#robertmorgan

I’ll go ahead and say it: Robert Morgan might very well be the best living American poet. He is certainly the best living poet from our region. His work spans decades, and each book plays with different forms, styles, subjects, and characters. From hardscrabble farms to pondering solar terrestrial physics, his work spans the gambit and does so with a poetic clarity few can rival. He published his first book “Zirconia Poems” in 1969. This is one of the 25 hardback copies I’ve only heard rumors of until now. My friend Chan Gordon helped me find some of Morgan’s rarer chapbooks and such, and he always joked that one day he would sell me his Zirconia. Chan would go on to publish a small fine press edition of Morgan’s later book “October Light.” Morgan sent Chan this copy, and it includes the accompanying letter. I’m pleased to add it to the collection, as it will also serve as a reminder of Chan’s longstanding love and promotion of literature from the southern mountains. I’ve included the poems “Hunting” and “Junkyard After Storm” here. Fine book, without a jacket as issued. Numbered 19/25, and signed by Morgan. Association Copy. A new cornerstone of the collection. #robertmorgan #zirconiapoems #lillabuleropress #rarebooks #firstedition #bookcollection #bookcollecting #bookcollection #bibliophile #bookporn #bookhunting #bookstagram #modernfirsts #modernfirsteditions #finebooks #signedbooks #shelfie #southernliterature #southernlit #tennessee #appalachianlit #appalachianliterature #kentucky #northcarolina #virginia #westvirginia #appalachianpoetry https://www.instagram.com/p/CqWksHPsRY0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Pleased to receive the Tenth Anniversary Expanded Edition of Jesse Graves’s first book “Tennessee Landscape with Plighted Pine.” I can remember finding a copy of this in a bookstore before I knew much about local, or even regional, literature and it came as a revelation to me that there might be a living poet who talked about the places around me, let alone someone who addressed contemporary concerns. I’ve since had my eyes opened to the huge amount of literature in the region, but seeing “Blighted Pine” in the title came as a surprise to me back then. This expanded edition comes with comments from a host of fine authors, such as Robert Morgan, Rita Sims Quillen, Fred Chappell, Jeff Daniel Marion, and Ron Rash. The edition also has an intro by Matthew Wimberly (@blueridgepoet). Fine new book from @texasreviewpress and I’m looking forward to the 12 new poems. Poem is “Most Distant Antiquity.” . . . . #jessegraves #tennesselansscapewithightedpine #ritasimsquillen #ronrash #robertmorgan #fredchappell #rarebooks #firstedition #bookcollection #bookcollecting #bookcollection #bibliophile #bookporn #bookhunting #bookstagram #modernfirsts #modernfirsteditions #finebooks #signedbooks #southernliterature #southernlit #tennessee #appalachianlit #appalachianliterature #kentucky #northcarolina #virginia #westvirginia #appalachianpoetry #tennessee https://www.instagram.com/p/CdPbMzrsGAD/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

My wonderful wife gave me this as an anniversary gift last week! A wonderful association copy between Miller and Morgan, who at the time stood as two of the biggest names in Appalachian poetry. Morgan wrote the blurb on the back, and Miller sent this inscribed copy to him once it was published. He wrote “Robert, I appreciate your generous endorsement of these poems, Jim, 1988.” Since I collect both of their works, this is a gem in the collection for me. Glad to have it, and thank you to @captainsbookshelf for sending it my way. First softback edition, inscribed association copy, Very Good+ condition. . . . . #jimwaynemiller #robertmorgan #brierpoems #brierhisbook #rarebooks #firstedition #bookcollection #bookcollecting #bookcollection #bibliophile #bookporn #bookhunting #bookstagram #modernfirsts #modernfirsteditions #finebooks #signedbooks #shelfie #southernliterature #southernlit #tennessee #appalachianlit #appalachianliterature #kentucky #northcarolina #virginia #westvirginia #signedbooks https://www.instagram.com/p/CBT25vDJZZG/?igshid=1hjultuko08op

Warm Winter Day: Pines rise like shadows aimed North of the sun.. / rivers shining down oaks. / I relax into the ground / and look into space (the great blue seed) / like an exile turning homeward. / An acorn lies near my eye, long brown breast. / The sun is a spring feeding / the wide blue valley. / Whiskers and spokes of fire twist across the distance/ like a rope bridge in Asia. / The sun hurls it’s dungeons. The black hole / behind the sun is a cave entrance. / You must go into the wilderness alone. I’m thrilled to add this piece to my Robert Morgan collection. A special thanks to #derringerbooks for helping me find “The Voice in the Crosshairs” and thanks to mom for the gift! This is perhaps Morgan’s most difficult to find book, and I’ve hunted if for a few years no without ever seeing even a picture of it. This copy is signed by Morgan to the Pulitzer winning poet James Tate. Merry Christmas to everyone and I hope you enjoy the poem! . . . . . #robertmorgan #voiceinthecrosshairs #jamestate #rarebooks #firstedition #bookcollection #bookcollecting #bookcollection #bibliophile #bookporn #bookhunting #bookstagram #modernfirsts #modernfirsteditions #finebooks #signedbooks #shelfie #southernliterature #southernlit #tennessee #appalachianlit #appalachianliterature #kentucky #northcarolina #virginia #westvirginia #pulitzerprize #merrychristmas https://www.instagram.com/p/B6gQZfGpYH4/?igshid=172l78cecsig3

After a hiatus, I’m back into the fertile soil of Robert Morgan. I found this for nearly nothing online, and now glad to read more poems built on unleveled ground. ‘Sigodlin’ means something out of level, a building constructed on a slant, or a foundation uneven. First/First, inscribed first edition, one of the very limited hardback firsts. Fine/Fine. . . . . . . . #sigodlin #robertmorgan #rarebooks #firstedition #bookcollection #bookcollecting #bookcollection #bibliophile #bookporn #bookhunting #bookstagram #modernfirsts #modernfirsteditions #finebooks #signedbooks #shelfie #southernliterature #southernlit #tennessee #appalachianlit #appalachianliterature #kentucky #northcarolina #virginia #westvirginia #appalachianpoetry https://www.instagram.com/p/B4dsKCIJ30P/?igshid=1ghh8gw8k7dd1

Katherine and I have a had a wonder honeymoon in the Virgin Islands over the last couple weeks! Lots of reading and sunshine and beaches. Here was my reading stack and I’m kinda suprised that I finished all except the William Stafford book. Breece Pancake is always amazing, just as powerful as my first reading. It occurred to me that most of his works occur between two traumas, with the first leading to the second. I highly recommend him. This was my first reading of ‘Deliverance’ by James Dickey. I’m not sure I expected it to be a coming of age type book. The Robert Morgan book didn’t disappoint either, though I think ‘Land Diving’ or ‘Groundwork’ remain my favorites. I think Emma Bell Miles book ‘The Spirit of the Mountains’ was my favorite on this trip. Excellent writing and genuine descriptions of mountain people at the turn of the last century. It doesn’t rely on stereotypes so much as gives honest opinions. This work is something of a treasure. ‘Specter Mountain’ by Graves and Wright only gets better on subsequent readings. Then the seashell book and the climbing guide! We bouldered on Virgin Gorda for a week, but found almost no shells. . . . . . . . #jamesdickey #breecedjpancake #emmabellmiles #robertmorgan #jessegraves #williamwright #williamstafford #deliverance #thestoriesofbreecedjpancake #thespiritofthemountains #eventhequietplaces #spectermountain #darkenergy #rarebooks #firstedition #bookcollection #bookcollecting #bookcollection #bibliophile #bookporn #bookhunting #bookstagram #modernfirsts #modernfirsteditions #finebooks #signedbooks #shelfie #southernliterature #southernlit #tennessee #appalachianlit #appalachianliterature #kentucky #northcarolina #virginia #westvirginia #southcarolina https://www.instagram.com/p/BzWAF_Lp26s/?igshid=1o8s564047t5h

Robert Morgan once said that he believed the chapbook to be the best length for publishing poems because they can be read and ingested in a single sitting. I sat in the yard a couple weeks ago and read his chapbook “Wild Peavines” from cover to soft cover (printed on the #gnomonpress). I’m always struck by the power of his individual lines, and the lack of any unneeded word. I went back and reread “Madstone” several times just to catch the richness of language. Thanks, Mr. Morgan, for the gift. I’ll reread it this summer again. First Chapbook edition, signed to me. Very Good. . . . . . #robertmorgan #wildpeavines #gnomon #rarebooks #firstedition #bookcollection #bookcollecting #bookcollection #bibliophile #bookporn #bookhunting #bookstagram #modernfirsts #modernfirsteditions #finebooks #signedbooks #shelfie #southernliterature #southernlit #tennessee #appalachianlit #appalachianliterature #kentucky #northcarolina #virginia #westvirginia #madstone https://www.instagram.com/p/BxX_0magLdM/?igshid=1j04il6kfzrjr

The annual Appalachian Studies Association Conference is this weekend and I’m excited to go and hear all the speaking and various presentations. Anyone else going to make the trip to Asheville this year? Looks like a great lineup of speakers both at the concert and around the city. I’ve heard a rumor Robert Morgan will do a reading downtown, so I’ll have to bring a couple of my books in hopes of meeting him. From reading the schedule, it appears Ann Pancake’s novel ‘Strange as This Weather has Been’ will receive a lot of critical attention, and well deserved. I’m looking forward to a number of events and hope you all will indulge my coming high volume of posts. First edition, in wraps (as issued) of ‘Bronze Age’ by Robert Morgan. Signed, Fine/Fine. Iron Mountain Press. . . . . #robertmorgan #bronzeage #ironmountainpress #rarebooks #firstedition #bookcollection #bookcollecting #bookcollection #bibliophile #bookporn #bookhunting #bookstagram #modernfirsts #modernfirsteditions #finebooks #signedbooks #shelfie #southernliterature #southernlit #tennessee #appalachianlit #appalachianliterature #kentucky #northcarolina #virginia #westvirginia https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu7ebw9gdR3/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1r660j651dv3