What a Word Dreamt; Versions of Aztec Poetry

Stockton, Minnesota: Sutton Hoo Press, 2005. Limited Edition. Hardcover. Fine. One of 136 copies, folio size, 78 pp., signed by Peter Everwine. This volume is Peter Everwine's (1930-2018) translation of Aztec poetry from the Nahuatl language; Everwine worked with various poets and translated poetry from the Hebrew and Aztec languages, as well as writing his own poetry. "Everwine was the recipient of multiple awards and honors, including a Pushcart Prize, fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a Guggenheim Fellowship, among others. His poetry was featured in the Paris Review, the American Poetry Review, and others" (n.b., from the web site of the Poetry Foundation).

The poems here contain a gentleness and subtlety in their descriptions of beauty; they are a lovely selection of Aztec poetry and illuminate the values and spirituality of the culture. Printed by the Sutton Hoo Press, this fine press publication has the poems printed in Everwine's English translation with the Nahuatl text printed as running headers and footers throughout the book, forming a unique rhythm in which to experience the writing.

Scarce in the marketplace; as of this writing, we see no other copies online, and no auction records (RBH). Our search of OCLC finds forty copies with institutions, leaving just ninety-six copies available for private ownership.

___DESCRIPTION: Full red cloth, grey paper spine label with title in dark grey, fore- and bottom edges uncut, original Nahuatl text header and footer in red running throughout the book; hand-set Bembo and Blado types, Magnani paper, folio size (13.25" by 7.5"), pagination: [i-ii] [1-4] 5-66 [67-76], one of 136 copies, unnumbered, signed by Peter Everwine on the colophon.

___CONDITION: A fine copy; the covers clean, the corners straight and unrubbed, the binding tight with solid hinges, the interior clean and bright, and free of prior owner markings; clean, crisp, as new.  

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