The Mother Journal. Susan Cataldo. Telephone Books. 2002.

The Mother Journal.

Telephone Books, 2002. Item #2769

Perfect-bound wrappers. Cover design by Ann Rupel, with cover photograph comprising a family photo of Patricia, Mary, and Susan Cataldo; back cover photograph by Stephen Spicehandler, who organized the publication of this work. Printed at The Print Center, Inc.


The colophon indicates that portions of the book were published in Gare du Nord, Alice Notley and Douglas Oliver’s little magazine (1997–1999). Notley and Owen, who are mentioned in the dedication, also appear in the “Coda” of the poem, on the final page and final lines:


“Mother, I am worried it is too
late for me. I am suspicious,
due to your early death. I will
die young. I am walking out
of a thick, gray fog, moist
and sticky, into a woods,
not even an open field. I am
pretending all the trees
are women poets. I am
pretending that I am a sapling now
and Bernadette Mayer is an oak,
with a thick, dark bark and
Alice Notley is a maple, light and
very tall. Eileen Myles is a hemlock
and Susie Timmons is a tulip tree.
Maureen Owen is a gingko, oldest tree
known to civilization, cultivated
by Zen monks in Japanese gardens.
I can’t even pretend yet
what kind of tree I am but
I have finally taken root
this morning I dreamt trees
I thought were dead were
sprouting new leaves.” 


This book explores her relationship with her mother who passed away when Cataldo was young, as well as her own motherhood (at the age of 15). The book is published posthumously; Cataldo passed away in 2001.


This is from an edition of 500 copies, of which 26 are lettered A to Z with fabric art tip-ins by cover artists Ann Rupel. This is letter "C," and is fine.

Price: $75.00

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