39 Poems, by John Ciardi, 1959 Fifth Printing, Published by Rutgers University Press. Book is Hardcover Format

Ciardi, John

Published by Rutgers University Press, 1959

About this Item

John Ciardi, long associated with the Breadloaf Writers' Conference in Vermont, was an influential American poet and translator. He was the author of many books, including the widely used and cited "How Does a Poem Mean?" His translation of Dante's "Divine Comedy" is considered by many to be an important American version of the great poem. Presented here is the fifth printing of Ciardi's book, "39 Poems", published in 1959 by Rutgers University Press. This is the hardcover format. It is a fine collection of poems from a profound and insightful poet. **************** TITLE : 39 Poems / AUTHOR : John Ciardi. / IMPRINT : Rutgers University Press / PLACE : New Brunswick, New Jersey / DATE : 1959 / EDITION : 5th Printing / STATUS : OP - Out of Print / PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION : Trade hardcover; 86 pages; approximately 5 1/2" x 8 1/4"; quarter-bound green cloth-covered spine and patterned paper-covered boards; decorated dust-jacket. ************************* CONDITION : The book itself is exceptionally well-preserved with but negligible signs of handling, clean and unmarked and with solid, tight binding. The dust-jacket has some tears and puncture wounds along its length almost as if a kitten had exercised its tiny claws on the paper (see picture above) - else the jacket has modest surface rub . it's front flap is price-clipped. The whole looks decent under an archival mylar cover. *********************** Excerpted from " For Ezra Pound" by John Ciardi : Not arrogant from habit / but furious from perception … / Bagged for glory, then a goat saint lolling / satyr drunk and smiling loose-lipped / Heavens and Earths, the eyes rolling / ecstasy and maunder, the beard flipped / to glory and the wattle visible under it. Die / (giggle) dying (giggle) but not yet dead / (by a damn sight) not dead yet (sigh) / but only cracked and queer with a head / full of the reasons for wine, that tomb-taste / in the lees, a most like-life. And he fell / furious to perception. From the waist / up, a Heaven. From the waist down, a Hell / too charred and sodden for riot, and so / a kind of Heaven under, that Heaven above / being stormed and noisy as Hell. It is hard to know / which dying takes a sot-saint's love. / To stink and look crazy and yet to groan / from deep as the flesh is; that begins. / To burble bloody froths yet clown; / that continues. To have two skins / on one back and be man and beast, / that is nature in nature. To be is all." // … page 73 in "39 Poems".

Seller Inventory # 399

Bibliographic Details

• Title: 39 Poems, by John Ciardi, 1959 Fifth Printing, Published by Rutgers University Press. Book is Hardcover Format
• Publisher: Rutgers University Press
• Publication Date: 1959
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Dust Jackets
  • American Poetry
  • Poetry