One area of the library's stack collection which is particularly extensive and richly varied is its poetry selection (the 821s for English poetry, Dewey fans). There are thousands of volumes down there, containing millions of verses. They come in all shapes and sizes, from large and sumptuously illustrated editions to tiny pocket books. A miniscule collection of aphoristic Chinese verse titled Fragments of Jade may be one of the smallest books we have; its old yellow record card is actually greater in area than the cover of the book and rather spoils the otherwise exquisite aesthetic appeal of this perfectly formed object. Elsewhere there are self-published pamphlets, limited edition small-press publications, agit-prop broadsheets, Victorian collections with beautiful colour plates revealed beneath diaphonous sheets of tissue paper, and early collections by poets who would go on to great renown, sometimes in other literary forms. I recently hauled a trolley-load of these treasures...
Comments
Post a Comment