Shadows Seen and Unseen: Poetry from the Shadows: Works of Clark Ashton Smith, by Raymond L. F. Johnson with Ardath W. Winterowd

Shadows Seen and Unseen: Poetry from the Shadows: Works of Clark Ashton Smith, by Raymond L. F. Johnson with Ardath W. Winterowd, published in 2007. A thoughtful and evocative study of the poetry of Clark Ashton Smith, concentrating on the darker, visionary, and often neglected aspects of his poetic output. The volume engages with poems such as The Hashish-Eater, The City of the Singing Flame, The Garden of Evil, Nero, and other key works, exploring Smith’s cosmic imagery, decadent symbolism, and metaphysical imagination. Johnson and Winterowd situate Smith’s verse within the traditions of weird literature, fantasy, and philosophical poetry, illuminating his unique voice and his close literary kinship with contemporaries such as H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard. Blending literary analysis with interpretive insight, the book highlights Smith’s enduring influence and the depth of his poetic vision. Hardcover with the original dust jacket and slipcase, near fine.