Howls And Whispers

(Hadley, MA): The Gehenna Press, 1998. First edition of these eleven poems which were withheld from the publication of Hughes' Birthday Letters, poems addressed to Sylvia Plath. One of 10 deluxe copies, with three watercolors by Baskin, a second suite of the etchings, one copperplate and a leaf of the corrected manuscript of Hughes' poem "The Hidden Orestes", out of a total edition of 110 copies printed by hand in Centaur types on Italian handmade paper signed by Hughes and Baskin; this being copy number 10. In addition, the present copy contains three extra watercolors by Baskin, and a suite of twenty signed proof etchings. With the unexpected publication of Birthday Letters, Hughes broke a thirty-five year long silence on the subject of his late wife, shocking some partisans, but winning many new admirers for his poetry. The eleven poems in Howls & Whispers are published here for the first time. A very fine copy of this gorgeous book. Small 4to, illustrated with eleven original etchings by Leonard Baskin, original full red & black leather with black leather label on the spine and on the front cover, in cloth folding box, by Claudia Cohen. A very fine copy of this gorgeous book.