Lyrics for the Bride of God

London: Jonathan Cape, 1975. First Edition. Good. Softcover : (10) 148 (2, blank) : b&w covers with illustration from a drawing by Miguel Ocampo.

Covers are creased, rubbed and chipped; soil mark to verso of top cover, half title, and decreasing through the title and following three pages; extensively marked by poet Billy Jones. A book length poem that raises "a host of political issues from ecology to feminism; and creating...an astonishing cosmos propelled by the eternal interaction of the male and female" (back cover).

Jones' engagement with the work of other poets at times verged on the creation of "parallel texts" (Pounder). There are some comments at the top and tail of Tarn's poem in Jones' signature block text but he otherwise limited himself to underlining. A note on the half title tells us this book was, "A gift from Terry skidded across balcony "star washed floor" first day of our fast together" and at the dedication he writes "Began Jan 31 1976 / Red with Her Fire". The "her" is probably Diane who had died tragically in a car accident the year before. She makes a regular appearance in Jones' marginalia throughout his life, including at the end of this one: "August 30. 1977 / Thankyou N, Tarn / T. Share / Diane." And on the last page, somewhat cryptically, "Finished / Feb. 6, 1975 // Sad Day