WAY POEMS

This is a pretty scarce chapbook from 1962. Michael Cross was rummaging around Serendipity one afternoon and generously telephoned to ask if this was in my collection. I wasn’t familiar with it so I asked him to send it to me. A short note contextualizes the book:

The poems in this collection are a response to the first—“The Way” by Robert Creeley. The communion was undertaken by the individual poets without any conscious effort at group expression. The poets feel that the collection of unique responses to the archetype is a vivid realization of the community of poetry.

Creeley’s poem appeared in For Love the same year.

            THE WAY

My love's manners in bed
are not to be discussed by me,
as mine by her
I would not credit comment upon gracefully.

Yet I ride by the margin of that lake in
the wood, the castle,
and the excitement of strongholds;
and have a small boy's notion of doing good.

Oh well, I will say here,
knowing each man,
let you find a good wife too,
and love her as hard as you can.

Five poems written after Creeley’s follow. The authors are Edward A Chilgren Jr, Delia Chilgren, Lillian Chilgren, Melanie DeMaria, and Sister Mary Norbert Körte OP. The colophon reads, “Printed in an edition of 300 by Clifford Burke at the Cranium Press. Cover design by Melanie DeMaria.” A green infinity symbol appears on the back cover. The printing doesn’t look entirely like Burke’s: double hyphens are used instead of proper em dashes; inking is rather uneven; and as you can see above, the W and the S are printed over the dark green tree image on the cover. Burke’s printing is notorious for its legibility. I just did a search on AddAll and didn't see a copy listed. Anyone know the story behind this book? Drop us a line.

By the way, if you would like to comment on this or any other post, I believe you must click on the heading to make the comment box appear.

—KS