The first section of this long poem was originally released as ARK, The Foundations 1-33, North Point Press, 1980. Johnson died in 1998 and his obituary, printed in the New York Times, is held by the Sackner Archive. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Johnson writes in the introduction, "These poems are listenings, as poems must listen and sing simultaneously. They are a progression of hearings of Mahler's 'Song of the Earth' on records, in concert, and in my head."The only difference between this disavowed edition and the regular edition that is also held by the Sackner Archive is the inclusion of one rather than three blank pages at the end of the book. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Johnson writes in the introduction, "These poems are listenings, as poems must listen and sing simultaneously. They are a progression of hearings of Mahler's 'Song of the Earth' on records, in concert, and in my head."The only difference between this regular edition and the disavowed edition that is also held by the Sackner Archive is the inclusion of three pages rather than one blank page at the end of the book. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Edited by Peter O'Leary who also contributed an introduction. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.