b. First edition, hardcover, signed copies:
Hardcover in cloth-bound boards, 7″ x 8.75″, 48 pages, 50 numbered and signed copies, bound by the Schuberth Bindery.
(Auerhahn 18)

5. Lamantia, Philip. TOUCH OF THE MARVELOUS
a. First edition, regular copies:
(Berkeley): Oyez, 1966
Perfect-bound in printed and photo-illustrated wrappers, 65 pages, 1450 copies.

b. First edition, hardcover, signed copies:
(Berkeley): Oyez, 1966
Hardcover in cloth-bound boards with gilt-stamped spine, 65 pages, 50 copies on handmade Tovil paper, numbered, signed by the author, bound by Dorothy Hawley.

6. Lamantia, Philip. SELCETED POEMS 1943-1966
First edition:
(San Francisco): City Lights Books, (1967)
Perfect-bound in printed wrappers, 100 pages, published as Pocket Poets Series Number 20.
(Cook 61)

7. Lamantia, Philip. THE BLOOD OF THE AIR
lamantia_blooda. First edition, regular copies:
San Francisco: Four Seasons Foundation, 1970
Perfect-bound in printed and photo-illustrated wrappers, 45 pages, published as Writing 25.

b. First edition, hardcover, signed copies:
San Francisco: Four Seasons Foundation, 1970
Hardcover in paper-bound boards with gilt-stamped cloth spine, 45 pages, 50 copies, numbered, signed by the author, published as Writing 25. (pictured)

8. Lamantia, Philip. TOUCH OF THE MARVELOUS
Second, expanded edition:
Bolinas: Four Seasons Foundation, 1974
Perfect-bound in printed and illustrated wrappers, 47 pages, includes three poems not in the original edition: “Celestial Estrangement”, “Submarine Languor”, and “To You Henry Miller”. Published as Writing 32.

9. Lamantia, Philip. BECOMING VISIBLE
a. First edition, regular copies:
San Francisco: City Lights Books, 1981
Perfect-bound in printed and illustrated wrappers, 96 pages, published as Pocket Poet Series No. 39.
(Cook 146)

b. First edition, hardcover, signed copies:
San Francisco: City Lights Books, 1981
Hardcover in cloth-bound boards in printed and illustrated dust jacket, 96 pages, published as Pocket Poet Series No. 39.
(Cook 146)

10. Lamantia, Philip. MEADOWLARK WEST
First edition:
San Francisco: City Lights Books, 1986
Perfect-bound in printed and illustrated wrappers, 73 pages.
(Cook 171)

11. Lamantia, Philip. BED OF SPHINXES: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS, 1943-1993
First edition:
San Francisco: City Lights Books, 1997
Perfect-bound in printed and illustrated wrappers, 141 pages.

12. Lamantia, Philip. WHAT IS NOT STRANGE?
First edition:
San Francisco: City Lights, 2005
Broadside.


Section B: Contributions to Books and Anthologies, Selected

sequence within years is alphabetical

BEATITUDE ANTHOLOGY. San Francisco: City Lights, 1960

THE BEATS, edited by Seymour Krim. Greenwich: Gold Medal, 1960

THE BEAT SCENE, edited by Elias Wilentz, photographs by Fred McDarrah. New York: Corinth Books, 1960

THE NEW ORLANDO POETRY ANTHOLOGY. New York: New Orlando Publication, 1963

PENGUIN MODERN POETS, 13. London: Penguin, 1969

AERO INTO THE AETHER. Philip Lamantia, Clark Ashton Smith.  Black Swan Press, 1980

FREE SPRITS: ANNALS OF THE INSURGENT IMAGINATION. San Francisco: City Lights, 1980. First edition, wrappers, 223 pages

WHITMAN’S WILD CHILDREN, edited by Neeli Cherkovski. Venice: Lapis Press, 1988

TAU & JOURNEY TO THE END. Philip Lamantia, John Hoffman. San Francisco: City Lights, 2008

CITY LIGHTS POCKET POETS ANTHOLOGY, edited by Lawrence Ferlinghetti. San Francisco: City Lights, 2009


Section C: Contributions to Periodicals, Selected

sequence within years is alphabetical

VIEW, Series III, Number 2. New York, June 1943

VIEW, Series III, Number 3. New York, 1943

VIEW, Series IV, Number 2. New York, Summer 1944

VVV, Number 4. New York, 1944

HEMISPHERES, Number 5. New York, 1945

VIEW, Series V, Number 2. New York, 1945

NEW DIRECTIONS, Number 9. New York, 1946

CONTOUR QUARTERLY, Volume 1, Number 1. Berkeley, 1947

NOW, Number 7. London, February-March 1947

CITY LIGHTS, Number 4. San Francisco, Fall 1953

NEW DIRECTIONS, Number 14. New York, 1953

BEATITUDE, Number 9. San Francisco, September 1959

SEMINA, Number 4. San Francisco, 1959

SEMINA, Number 5. San Francisco, 1959

EVERGREEN REVIEW, Volume 4, Number 11. New York, January-February 1960

THE GALLEY SAIL REVIEW, Number 5. San Francisco, Winter 1960

YUGEN, 6. New York, 1960

DAMASCUS ROAD, Number 1. Allentown, 1961

POEMS FROM THE FLOATING WORLD, Volume 3. New York, 1961

MEASURE, Number 3. Milton, Summer 1962

THE OUTSIDER, Number 2. New Orleans, Summer 1962

TOBAR, Number 4. New York, 1962

EL CORNO EMPLUMADO, Number 9. Mexico City, 1964

FUCK YOU: A MAGAZINE OF THE ARTS, Volume 5, Number 7. New York, September 1964

DAMASCUS ROAD, Number 2. Allentown, 1965

RESIDU, Volume 1, Number 1. Athens, Spring 1965

THE PARIS REVIEW, Number 36. Paris, 1966

THE FLOATING BEAR, Number 33. New York, February 1967

THE FLOATING BEAR, Number 34. New York, 1967

THE FLOATING BEAR, Number 35. New York, April 1968

CATERPILLAR, 10. New York, January 1969

CATERPILLAR, 17. Sherman Oaks, October 1971

INTREPID, Number 20. Buffalo, 1971

ANTAEUS, 6. Tangier, Summer 1972

THE LAMP IN THE SPINE, Number 4. Iowa City, Spring 1972

THE SEVENTIES, Number 1.  Madison, Spring 1972

ARSENAL, Number 2. Chicago, Summer 1973

CULTURAL CORRESPONDENCE, Number 12-14. Providence, Summer 1981

ZYZZYVA, Volume 1, Number 4. San Francisco, Winter 1985

CITY LIGHTS REVIEW, 1. San Francisco, 1987

CALIBAN, 7. Ann Arbor, 1989

CITY LIGHTS REVIEW, 4. San Francisco, 1990


Section D: Ephemera

THE AUERHAHN PRESS CATALOG, 1962
San Francisco: Auerhahn Press, 1962. First edition, wrappers

A KIND OF BEATNESS: PHOTOGRAPHS OF A NORTH BEACH ERA 1950-1965
San Francisco: Focus Gallery, 1975. First edition, wrappers


References Consulted:

Bohn, Dave. OYEZ: THE AUTHORIZED CHECKLIST
Berkeley: n.p., 1997

Cook, Ralph T. CITY LIGHTS: A DESCRIPTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY
Metuchen: The Scarecrow Press, 1992

Duncan, Michael and Kristine McKenna. SEMINA CULTURE: WALLACE BERMAN & HIS CIRCLE
New York: Distributed Art Publishers, 2005

Harter, Christopher. AN AUTHOR INDEX TO LITTLE MAGAZINES OF THE MIMEOGRAPH REVOLUTION
Lanham: Scarecrow Press, 2008

Johnston, Alastair. A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE AUERHAHN PRESS & ITS SUCCESSOR DAVE HASELWOOD BOOKS
Berkeley: Poltroon Press, 1976

Lepper, Gary M. A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION TO SEVENTY-FIVE MODERN AMERICAN AUTHORS
Berkeley: Serendipity Books, 1976

Marx, Jake. “Index to Fuck You: A Magazine of the Arts” in THE SERIF: QUARTERLY OF THE KENT STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES, Volume VIII, Number 3
Kent: The Kent State University Libraries, September 1971

Lew Welch

lew_haiku

Lew Welch was born August 16, 1926 in Phoenix, Arizona, and moved with his family to California in 1929. At Reed College in the late 1940s, Welch lived with Gary Snyder and Philip Whalen. In the fall of 1949 Welch was co-editor of the school’s literary magazine and was writing constantly; he wrote his senior thesis on Gertrude Stein and graduated in 1950.

Donald Allen included one of Welch’s poems in The New American Poetry anthology published in 1960. That same year Welch’s first book, Wobbly Rock, was published by Auerhahn Press. For a time he lived in Reno, Nevada, and then in a cabin in the Trinity Alps. He moved back to San Francisco in 1963, and in 1965 published three books.

In 1965, Welch began teaching a poetry workshop offered through the extension program of the University of California at Berkeley. In 1971 Welch returned to the mountains. On May 23, 1971, Gary Snyder went up to Welch’s campsite and found a suicide note in Welch’s truck. Despite an extensive search, Welch’s body was never recovered.


A. Books & Broadsides

1. Welch, Lew. WOBBLY ROCK
lew_wobblySan Francisco: Auerhahn Press, 1960
First edition, saddle-stapled printed wrappers, 6″ x 8″, 12 pages, 500 copies, illustrated by Robert LaVigne. Dedication: for Gary Snyder / “I think I’ll be the Buddha of this place” / and sat himself / down
(Auerhahn 7)

2. Welch, Lew. EARLY SUMMER HERMIT SONG
(San Francisco: San Francisco Arts Commission, 1963)
First edition, broadside, 13” x 20”, 300 copies, signed by author and illustrator, illustrated by W. Weber. Laid into portfolio entitled San Francisco Arts Festival: A Poetry Folio: 1963, which included Robin Blaser, Helen Adam, Phillip Whalen, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allan Ginsberg, Robert Duncan, And Lew Welch.

3. Welch, Lew. STEP OUT ONTO THE PLANET
(San Francisco: Four Seasons Foundation, 1964)
First edition, broadside, 9.5” x 12.5”, 300 copies, signed by the author. Printed for the occasion of a reading by Welch, Philip Whalen, and Gary Snyder at the Longshoremen’s Hall in San Francisco on June 12, 1964 known as the Free Way Reading.

4. Welch, Lew. RICHER THAN THE RICHEST FALCONER
(San Francisco): Auerhahn Press, (1965)
First edition, broadside, 9.5″ by 15.5″, 125 copies printed for Don Carpenter.




5. Welch, Lew. ON OUT
lew_onoutBerkeley: Oyez, 1965
First edition, stapled sheets bound into printed wrappers, 6″ x 9.25″, 36 pages, 500 copies. Printed by Graham Mackintosh, photograph of poet by Jim Hatch. Dedication: This book is for Magda.


6. Welch, Lew. HERMIT POEMS
San Francisco: Four Seasons Foundation, 1965
First edition, wrappers, 7″ x 9″, 14 pages, 974 trade copies and 26 copies numbered and signed by the author. Published as Writing 8.



7. Welch, Lew. “AT TIMES WE’RE ALMOST ABLE TO SEE…”
(San Francisco): Don Carpenter, December 1965
First edition, broadside, 7.5″ x 6.25″, 125 copies. Printed by Andrew Hoyem.


8. Welch, Lew. A MOVING TARGET IS HARD TO HIT
San Francisco: Communication Company, 1967
First edition, broadside, 8.5″ x 11″.

A long poem by Welch about dispersing to spread the countercultural message: “Disperse. Gather into smaller tribes. Use the beautiful public land your state and national governments have already set up for you, free. If you want to. Most Indians are nomads. The haight-ashbury is not where it’s at – it’s in your head and hands. Take it anywhere.”

9. Welch, Lew. THE BASIC CON
(Santa Barbara: Unicorn Press, 1967)
First edition, wrappers, 450 copies of the trade edition and 26 copies lettered and signed by the author, two variants printed in brown and black and red and black, printed by Nicolas Muska. Printed on the occasion of Welch’s reading on April 22, 1967 at the Unicorn Book Shop.

10. Welch, Lew. COURSES
lew_coursesSan Francisco: Dave Haselwood, 1968
First edition, hand-sewn suede wrappers, 6.5″ x 4″, 28 pages, 50 copies, letterpress printed. (Haselwood 16)

11. Welch, Lew. COURSES
San Francisco: Cranium Press, 1968
Second “facsimile” edition, hand-sewn printed wrappers, 6.5″ x 4″, 28 pages, letterpress printed.

12. Welch, Lew. SAUSALITO TRASH PRAYER
(San Francisco): n.p., July 1969
First edition, broadside, 3.5” x 6”, letterpress. According to Lepper this was preceded by a photocopied edition of 40 done by Welch at the Public Library in Sausalito and given away.


13. Welch, Lew. THE SONG MT. TAMALPAIS SINGS
lew_thesongSan Francisco: Maya, 1969
First edition, hand-sewn wrappers with printed label, 7.5″ x 10″, 16 pages, 250 trade copies and 50 copies numbered and signed by the author. Published as Maya Quarto Five. Designed and printed by Clifford Burke at Cranium Press.

14. Welch, Lew. FROM WOBBLY ROCK
(San Francisco: Cranium Press, 1969)
First edition, broadside

15. Welch, Lew. THE SONG MT. TAMALPAIS SINGS
lew_the song2Berkeley: Sand Dollar,  December 1970
Second expanded edition, side-stapled printed wrappers, 6″ x 8″, 20 pages, 1000 copies. Published as Sand Dollar 3 and contains three  additional poems not included in the first edition. Published by Jack Shoemaker and designed by Clifford Burke.

14. Welch, Lew. INFLATION FOR NEIL DAVIS, INNKEEPER
(Portland): Yes Press, 1970
First edition, broadside, 5” x 11”

15. Welch, Lew. GETTING BALD
(San Francisco): (Cranium Press), March 1970
First edition, postcard, 4” x 6”.


16. Welch, Lew. SOMETIMES I TALK TO KEROUAC…
Portland: Yes Press, 1971
First edition, broadside, 7″ x 6″.




17. Welch, Lew. SPRINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES, LICHEN
San Francisco: Cranium Press, 1971
First edition, broadside, 8.5” x 14”, variants on pink, grey, and green stock.




18. Welch, Lew. REDWOOD HAIKU & OTHER POEMS
lew_redwoodSan Francisco: Cranium Press, 1972
First edition, hand-sewn printed wrappers, 5.75″ x 5.75″, 20 pages, 250 copies. Printed by Clifford Burke and Nancy Lehman.



19. Welch, Lew. RING OF BONE: SELECTED POEMS 1950-1971
Bolinas: Grey Fox Press, 1973
First edition, wrappers and hardcover issued, 233 pages with index.

20. Welch, Lew. HOW I WORK AS A POET
Bolinas: Grey Fox Press, 1973
First edition, wrappers and hardcover issued, 139 pages.

21. Welch, Lew. A GREETING FOR THE SPRING SOLSTICE
Albany: Sand Dollar, 1976
First edition, Single sheet, folded to make 4 pages. Printed by Wesley Tanner and James Monday at the Arif Press.



22. Welch, Lew. SELECTED POEMS
Bolinas: Grey Fox Press, 1976
First edition, wrappers, 94 pages including index, preface by Gary Snyder.

23. Welch, Lew. I, LEO: AN UNFINISHED NOVEL
Bolinas: Grey Fox Press, 1977
First edition, wrappers, 82 pages.

24. Welch, Lew. INFLATION FOR NEIL DAVIS, INNKEEPER
(Buffalo): White Pine Press, 1979
Second edition, broadside, 4” x 6”.





25. Welch, Lew. I REMAIN – THE LETTERS OF LEW WELCH & THE CORRESPONDENCE OF HIS FRIENDS (Volume 1: 1949-1960)
Bolinas: Grey Fox Press, 1980
First edition, wrappers and hardcover issued, 200 pages.

26. Welch, Lew. I REMAIN – THE LETTERS OF LEW WELCH & THE CORRESPONDENCE OF HIS FRIENDS (Volume 2: 1960-1971)
Bolinas: Grey Fox Press, 1980
First edition, wrappers and hardcover issued, 200 pages.

27. Welch, Lew. HOW I READ GERTRUDE STEIN
Bolinas: Grey Fox Press, 1995
First edition, wrappers, originally written late-1940’s

28. Welch, Lew. LETTERS FROM LEW WELCH
Coventry: The Beat Scene Press, 2010
First edition, wrappers, 125 copies


References consulted:

Bohn, Dave. OYEZ: THE AUTHORIZED CHECKLIST
Berkeley: n.p., 1997

Hawley, Bob. CHECKLISTS OF SEPARATE PUBLICATIONS OF POETS AT THE FIRST BERKELEY POETRY CONFERENCE 1965
Berkeley: Oyez/Cody’s, 1965

Johnston, Alastair. A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE AUERHAHN PRESS & ITS SUCCESSOR DAVE HASELWOOD BOOKS
Berkeley: Poltroon Press, 1976

Lepper, Gary M. A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION TO SEVENTY-FIVE MODERN AMERICAN AUTHORS
Berkeley: Serendipity Books, 1976