Jacob's Ladder, The.
Levertov, Denise. The Jacob’s Ladder. New York: New Directions, 1961.
Slim 8vo.; printed wrappers; fine.
First edition, wrappered issue. A presentation copy, inscribed: Love to John Button from Denise Levertov. See p. 46. On page 46 Levertov added, This poem all started from a painting of yours. D. The poem in question is “Clouds.” Born in 1929, John Button worked throughout his life as a landscape painter. A native of San Francisco, he often traveled to Eastern Long Island, where, especially in the 1950s, he fell under the influence of Fairfield Porter and enjoyed a close friendship with Frank O’Hara. His circle included the poets, dancers, musicians and painters who are now collectively called the New York School. He died in 1982.
Following the publication of her first novel and the publicity boost from Kenneth Rexroth, Levertov’s work began appearing in small literary journals. After accepting a position at Black Mountain College – the progressive art school in North Carolina – she becamne close with poets in that circle. By the mid-fifties, her career was firmly established; and when The Jacob’s Ladder was published in 1961, she was the poetry editor of The Nation, a position she held for the next four years.
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