Poetry

New York: Grossman Publishers, 1973. First edition of the poet’s third collection of poems and first to be issued by a commercial publisher.   Issued in both hardcover and wrappers simultaneously, this is the scarce hardbound  edition.  Estimates put the print run for the hardbound edition at a couple of hundred, with few likely distributed to the public. Signed by the poet on the title page and very uncommon thus. Darkening to board edges as is common for this title.  Small spot to text block, last page has a small stain and some bleed through from the rust colored end paper. Overall, a better than very good copy. Pictorial dust wrapper, featuring wraparound cover artwork by Larry Rivers and Ted Berrigan blurb, presents very nicely indeed, overall very good, not clipped and without any tears, chips, fading or rubbing but a little tanned at the edges, slight staining to rear flap, front flap a little creased, and verso of dust wrapper is textured, cause indeterminable, with the result that the front and rear panels are not tactilely smooth. less

Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1955.  First edition. Unique copy, inscribed on the front pastedown and featuring a holograph of ‘The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner’, commonly viewed as the poet’s most widely known and frequently anthologized work. From my mother’s sleep I fell into the State,And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze.Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life,I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters.When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose. First published in 1945, the poem drew directly from Jarrell’s own involvement with military aircraft and airmen during WW2.  “While the people and events of World War II are commonly found in Jarrell’s poetry, this poem is unique for its lack of wit. Indeed, the grim tone of this poem places it firmly in the Modernist movement of literature.” Jarrell reportedly “admitted to fearing most of his reputation as a poet is tied up in [this poem].  But, there are certainly worse outcomes for a poet’s career in this poem which has been referred to as the best war poem ever written.” Bottom corners a little scuffed, else nearly fine in good dust wrapper with unprofessional repairs to interior. less