GIORNO, John. Balling Buddha.

GIORNO, John. Balling Buddha.
New York: The Kulchur Foundation, 1970

4to (250 x 190 mm). [ii], 174 pp. Text in two columns on six different-colored paper stock; pp 63-94 sunned at outer margins, p 142 with inherent paper flaw not affecting text. Pictorial wraps, with cover by Les Levine; rubbed, bumped at head, tail, and upper corner. Good.

FIRST EDITION. Allen Ginsberg first introduced the poet to Buddhism, and this is an early example of Giorno exploring Buddhist thought in his work. He went on to become a lifelong Tibetan Vajrayana practitioner, and aided William S. Burroughs in transforming the Bunker at 222 Bowery into a Buddhist practice space. 

This work features his signature double-column poems, which sought to recreate the distortions of his live performances. One year after the present volume was published, Giorno visited India and Nepal, where he gave the Dalai Lama a copy of this work. The poet and Ira Silverberg became close friends after meeting at the Bunker, when Silverberg was only 18: “John was my auntie in this queer family. Our shared outer-boroughs roots and vernacular provided comfort and contrast to the Midwestern-ness of James and William.” He would later become Giorno’s literary agent.

Scarce, with intimate provenance.

PROVENANCE: Ira Silverberg

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