I'm talking about one more issue - one to coincide with the unveiling of the new website. Nothing more. Then, it's over until someone wants to do otherwise.
Wormwood Review
- Thread starter mjp
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bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Hi,
It is a great idea, but Wormwood WAS Marvin Malone. Anyone resurrecting the magazine would be doing it in name only. There is no way to know what Marvin would have accepted and that was what made Wormie great.
I have a Marvin Malone/A. Sypher project coming out pretty soon. Stay tuned. It will be pretty damned cool, I must say.
I would be happy to put a Wormie issue out, but suspect that Christa would want to let it stay as it is. 145/6 was published as the Festschrift issue.
Yes, I have a full run of Wormie and I agree. It needs to be kept together. It stands as an amazing accomplishment; 36 years of a quarterly small press magazine.
There are like 6 copies on abe for $45 - $50 a pop. Also, you could contact Water Row to see if he has a copy.
Are issues #1 & 2 the originals, or one of the 27 copies that were later reprinted and signed by Marvin? My understanding is that #1 & #2 are tough as hell to find. I have never seen a true first of those. I am not sure who, other than SUNY on the East Coast would have a full run. Well, I do, and now so does Purple Stickpin. There could be a few collectors that have a full run, but there are probably not that many sets outside of institutions.
Bill
It is a great idea, but Wormwood WAS Marvin Malone. Anyone resurrecting the magazine would be doing it in name only. There is no way to know what Marvin would have accepted and that was what made Wormie great.
I have a Marvin Malone/A. Sypher project coming out pretty soon. Stay tuned. It will be pretty damned cool, I must say.
I would be happy to put a Wormie issue out, but suspect that Christa would want to let it stay as it is. 145/6 was published as the Festschrift issue.
Yes, I have a full run of Wormie and I agree. It needs to be kept together. It stands as an amazing accomplishment; 36 years of a quarterly small press magazine.
I would probably be willing, but not sure that this could come close to the editorial beauty of Marvin. I think that wormie without Marvin at the helm would be a poor copy. Plus, getting Bukowski would be tough. All unpublished poems were returned by Christa to the Estate following Marvin's death.
There are like 6 copies on abe for $45 - $50 a pop. Also, you could contact Water Row to see if he has a copy.
Are issues #1 & 2 the originals, or one of the 27 copies that were later reprinted and signed by Marvin? My understanding is that #1 & #2 are tough as hell to find. I have never seen a true first of those. I am not sure who, other than SUNY on the East Coast would have a full run. Well, I do, and now so does Purple Stickpin. There could be a few collectors that have a full run, but there are probably not that many sets outside of institutions.
Bill
Rekrab
Usually wrong.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not arguing against one last issue ... I think that's a great idea. Maybe poems Marvin rejected, because most of the regulars would have only sent him their best, I imagine, and he took the best of those. Might be cool to include his notes to poets, if Christa would be okay with that. My own notes from him are generally not that personal. Perhaps a few are, but I can edit if needed. I know I kept everything from Marvin, even the damned envelops that contributor copies came in. I was/am proud of every scrap of it. Now finding it all in this madhouse. That could be a problem. Bill would be the natural choice for editor of this last issue. Curious to know what his current Marvin project is all about. And hey, what about a reprint of Marvin's book of poems? That would be cool.
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
You guys will be the first to see the new Malone/Sypher project (If that is a hint).
Reprinting Marvin's book would be somewhat easy, but would take a little dedication. I have the original woodcuts here, on loan, from that book, so the woodcuts could be reproduced. Also, the book was printed letterpress in 2 colors (the numbers were printed in red and the text in black (the woodcuts were in blue, I believe), so that would be easy. I see no reason that a young publisher could not reprint this, with Christa's permission, of course.
The book was stapled at the left edge and then glued, perfect bound style, in wraps.
If someone decided to reprint and republish this, I would be willing to do the hardback edition at a "friend of the press" price.
Bill
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
not exactly....
More of a sypher project.
Bill
More of a sypher project.
Bill
Not to stir the pot too much (I have mucho coming from you, to be sure!), but that particular piece of Buk's/Wormwood's has, over the years, created quite a controversy. I bought a copy of #95 on ebay under the assumption by both seller and myself that this was actually signed by Buk.
Seems the reproduced signature on Dog Fight led many people to think it was an original signature (such were the good printing methods, I suppose!).
Once I got it, I could tell it was not actually signed, but the seller insisted (and he is a good, reputable seller to be sure). In any case, it took the reason of one great collector (and human being) here to explain to the seller that it was not really a signature. As much as I love and respect Marvin's work, adding that signature had rather unforeseen, and shall we say, somewhat adverse consequences. Apparently this has been an issue more than once on issue #95. No doubt Marvin had no idea how much signed Buk works would escalate in the coming decades.
But hey; wonderful stuff, and I got it all worked out. Even got a discount on a signed hardback of the '76 NYG w/ Ann Menebroker as a result.
Seems the reproduced signature on Dog Fight led many people to think it was an original signature (such were the good printing methods, I suppose!).
Once I got it, I could tell it was not actually signed, but the seller insisted (and he is a good, reputable seller to be sure). In any case, it took the reason of one great collector (and human being) here to explain to the seller that it was not really a signature. As much as I love and respect Marvin's work, adding that signature had rather unforeseen, and shall we say, somewhat adverse consequences. Apparently this has been an issue more than once on issue #95. No doubt Marvin had no idea how much signed Buk works would escalate in the coming decades.
But hey; wonderful stuff, and I got it all worked out. Even got a discount on a signed hardback of the '76 NYG w/ Ann Menebroker as a result.
Digney in Burnaby
donkeys live a long time
It pays to keep plugging in names at various sites. AskewPoetryJournal has eleven uploads of the late Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel reading. She had many poems in WR. I'd love to get one last copy of WR, especially if it included some more Wilma. She's gorgeous.
Brian Pratt
Burnaby, BC, Canada
Brian Pratt
Burnaby, BC, Canada
mjp
Founding member
Mother Road published a Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel collection in the 90's: A Prince Albert Wind. I was blown away when I read it, not having known her work before that. She was a great poet. I'll have to dig up that book and read it again. I didn't realize she'd been in Wormwood, but it makes sense.
Yes, Wilma Elizabeth was a regular in Wormwood--a wonderful poet! I corresponded with here long after WR ended.
But just to set the record straight, there is no further Wormwood material lying around the house. After issue #144, I returned all submitted manuscripts to their owners. The Wormwood archive itself--including 35+ years of manuscripts, correspondence, issue paste-ups, financial records, contributor index, and so on--was donated to the Poetry/Rare Books Collection at SUNY Buffalo (where Michael Basinski is the curator).
But just to set the record straight, there is no further Wormwood material lying around the house. After issue #144, I returned all submitted manuscripts to their owners. The Wormwood archive itself--including 35+ years of manuscripts, correspondence, issue paste-ups, financial records, contributor index, and so on--was donated to the Poetry/Rare Books Collection at SUNY Buffalo (where Michael Basinski is the curator).
Digney in Burnaby
donkeys live a long time
Amongst other times there were two WR chapbooks of her poems: "Flowers in a Tin Can" (1982), WR # 86 and "A Girl From Buttonwillow" (1990) WR # 118-119. The second chapbook also includes "the start of a annotated bibliography for Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel" by Marvin Malone.
I remember stumbling across A Prince Albert Wind down in Seattle a few years ago. Snapped it up as I had already had A Primer For Buford and Sister Vayda's Song.
I remember stumbling across A Prince Albert Wind down in Seattle a few years ago. Snapped it up as I had already had A Primer For Buford and Sister Vayda's Song.
Yes, I had a look at that, and it is certainly a great addition to that copy. But my point was aimed at the overall Issue #95 and the issues I had procuring/resolving what turned out to be an unsigned copy. Apparently others have tried to sell these in the past as "Although not called for, signed."
And to re-iterate, the seller of my copy was innocently doing so.
Honestly, I don't know how anyone, least of all a professional bookseller, could think that signature was original and authentic. It is--and looks--printed. For the record, all Bukowski-signed patron issues of Wormwood #95 were signed on the inside of the front cover, with a little drawing, usually the man-and-jug image.
For future reference on Bukowski-signed patron issues of Wormwood: #16 is signed, dated, and numbered in black India ink on yellow page 19. In issue 24, the signature and number appear on yellow page 15 under the title "Night's Work." Signatures, including Bukowski's, in issue #45 are on a separate bound-in white sheet that appears before page 1 of the issue. Issues 53 and 71 have Bukowski signing on the front cover--a straight signature for issue 71, and fun drawings and quips on the front of 53. Issue 100 has Bukowski and Marvin Malone's signatures and dates on the last page, p. 160. Issue 110-11 has a straight Bukowski signature on the front cover. And issue 122-23 is signed and dated in silver ink on the inside of the front cover, usually with an added drawing. Did I miss any issues?
For future reference on Bukowski-signed patron issues of Wormwood: #16 is signed, dated, and numbered in black India ink on yellow page 19. In issue 24, the signature and number appear on yellow page 15 under the title "Night's Work." Signatures, including Bukowski's, in issue #45 are on a separate bound-in white sheet that appears before page 1 of the issue. Issues 53 and 71 have Bukowski signing on the front cover--a straight signature for issue 71, and fun drawings and quips on the front of 53. Issue 100 has Bukowski and Marvin Malone's signatures and dates on the last page, p. 160. Issue 110-11 has a straight Bukowski signature on the front cover. And issue 122-23 is signed and dated in silver ink on the inside of the front cover, usually with an added drawing. Did I miss any issues?
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Hi Christa,
Surprisingly, I have seen at least a half a dozen in the last decade pop up on ebay as signed. They are always told by me that these are not signed. About half the time, I have to follow up with a scan of my copy to show that it is EXACTLY the same, but people don't wanna hear what costs them money.
These are not reputable booksellers, but ebay sellers who see the signature and "want" it to be authentic, so they try to sell it that way.
One member here actually bought a copy (on abe?) that was listed as signed before questioning it and realizing that it was preprinted. Then he was able to talk the seller into making good on it.
Best,
Bill
Bill, you might well be referring to me, and maybe I should have done my homework better to avoid this situation. And you got involved in the e-mail trail to back me up. And thanks for that. I bought it on ebay, but I'm reluctant to give the seller's ID, as they are probably now out of Buk items for the most part (as far as I know).
The seller came around, and offered me a substantial discount on another item as a result, as I indicated in an earlier post.
But, I stand firm on this: the seller in question was/is a very reputable seller, even if they were not a licensed bookseller, and I have, in the past, purchased several other very nice items from this seller in the past with no problems. At least a dozen good transactions.
I only post this to be clear that my opinion (and I was the one who got the raw end in the first place) is that it was an innocent mistake, and your help was/is greatly appreciated. But I do not want said seller to think their name is being besmirched in any way.
Sorry for the long-winded diatribe, but I'll bitch when need be, and this issue (at least my personal experience; don't know about others) is not one that deserves legs, and I'm sorry I brought it up in the first place.
Rekrab
Usually wrong.
So it's a collection of his art? Isn't that the name Marvin used as an artist? That sounds good.
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Marvin went under the name "A. Sypher" for his artwork. I know that he also used the name "Ernest Stranger". Then he had some pseudonyms for his poetry. One of them was "M.K. Book". He also used a female pen name, but I forget what it is. I have it here, but not in front of me. I'm sure that there were others, but again, I don;t have the list in front of me.
Bill
Bill
Digney in Burnaby
donkeys live a long time
Saul Manilla from Pest, TX. Not female but probably Malone.
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Yes, you both are right. Saul Manilla and Mae Eaton were both Marvin. I always thought that EDSEL FORD was him, but it may have been someone else. Certainly it was not THE Edsel Ford....
Bill
Bill
Bukfan
"The law is wrong; I am right"
You mean this guy?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edsel_Ford_(poet)
And then there was this guy, but he wasn't a poet:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edsel_Ford
I won't let the cat out of the bag (has anyone ever put a cat in a bag - seriously?), but good things are happening on the Wormwood website front. I doubt any of you will be disappointed. But time is required for quality. And quality it will certainly be.
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
I just made a special bookcase for my complete run of WR. It has a place in the front where I can slide in a piece of glass or plexiglass. This was mentioned to me by another member (who thought that I was a carpenter). It works and look o.k., but certainly not what I would call master carpentry. Still, it cleared up a lot of space in my bookcase and lets them set on their own on top of my bookcase....
Bill
Bill
About 21" if I'm not mistaken.