Monday, June 9, 2014

DESCENT ~












John Haines
Descent
CavanKerry Press
Fort Lee, New Jersey




After the book dealers scarfed a book sale, pushed into their boogie corners with their stashes, counting and mounting their hardware, the scanner-monkeys with their hand scanners and adding up the treasures, I found this book left behind on one of the tables. It was inscribed to Scott Walker, John Haines publisher once upon a time at Graywolf Press. It was then fully signed by the author on the full title page. It was a fine and dandy presentation copy.  We were all in a high vaulted gymnasium on a Friday morning, plastic sheeting covering the hardwood floor. I had read everything by Haines, or so I thought. Somehow I had missed this book from late in the poet's life. Essays. Some reviews. A few endearing memoirs.
 It was a lucky day.



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