Panels for the Walls of Heaven. Bern Porter, 1946, Signed, Hand Painted Covers

Patchen hand painted the front and back covers so that each edition of Panels for the Walls of Heaven is unique. On the back cover he penned and signed, "This Edition is Limited to one hundred and fifty Numbered & Signed Copies with Covers Decorated by the Author. THREE. Kenneth Patchen." On the inside back cover in green, he has written, "no two covers alike. Copy 3." Printed by the "gillick press, berkeley," 67 numbered pages. The top and side of the pages are painted a maroon red. A cellophane sheet protects the painted covers including the inside back cover. Some aging visible to the light inside covers, otherwise fine. Panels for the Wall of Heaven is an example of the painted poetry Patchen, a self taught poet, created. He incorporated music into his poetry, reading his poetry to jazz in the 1950's and collaborating with John Cage.