Robert Calvert: The Action Man Explains

Above: taken on 12/06/81 at a performance of Bob's show "Quark Strangeness and Charm", which was staged at the London Arts Theatre.

This page previews a forthcoming comprehensive anthology of Bob Calvert's written work, to be entitled "Robert Calvert: The Action Man Explains".  All material here kindly provided by and (c) Chris Purdon 2007.  First, the flyer:

NEW BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT - ROBERT CALVERT: THE ACTION MAN EXPLAINS An anthology of the poems, stories and plays of Robert Calvert, edited by Jill Calvert and Chris Purdon The Clyvedon Press Robert Calvert left a huge legacy of written work: poetry, song lyrics, plays, short stories. His appeal has not diminished with the passing of time and the relevance of his work, with particular emphasis on his concerns on the advancements of modern science, ring ever louder and with ever more truth. Much of this work has previously been collected and published: Centigrade 232 and The Earth Ritual gathered together examples of his poetry, for example. These are now long out-of-print and fetching significant premiums when copies become available. Clyvedon Press is therefore delighted to announce the publication in 2008 of a new, fully authorised, casebound edition of the written work of Robert Calvert. Compiled with the full authorisation and involvement of Jill, Robert’s widow, the book will comprise his poems, stories and plays. In conjunction with the launch of the book, there will be a Robert Calvert event in 2008 at Pentameters Theatre, Hampstead, London, organised by Leonie Scott-Matthews. This will take the form of one of the plays being staged, or a week of different events each night. Contents • Re-set versions of Centigrade 232 and The Earth Ritual • Little-known poems including: Voices in the Wind; Decorating; Empty Shells; Bicyclepoem; The Action Man Explains; The Sad Ballad of a Soldier; August Stramm in a Garden; Event (for Jill); Three Men in a Boat; Sound Poem; Photo Finish; Canal Path Travelogue • Stories and prose including: The Toad; Street Theatre Police Brutality Read All Abaht It!; The Last of the Listening Ears; Reclusion; The Young Man and the Sea; Morning – And the Hour-Glass Whispers; Cattle at Twilight; 8 Days a Week • Plays to include: Box; The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam’s Dice; Mirror Mirror; Roar of the Sealion This list is not exhaustive, and material is still being researched and gathered. If you have any of Robert’s writings that you think might be suitable for inclusion, please contact the publisher at the address below. In particular, we would like to include Robert’s play about Brian Jones and Donald Crowhurst, the manuscript for which is missing. Bibliographic and contact details Casebound, approximately 300 pages.  Price and ISBN to be confirmed; publication date 2008. Clyvedon Press is not taking orders for the book yet. However, if you wish to be kept informed or express your interest in purchasing the book, please e-mail your contact details to the publisher, or write to at the address below. Your details will not be supplied to any third party. The Clyvedon Press Ltd, 95 Maes-y-Sarn, Pentyrch, Cardiff CF15 9QR, UK

Editor Chris Purdon, also notes: My company, Clyvedon Press, is publishing in 2008 of a new, fully authorised, casebound edition of the written work of Robert Calvert. Compiled with the full involvement of Jill Calvert the book will comprise all of Robert's known poems, stories and plays. In conjunction with the launch of the book, there will be a Robert Calvert event in 2008 at Pentameters Theatre, Hampstead, London, organised by Leonie Scott-Matthews. This will take the form of one of the plays being staged, or a week of different events each night. And to expand on the comprehensive nature of this anthology, what follows is a planned list of contents.  But, Chris also says: This is the Contents list as it stands so far.  Note,however, that the contents are a bit of a moving feast, certainly not definitive as material gets added as well as deleted - e.g. still investigating copyright over Hawkwind / Hawklords written material, such as the Hawkwind Log Book in ISOS; Pan Transcendental Industries for Hawklords,etc.. But I hope that it will nonetheless give a flavour...

CONTENTS Foreword Preface Part 1: Poems Centigrade 232 • The First Landing on Medusa • Swing • Ode To A Crystal Set • The First Landing On Medusa • Ode To A Time Flower • Some Sketches Of A Hand • The Starfarer’s Despatch • Song Of The Gremlin • The Pause • The Clone’s Poem • Centigrade 232 • Fahrenheit 451 • The Naked And Transparent Man Gives Thanks  • Buster Keaton And The Virgin Sperm Dancer • Dance Steps • Lines For A Conception Card • Lady With A Looking Glass • The Siren • Your Time • A Refusal To Mourn The Removal, By Surgery, Of Two Benign Tumours • Circle Line • An Unposted Letter  • The Urban Mountaineer • The Clerk • Cleaning A Rapidograph • A Letter Of Complaint To The Council • Fly On The Screen • The Recovery • Nail Biter • Mountaineering In Suburbia • The Last Kitten • Caterpillar • Snowfall • Insomnia • Storm • Overslept • The Day We Hunted Birdsong • Fountains In The Park • Coots  • Ragworm In A Rock Pool • Shell • Beachcombing • Ragworm In A Rock Pool • Seagulls (1) • Seagulls (2) • Recollections Of A Seaside Love Affair • The Drowned Man  • The Red Baron Regrets • Churchill’s Secret Rock Deal • John Keats At Margate • Voodoo Child (In Memory Of Jimi Hendrix) • The Legend Of Ezra Pound  The Earth Ritual • Frog God • Fields • Cherry Picking • Scarecrows • Wood Lice • Cabbages • Squirrel In A Graveyard • Pylons Revisited • Crane Fly • The Earth Ritual • White Dynasty • The Urban Sheepdog • Pigeons On A Clifftop • Deck Chairs • The End Of The Pier Show • Punch • Holy Joe • Life Boat Signals • High Seas • Salvage • Grab • Married† • Watching a Demolition Crew at Work • At a London Library Poetry Reading • Joker Other Poems • Ten Seconds of Forever • Welcome to the Future • Wage War • Empty Shells • Bicyclepoem • The Action Man Explains • The Sad Ballad of a Soldier • August Stramm in a Garden • Event (for Jill) • Three Men in a Boat • Sound Poem • Photo Finish • Canal Path Travelogue • Ode to Toxteth • The Hashishins • Telstar • The Little Bit That Won’t Lie Down • Big Bad Girls of London • The Dance of the 39 Steps • High Seas • In Defence of the House of Lords • Irish-Non-Rebel-Song • England without The Times • True Brit • Idi Amin Rap • The Alien • Voices in the Wind • Decorating • and two previously unpublished poems given to Nazar Ali Khan [to come] Part 2: Stories / Prose • Street Theatre Police Brutality Read All Abaht It! • The Last of the Listening Ears • Reclusion • Cattle at Twilight • 8 Days a Week • The Hawkwind Log • Pan Transcendental Industries Inc. / Reality You Can Rely On • Hawkwind Fly as a Kite • The Toad • Morning – And the Hour-Glass Whispers • The Young Man and the Sea • Ideal Hangout Part 3: Plays • The Box • The Stars That Play with Laughing Sam’s Dice • The Kid from Silicon Gulch • Test Tube Baby of Mine • Donald Crowhurst and Brian Jones *** • Mirror Mirror • The Roar of the Sealion *** If the manuscript can be found, of course.

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