1970 Allen Ginsberg Sends Revised Stanza for His Landmark Poem, Friday the Thirteenth.
A very desirable single page ALS with envelope from Allen Ginsberg to the editor of Klipsun at Western Washington State University regarding their desire to print his poem Friday the Thirteenth. The poem had just been published in Rolling Stone and would become one of his most enduringly influential productions. Accompanied by the resulting issue of Klipsun with Ginsberg’s revised poem, presumably Hietzman’s copy.
Signed twice and initialed once, the present provides important insight into his revisionary process, the importance he placed on shape and typeset for the proper reading of his poems, and more specifically, the changes provide potential for further understanding of this historically critical text.
The letter, in full:
RD2 Cherry Valley
N.Y. 13320
June 10, 1970
Dear Mr. Heitzman & Klipsun
Yes fine delightful do reprint Friday the 13th from Rolling Stone, (if you’re able @ Allen Ginsberg reprinted from Rolling Stone; but that is taken for granted) –
Please back up that single over-long strophe I mentioned on the phone, as follows -:
Growth rate trippers hallucinatory everglade real estate! Steak swallowers hooked on Television:
Old ladies on stockmarket habits – old wall street paper money pushers.
Be sure right hand margines justified – i.e. carry all lines that run on + lay over should be carried out to margin before laying over indented as in Rolling Stone.
Also, line I part II should end – old massacres in suburb garages – old massacres not massacres – OK –
Allen Ginsburg
Then in the left margin, written horizontally, Send me one or 2 copies please – AG
The envelope also in his hand with another signature of his.
