A Visit to William Blake's Inn; Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers by Willard, Nancy; Provensen, Alice and Martin - 1982

New York and London: Harcourt Brace and Jovanovich, 1982. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine/near fine. Provensen, Alice and Martin. Quarto size, 44 pp., with ANS by the author. Nancy Willard's Newbury Award winning book of magical poems about life at an imaginary inn, run by the inimitable William Blake, whose work inspired the author to write this book. Included with this copy is an autographed note by the author to Ruth Gordon, Chair of the Newbury Committee for 1982, enclosing a photocopy of a poem written and sent to her by Edgar Jackson, an inmate at Fairbanks Prison Correctional Center. Nancy Willard visited a prison in Alaska where she discussed poetry with a group of the innmates, and read to them from "A Visit to William Blake's Inn".

Edgar Jackson was one of those inmates, an Eskimo man, who was so moved by her reading that he wrote a poem in response to the visit, which also had a small drawing of an "Eskimo protection spirit". His words "Feel the heavens smile upon you / Feel the earth quiver / as you walk in silence / as you breathe / as you bring / the great spirit into your life... " emphasize the impact this book had on readers, nearly transcending the "Children's Book" category, here in a multi-layered homage to Blake.

___DESCRIPTION: Original quarter linen and blind- pictorially stamped mauve paper, lettering in copper to backstrip, illustrated in full colour throughout; quarto size (10.25" by 8.25"), 44 pp., the first edition. In original pictorial dust jacket which shows the original price of $10.95, illustrations on front and back panels, summary on front flap, author and illustrator bios on the back flap. With an autograph note signed by the author in the original mailing envelope as described above.

___CONDITION: A fine copy, the binding clean, the text block tight and strong with solid hinges, the interior clean and bright, and free of prior owner markings; in a near fine, unclipped dust jacket with minimal wear. The ANS also near fine, only the original folds and very light overall wear.

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