 Cover of the 1908 publication | |
| Author | Jean Louis De Esque |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Nicholas Briganti |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Poetry |
| Published | July 1, 1908 (Connoisseur's Press)[1] |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 104 pp (first edition) |
| OCLC | 16642101 |
| Text | Betelguese, a Trip Through Hell at Wikisource |
Betelguese, a Trip Through Hell is a 1908 lyrical poem book written by Jean Louis De Esque.[2] The publication includes a preface by the author with two poetic works, "When I am Gone" and "Betelguese." The latter poem has been called a "classic" work that utilized off-beat language, considered to be a delight to the philologist. It has been compared to the poetic works of George Sterling and Kenneth Patchen.
The book was published during the height of the nature fakers controversy, and it has been suggested that De Esque elected to release Betelguese, a Trip Through Hell while Theodore Roosevelt was on a trip to Africa in an effort to avoid potential conflict that might have resulted from Roosevelt's awareness of its content.