Books and Manuscripts

A Scarce and Well-Preserved Collection from Cleveland's 1960s Underground Press Movement

Polluted Lake Series
Cleveland, Ohio: Renegade Press, 1965. In 12 volumes. First edition. Nos. 1-12. Edited by d.a. levy. Square or oblong 24mo, or smaller. Original staple-bound stiff letterpress-printed paper wrappers, bound using a variety of colored paper stocks; text printed in letterpress, mimeograph, and photocopy, in a variety of color inks on a variety of color paper stock. Taylor and Horvath P-43 - 54

A rare and complete set of American poet and publisher d.a. levy's series of Concrete Poetry chapbooks. Each chapbook features a single poem, and was constructed by levy by hand. Contributors include levy, Russell Atkins, Geoffrey A. Cook, Eric K. Albrecht, Kent Taylor, Russell Salaman, Edwin Morgan, Dom Sylvester Houedard, Sam Dogin, Susan Koppelman Cornillon, Alan Denis, and Dagmar.

Together with:

The Marrahawanna Quarterly
Cleveland, Ohio: Renegade Press, 1964-65. In three volumes. First edition, first printing (first and second volumes each one of 150 copies printed; third volume one of 200 copies printed). Comprising issues 1-3 (of 4) of Vol. 1. Square 12mo. Edited by d.a. levy. Presentation copy of issue three, inscribed and doodled by levy on a laid-in card, to poet and issue's contributor, Grace Butcher, "hope you don't mind i used two of yr poems for this issue. levy", front wrapper of same volume signed by Butcher. Illustrated by numerous artists. Original staple-bound stiff letterpress-printed paper wrappers, printed on a variety of paper stock, scattered minor soiling and wear to wrappers; text printed in letterpress and mimeograph, on a variety of color paper stock. Taylor and Horvath P-38, P-42, and P-55

A well preserved and scarce set of the first three issues of the first volume of levy's influential poetry and literary review journal, featuring works from numerous contributors, including levy, Dave Rasey, George Montgomery, Allen Katzman, Donald Blazek, Kent Taylor, Marguerite Harris, Grace Butcher, George Bowering, and others. Each issue was constructed by levy by hand using a variety of colored and textured paper stock and scraps, and printed using a combination of letterpress and mimeograph. The Marrahawanna Quarterly was published by levy's Renegade Press in 14 issues between 1964-68, and was often seized, along with other work from his press, by the Cleveland's police who deemed his publications obscene.

d.a. levy (1942-68) was a highly influential and provocative figure in Cleveland's underground poetry and independent publishing scene in the 1960s, and was praised by the likes of Beat icon Allen Ginsberg, and often targeted by Cleveland's authorities due to his outspoken views on politics, police brutality, and drugs.