The Light Around the Body [Inscribed Association Copy]

New York: Harper & Row, 1967. First Printing. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. First Edition (so stated) of Bly's second collection, playfully inscribed by him on the front free end paper in three colors of pen in the year of publication: "Oct. 24, '67 / For Henry / who published so many / of these poems / and for Juliet / With warm wishes / Robert." The dedication is to Henry Rago (1915-1969), a poet whose own poems were widely published and editor of Poetry Magazine from 1955-1969, where a full third of the poems in this volume originally appeared. Tall, thin 8vo: viii,62,[2]pp. Publisher's mid-blue paper-covered boards lettered in white, fore-edge untrimmed, cream-colored end papers; matching typographic dust jacket, priced $3.95. An excellent (apparently unread) and important association copy. Roberson A7. Bly's second book of poems "could not be thematically more different from the 'deep image' lyrics of his first book, Silence in the Snowy Fields. A blatantly outspoken attack on the American involvement in the Vietnam War, Light [Around the Body] names names and graphically describes and details man's inhumanity to man in war. The book shocked many readers. Surprisingly enough . . . it won the National Book Award. Characteristically, Bly publicly donated his prize money to the draft resistance movement. . . . The five sections of the book ('The Two Worlds', 'The Various Arts of Poverty and Cruelty', 'The Vietnam War', 'In Praise of Grief', and 'A Body Not Yet Born') clearly illustrate Bly's themes, focus, and structure. The "outward" war poems, placed in the central section, are surrounded by the "inward" poems that point the way back to a more healthy condition, individually and collectively, personally and politically. If there is to be any "light around the body" it will need to come from within, from man's inner life, and it will need to work its way out into the world, vanquishing war and healing the psyche, and thus making peace possible." (Literary Encyclopedia) N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, with dust jackets carefully preserved in archival, removable polypropylene sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).