Buk's Final Poems (1 Viewer)

[Mike]

Hi there,

I'm Mike. I work at Ecco, the publishing imprint that took over Buk, Bowles, and Fante for Black Sparrow Press. We're about to publish The People Look Like Flowers At Last, the fifth and final posthumous collection of new poems (we think) from the Buk. I'm giving a few copies away at the site I run: the Cruelestmonth (www.cruelestmonth.com - scroll down a bit if the contest isn't the first post, you can't miss it). If you go, there's a good chance you'll get one. The whole schtick is for readers to submit their imitation of Buk's final poem (whatever that may be).

I'm posting here because we'd like to read some material from people who might actually know a thing or two. I hope you click over.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[cirerita]

Hey, Mike, welcome aboard and thanks for the offer. I don't feel like imitating Buk to get that copy so I'll guess I end up buying it.

you say in your page that this collection is the last one. How sure are you about that? Because, as you probably know, there are hundreds of unpublished and uncollected poems, enough for another 4-5 volumes of poetry.

 

[Mike]

True, true. In my unemployed self, I have a hunch that this won't be the last collection to include new material. As the story goes here (I'll have to confirm this with the two resident experts who are both out today), Buk had discussed with his editor John Martin that certain poems (the ones that he thought were his best) would be collected and released only after his death. When our publisher Dan Halpern picked up the rights to a few of Black Sparrow's authors, these not-yet-formed books came with the deal. We've been receiving the manuscripts from John Martin since then.

Also, as you probably know, Buk's wife has (or probably does) a whole store of unseen material. Whether any of that stuff had been earmarked by Buk for publication is an unknown matter, we think not. We were sold on the idea that this was it. If new material does emerge from the personal archives of whoever, it will not have been designated by Buk himself for publication.

Until proven otherwise.

And thanks! I'm glad to be here.

 

[bright]

As the story goes here (I'll have to confirm this with the two resident experts who are both out today), Buk had discussed with his editor John Martin that certain poems (the ones that he thought were his best) would be collected and released only after his death.

Hmmm, dont know if i can bring myself to believe that.
Ah, well, we will wait and see...

Greetings.

 

[mjp]

Buk had discussed with his editor John Martin that certain poems (the ones that he thought were his best) would be collected and released only after his death.

That tale has been going around for some time. I don't know where it started, but I don't believe it either.

Also, as you probably know, Buk's wife has (or probably does) a whole store of unseen material.

She had a lot of (perhaps unseen) material. It's all at the Huntington now.

 

[Ponder]

What do you guys think of: "sadness in the air"?

 

[roni]

She had a lot of (perhaps unseen) material. It's all at the Huntington now.

When I was talking with Sue Hodson, the curator responsible for the Huntington-Donation (that was in July 2006), she said something like, the unpublished writings of Buk were not part of the donation due to the contract with HarperCollins. (for the literal words I'd have to listen through the tape of my telephone-interview with her.)

 

[mjp]

That's interesting. The night of the ceremony she mentioned thousands and thousands of pages of manuscripts. Maybe it's all the published stuff.

 

[roni]

Her original words on the phone were:
"So far we are not getting the unpublished poems. Linda Bukowski is keeping those because as you know ecco-press is continuing to publish posthumously and there is a good deal of unpublished material. and ecco-press has an exclusive publishing-agreement for this material. so Linda Bukowski is keeping the unpublished poetry. and that's fine with us."

 

[cirerita]

so if you want the unpublished/uncollected material, there are three main options:
Linda
John Martin
and, er, cirerita ;)

 

[bright]

well, thanks a lot for the books and the Tshirt Mike, never would have thought that my poem would make 2nd place.
Were there more than 3 submissions?

Anyhow, thx, that just made my day, getting your
mail from new york.

greetings.

 

[hoochmonkey9]

mine hasn't come yet, and I'm just up the coast! well, more then just.
is it good swag, bright?

 

[bright]

Fair enough, its a first edition of "the people look like flowers at last" and "ham on rye", both from ecco.
oh, and some stickers and a Tshirt(girlSize) with "I`d rather be reading Bukowski" on them.
And 2 Buk Posters.
I like it.

 

[hoochmonkey9]

excellent, I think all 3 winners are regular posters on this board.Bobby D being the other, I think.

 

[hoochmonkey9]

well, how's that for timing? the courier just rang the bell, holding a box.
inside: the people look like flowers at last
BSP paperback of the days... (27th printing). I have an earlier printing, early teens I think, and the colour, font and thickness of the book are all different. I didn't realize BSP changed like that.
t shirt
3 bumper stickers
2 Buk magnetic poetry kits
3 Buk Lives posters.

happy to get it.especially free...

 

[mjp]

BSP paperback of the days... (27th printing). I have an earlier printing, early teens I think, and the colour, font and thickness of the book are all different. I didn't realize BSP changed like that.

The later Black Sparrow books do not have leterpressed covers, so there was a change at some point in the production of the books. Martin always used quality paper though, and never (okay, rarely) put out an inferior product.

 

[Black Swan]

That tale has been going around for some time. I don't know where it started, but I don't believe it either.

She had a lot of (perhaps unseen) material. It's all at the Huntington now.

May I ask? Are you referring to The Huntington Society for the Huntington disease? If so, do you know why?
I have lost 2 members of my family to that disease and another one is also affected. Joe

 

[bospress.net]

The Huntington Library.

 

[Black Swan]

Thanks, what was I thinking?