Harold Norse I See America Daily First Edition Mother’s Hen 1974 Poetry

Description

Harold Norse occupies a fascinating position in twentieth-century American poetry. A friend and correspondent of many figures associated with the Beat movement, he spent years living in Europe before returning to San Francisco, where he became an important presence in the city’s literary culture. By the time I See America Daily appeared in 1974, Norse had already published widely, translated the work of Giuseppe Gioachino Belli, appeared in Penguin’s Modern Poets series, and issued the landmark City Lights collection Hotel Nirvana.

Issued by the small San Francisco press Mother’s Hen as Muchos Somos Series No. 4, this chapbook captures Norse working within the independent literary networks that sustained alternative poetry throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Publications such as this were often produced in modest numbers, sold through readings, little magazines, and independent bookstores, and seldom preserved with collectors in mind. Today they offer a direct connection to the vibrant West Coast poetry scene that flourished alongside City Lights, Evergreen Review, and the broader Beat and post-Beat movements.

A desirable Harold Norse item and an excellent addition to any Beat, San Francisco poetry, or small-press collection.