Poems by John Giorno [Jill Johnston’s copy]

Octavo thick glossy wraps, staple-bound. One of a thousand copies printed of Giorno’s first book with cover by Robert Rauschenberg & frontispiece by Les Levine, this book belonged to the late great Jill Johnston (1929-2010), critic, radical lesbian feminist and champion of the avant-garde, and bears her distinctive stamp in blue ink which reads “Write first. then live.” J.J. In a Brooklyn Rail interview Giorno discusses his connection to Johnston, thus: “We were very good friends in the very early years. I’m not sure when I met Jill, but maybe ’61. I knew her in the context of this tiny downtown art scene. We were both outsiders and we felt safe together. Jill was friends with Bob Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns too. In those early years we danced together at parties. I knew nothing about dancing but we would modern dance together, incredibly drunk and stoned. I just saw a movie that Andy made in 1963 of Jill dancing with Fred Herko on the roof of this building 222 Bowery. We liked talking and being together, protectively, for some reason.” Just some rubbing to covers, spotting & discoloration to blank rear cover, Johnston’s handwritten notes inside front cover (red ballpoint: “p 14 / p 27″0 and the aforementioned rubber stamp to ffep. Interior bright and clear. Further images upon request.