The Last Oblivion: Best Fantastic Poems of Clark Ashton Smith

Clark Ashton Smith could well be considered one of the great poets of the twentieth century and much of his verse explores the realms of fantasy terror wonder and the supernatural. In this volume-the first major selection of Smiths poetry in more than thirty years-editors S. T. Joshi and David E. Schultz have presented an extensive array of poetic work that fully reveals Smiths exotic language imaginative range and metrical precision.Including work from as early as the precocious Star-Treader and Other Poems (1912) and as late as the posthumously published The Hill of Dionysus (1962) The Last Oblivion features such celebrated works as Nero Ode to the Abyss and Smiths exquisite elegies to his mentor George Sterling and to his colleague in fantasy H. P. Lovecraft. Poems on Zothique Averoigne and Atlantis-realms in which many of his prose tales are set-are also featured. As an aid to readers an exhaustive glossay of unusual words and names used in Smiths poetry is provided.S. T. Joshi and David E. Schultz are leading authorities on Smith H. P. Lovecraft and their circle. Among their numerous publications are Hippocampus Press editions of the complete poetry of George Sterling and the collected works of Samuel Loveman.