[Rarebooks] FS: Elizabeth Bishop's Copy of Samuel Greenberg's Poems

[Charles Agvent]

[BISHOP, Elizabeth] GREENBERG, Samuel. POEMS BY SAMUEL GREENBERG. New 
York: Henry Hold and Company, (1947). First Edition. Preface by Allen 
Tate. Elizabeth Bishop's copy SIGNED by her on the front endpaper. In a 
letter to Robert Lowell dated 27 June 1950 Bishop writes of THIS book: 
"I spent most of the weekend reading Samuel Greenberg--have you? I got 
so mad at the introductions, particularly Tate's--and if you haven't 
read the poems I recommend them highly. He was certainly one of the 
finest poetic characters I know anything about, and phrases are 
magnificent--and no critic has ever apparently appreciated either at 
their real value" (ONE ART: ELIZABETH BISHOP'S LETTERS, p. 204). In 
another letter to Robert Lowell dated August 1950, Bishop writes: "I'm 
reading The 'Green Huntsman' and it's marvelous--also just finished 
Samuel Greenberg and Isaac Rosenberg who have many strange points in 
common" (WORDS IN AIR: THE COMPLETE CORRESPONDENCE OF ELIZABETH BISHOP 
AND ROBERT LOWELL). Clearly even two months later this book was still in 
the forefront of Bishop's mind. While we have handled several copies of 
Bishop's books signed by her as well as correspondence, this is the 
first book from the poet's library that we have encountered. It appears, 
also, to be a book that had some influence on Bishop's development as a 
poet. Greenberg was also a huge influence on the poet Hart Crane, who 
first read Greenberg in manuscript. Crane was so taken by Greenberg, he 
lifted entire lines for his own poems. The cloth was damaged by water at 
some point with the result that it is discolored. There is only slight 
water damage to the dustwrapper. Still Very Good in a Very Good 
dustwrapper. (#014861) $1,500.00

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