Martha Ronk Papers
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Copyright 2009, 2019
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Descriptive Summary
Languages:
English
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Title: Martha Ronk Papers
Identifier/Call Number: MSS 0697
Physical Description:
6.3 Linear feet
(12 archives boxes and 3 oversize folders)
Physical Description:
.3 GB
of digital files
Date (inclusive): 1983-2019
Abstract: Papers of Martha Ronk, fiction writer, editor, and American poet. The papers primarily document Ronk's literary correspondence,
poetry manuscripts, and editorial projects beginning from the mid-1980s.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Martha Ronk Papers contain materials documenting her activities as a poet, publisher, editor, and fiction writer, and
features manuscripts of poetry and prose. The papers also include editorial materials related to both Littoral Books and the
journal
The New Review of Literature, poetry workshops, poetry reading materials, articles, and art reviews. The majority of the collection is made up of typescript
drafts from Ronk's collected poetry, which contain handwritten notes and revisions from Ronk and her publishers. The collection
also contains general correspondence between Ronk and other poets, book publishers, and literary editors.
Arranged into seven series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) WRITINGS BY RONK, 3) EDITORIAL PROJECTS, 4) CRITICISMS AND REVIEWS, 5) READINGS
AND WORKSHOPS, 6) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS, and 7) 2019 ADDITIONS.
Biography
Martha Clare Ronk was born on February 19, 1940, in Cleveland, Ohio. She received her B.A. in English from Wellesley College
in 1962, and her PhD from Yale University in 1968. Her dissertation entitled "The Theme of Creation in 'Paradise Lost'" was
completed under the direction of Louis L. Martz. From 1967 through 1971 Ronk taught at Tufts University as an assistant professor.
In 1971 she moved to Los Angeles, where she did her post-doctoral studies at the School of Criticism and Theory at the University
of California, Irvine, in the summer of 1976. In 1980 Ronk took a position at Occidental College as a professor of English
and Comparative Studies; she received the Graham L. Sterling Faculty Award for Excellence from Occidental College in 1990.
In 1990 Ronk, along with Los Angeles writers Paul Vangelisti and Dennis Phillips, created Littoral Books, a co-operative publishing
venture in Los Angeles. Littoral Books published both poetry and prose mainly for authors in Southern California, including
numerous well-known poets such as George Albon, Norma Cole, and Stephen Ratcliffe. Early publications from Littoral Books
were printed with help from Sun & Moon Press. Ronk became co-editor of the journal
The New Review of Literature with Paul Vangelisti and Dennis Phillips in 2002. This journal was a product of the Graduate Writing Program of Otis College
of Art and Design. Each issue included poetry, essays, reviews and criticism of modern literature.
The New Review of Literature ceased publication in 2008 after its tenth issue, and was replaced in February 2009 by
OR: A Literary Tabloid.
Ronk has published over ten books of poetry. Her first book,
Desire in LA, was published in 1990 by the University of Georgia Press. Since then, Ronk has written numerous other books of collected
poems, including
Desert Geometries: Poems (1992),
State of Mind (1995), and
Eyetrouble (1998). Her most current publication,
Glass Grapes: Stories, is a series of short stories published by BOA Editions Ltd. in 2008.
In 2005 Ronk was awarded the PEN USA award for poetry for her book
In a Landscape of Having to Repeat. In 2006 her book
Vertigo: Poems won the National Poetry Series award and a 2007 National Endowment of the Arts Fellowship. Ronk is currently the Irma and
Jay Price Professor of English and Comparative Studies at Occidental College. Her instruction focuses on Renaissance studies,
as well as poetry and fiction writing.
Publication Rights
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Preferred Citation
Martha Ronk Papers, MSS 697. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Acquisition Information
Acquired 2008, 2019.
Digital Content
The collection contains some digital photographs.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Publishers and publishing -- United States -- Archives
American poetry -- 20th century
Women poets -- United States
Ronk, Martha Clare -- Archives
Vangelisti, Paul -- Correspondence
Guest, Barbara -- Correspondence
Eshleman, Clayton -- Correspondence
DiPalma, Ray -- Correspondence
Corbett, William, 1942- -- Correspondence
Albon, George -- Correspondence
Littoral Books
CORRESPONDENCE
Scope and Content of Series
Series 1) CORRESPONDENCE: Letters from Paul Vangelisti, George Albon, Lee Hickman, Dave Smith, Bin Ramke, and other writers
and poetry editors. The majority of the correspondence deals with Ronk's writing, including acceptance and rejection letters
from publishers regarding collected and uncollected poetry and prose. This series also contains a small amount of personal
correspondence between Ronk and other writers whom she befriended as an editor of Littoral Books and
The New Review of Literature. Arranged in alphabetical order by correspondent.
Box 1, Folder 4
L'Art Pour L'Art
1989-1997
Box 1, Folder 7
Bennington Writing Workshops
1990
Box 1, Folder 11
Colorado Review
1995-1998
Box 1, Folder 16
Dorland Mountain Arts Colony
1995
Box 1, Folder 17
Ela, Patrick and Shelley Whitaker
1999
Box 1, Folder 18
Eshleman, Clayton
1989-1992
Box 1, Folder 33
McCollough, Aaron
2002-2004
Box 1, Folder 35
National Poetry Series
1992-1998
Box 1, Folder 36
Novak, Estelle Gershgoren
1998
Box 1, Folder 42
Princeton University Press
Box 1, Folder 53
Southern Review
1990-1999
Box 1, Folder 56
University of Georgia Press
1988-1997
Box 1, Folder 57
University of Iowa Press
1992-2000
Box 1, Folder 58
University of Pittsburgh Press
1990
Box 1, Folder 60
Vogelsang, Arthur
1986-1987
Box 1, Folder 62
Wesleyan University Press
1985-1997
WRITINGS BY RONK
Scope and Content of Series
Series 2) WRITINGS BY RONK. Arranged in four subseries: A) Articles and Reviews, B) Unpublished Work, C) Uncollected Published
Poetry, and D) Collected Published Poetry.
A) Articles and Reviews: Articles and drafts, both published and unpublished, written by Ronk. Includes art reviews written
by Ronk for the journal
Artweek in 1989 and 1990. Arranged in alphabetical order by title.
B) Unpublished Work: Typescript drafts of collected and uncollected poems written by Ronk, including the titles "Lost," "Letters
from Hong Kong," and "Elegies, Alibis, and Spring."
C) Uncollected Published Poetry: Individual poems written by Ronk that were published in various poetry and literary magazines,
including
Hambone,
The American Poetry Review,
HOW(ever), and
Talisman. Materials in this subseries are arranged in alphabetical order by the name of the journal or publication.
D) Collected Published Poetry: Correspondence, typescript drafts, galley proofs and final drafts of fourteen of Ronk's published
poetry books. These books include typescripts by Ronk, as well as collaborative projects Ronk worked on with other authors
or artists. One of these collaborations is the book
Life in L.A., written by Ronk and other poets in 1983. This publication was printed on oversize paper and published by Paradise Press.
The typescript drafts in this series contain handwritten notes by Ronk that show the evolution of the poems and document the
publication process of each poetry manuscript. This subseries also contains criticism and reviews of some of Ronk's published
poetry that appeared in literary magazines and other publications, such as the
LA Times Book Review. Items in this final subseries are arranged in chronological order.
Box 2, Folder 1
"Coping with change: Sign language at the Southwest Museum,"
Artweek- Typescript draft and copy of published review
Box 2, Folder 2
"Fooling with mother nature: John Divola at Jan Kesner Gallery,"
Artweek - Typescript, notes and final draft
February 1, 1990
Box 2, Folder 3
"Images etched in stone,"
Artweek - Typescript draft and notes
November 4, 1989
Box 2, Folder 4
"More than urban" - Photocopy of article written for Occidental College by Martha Ronk, Mark McCloskey and David James
Box 2, Folder 5
"Review of
On a Stair by Ann Lauterbach" - Typescript draft of poetry review
Box 2, Folder 6
"The sky as landscape,"
Artweek - Typescript drafts, notes, and final draft
July 15, 1989
Box 2, Folder 7
"Susan Rankkaitis: Meyers/Bloom Gallery,"
Artweek - Typescript drafts and notes
November 1990
Box 2, Folder 8
"Top dog: William Wegman photographs of Fay Ray at Linda Cathcart Gallery,"
Artweek - Typescript drafts and notes
May 3, 1990
Box 2, Folder 9
"Elegies, Alibis, and Spring" typescript drafts
Box 2, Folder 10
"Letters from Hong Kong" typescript draft with notes and revisions
1993-1994
Box 2, Folder 11-12
"Lost" typescript draft with notes and revisions
Box 2, Folder 13
"Not just a pronoun" typescript draft with notes and revisions
1994
Box 2, Folder 14
Typescript draft of early poems
Box 2, Folder 15
Typescript draft of miscellaneous poems and prose
Uncollected Published Poetry
Box 3, Folder 1
Publications List - Twenty-one poems published by journals and newspapers
Box 3, Folder 2
American Poetry Review - "From Vertigo," published poems
November - December 2004
Box 3, Folder 3
American Poetry Review - "Martha Ronk Lifson: Three poems" newsclipping
March - April 1988
Box 3, Folder 4
Antioch Review - "It's a desert still" photocopy of published poem
1987
Box 3, Folder 5
Arshile Magazine - Photocopy of published poems
1997
Box 3, Folder 6
Counter Clockwise - Final published poem
1996
Box 3, Folder 7
Denver Quarterly - "Hunger, a cookbook," photocopy of published poem
1993
Box 3, Folder 8
Hambone - Photocopies of published poems
1988-1998
Box 3, Folder 9
HOW(ever) - "From the sofa series," published poems
1990
Box 3, Folder 10
LA Weekly - "Memory: A Santa Fe moon," photocopy of published poem
Box 3, Folder 11
Magazine - Published poems
1984
Oversize FB-482, Folder 9
Milkweed Chronicle - "Still life"
1984
Box 3, Folder 13
Quotidian - Typescript drafts of poems
July - August 1999
Box 3, Folder 14
Talisman - Photocopy of published poems
1993
Collected Published Poetry
Oversize FB-482, Folder 10
Box 3, Folder 16
Poem drafts written before 1980, with notes
Box 3, Folder 20
Published and unpublished reviews
1990-1991
Box 3, Folder 21
Typescript drafts of early poems, includes unpublished poem drafts
Box 3, Folder 22
Old version of typescript drafts
Box 4, Folder 1
Typescript drafts, with notes and revisions
Box 4, Folder 2
"Mind of another," typescript draft
Box 4, Folder 3
Published and unpublished reviews
1995-2002
Box 4, Folder 4
Typescript drafts with revisions
1993-1994
Box 4, Folder 5
Book cover and final typescript draft
Box 4, Folder 6
Allegories (1998) - Typescript drafts
Box 4, Folder 7
Contact lists for publishers and book subscribers
1998
Box 4, Folder 8
Typescript drafts, with notes and revisions
Box 4, Folder 9
Typescript draft with notes and revisions
Box 4, Folder 10
Typescript drafts of poems
Box 4, Folder 11
Typescript draft with page numbers
Box 4, Folder 13
Published book with handwritten notes from author
Box 4, Folder 14
Published reviews and press release
Box 4, Folder 15
Snapshots of the San Fernando Valley (2000) - Correspondence with Frank Romero, typescripts and final drafts
1999-2000
Displeasures of the Table: Memoir as Caricature (2001)
Box 4, Folder 16
Typescript draft with notes and revisions
August 1993
Box 5, Folder 1-2
Typescript drafts with notes and revisions
Box 5, Folder 3
Updated typescript draft with notes and revisions
Box 5, Folder 4
Final typescript draft with notes and revisions
Box 5, Folder 5
Published reviews
2001-2006
Box 5, Folder 8
Published and unpublished reviews
2003
Box 5, Folder 9
Typescript draft, with notes and revisions
August 1996
Box 5, Folder 10
Typescript draft with revisions
December 1996
Box 5, Folder 11
Typescript draft with notes and revisions
2002
Box 6, Folder 1
Part of typescript draft with notes and revisions
February 18, 2002
Oversize FB-482, Folder 11
Galley proofs and book cover sample
2002
In a Landscape of Having to Repeat (2004)
Box 6, Folder 4
Typescripts and published reviews
2005-2007
Box 6, Folder 5
Typescript draft with notes and revisions
Box 6, Folder 6
Final typescript draft, with notes and revisions
2004
Box 6, Folder 7
Rotbahn (2005) - Typescript of translations by Ronk
Box 6, Folder 8
Correspondence with Coffeehouse Press regarding manuscript
2006-2007
Box 6, Folder 9
Miscellaneous poem drafts
2002
Box 6, Folder 10
Published review from
Publisher's Weekly
September 2007
Box 6, Folder 11
Typescript draft
January 28, 2005
Box 6, Folder 12-17
Typescript drafts with notes and revisions
2005
Box 7, Folder 1
Typescript draft with notes and revisions
September 17, 2005
Box 7, Folder 2
Typescript draft
January 24, 2006
Box 7, Folder 3-4
Galley proofs with corrections
2007
Glass Grapes: Stories (2008)
Box 7, Folder 5-7
Typescript drafts with notes and revisions
Box 7, Folder 8
Final typescript draft with notes and revisions
EDITORIAL PROJECTS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 3) EDITORIAL PROJECTS: Material from both Littoral Books and
The New Review of Literature journal. Both editorial projects contain correspondence, manuscript submissions, and contact information for contributors
from both publications. The papers pertaining to Littoral Books contains a galley proof for the cover of
Empire Life by George Albon.These materials also include reading announcements and flyers from local poets that were sponsored by Littoral
Books; these flyers include an announcement for "A Futurist Dinner," which was the first fundraiser dinner put together for
Littoral Books by Ronk, Phillips, and Vangelisti.
Box 8, Folder 1
Correspondence
February 1990 - May 2000
Box 8, Folder 2
Empire Life by George Albon, galley proof of book cover
1998
Box 8, Folder 3
Manuscript list and payment sales
1991-1998
Box 8, Folder 5
Notes, agendas and meeting minutes
1996-2000
Box 8, Folder 6
Press releases and reviews
1991-2000
Box 8, Folder 7
Reading announcement sponsored by Littoral Books
Box 8, Folder 8
Subscriber contact information
Box 8, Folder 9
March 2002 - October 2004
Box 8, Folder 10
February 2005 - March 2006
Box 8, Folder 12
List of contributors for various issues
2006-2007
Box 8, Folder 13
Miscellaneous manuscript submissions
Box 9, Folder 1
Submission guidelines and production schedule
2005 - 2007
CRITICISM AND REVIEWS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 4) CRITICISMS AND REVIEWS: Contains published and unpublished reviews of Ronk's work on collaborative projects, as
well as her work as a whole. This series also contains commentary regarding Ronk's influence on the Southern California poetry
scene.
Box 9, Folder 2
Frank, Peter - "Muses, self-help graphics, master drawings from Stanford University," photocopy of published review
December 28, 1995
Box 9, Folder 3
Schaeffer, Standard -
Impossible city: The poetic avante-garde in L.A., copy of publication
1998
Box 9, Folder 5
Zachary, R.Y. - "Signs of new poetry in California," typescript draft
READINGS AND WORKSHOPS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 5) READINGS AND WORKSHOPS: Materials from various poetry workshops and conferences in which Ronk participated, including
the Page Mother's Conference at UCSD, the Place as Purpose Conference, and the Poetics of Memory Conference. The materials
from these conferences include correspondence, conference notes and outlines, and panelist writings and submissions. This
series also contains flyers and pamphlets for various poetry readings in which Ronk performed. These readings sometimes included
other poets from the Los Angeles area. Materials in this series are arranged in alphabetical order.
Box 9, Folder 6
Associated Writing Programs Conference - Correspondence and proposal
1997
Box 9, Folder 7
First Annual Conference of the College of Neglected Science - Outline, notes and correspondence
1992-1997
Box 9, Folder 8
LA Poetry Festival - Essay and draft written by Ronk
1992
Box 9, Folder 9
La Terra Nova Festival - Correspondence, press releases and notes
1990
Box 9, Folder 10
Los Angeles Writers on Site Program - Application and CV
1998
Place as Purpose Conference
Box 9, Folder 14
Conference schedule and participant information
2002
Box 9, Folder 15
Press releases and flyers
2002
Poetics of Memory Conference
Box 9, Folder 17
Notes and conference outline
2006
Box 9, Folder 18
Panelist essays and criticism
1990-2006
Box 9, Folder 19
Reading announcements & flyers
1991 - 2007
Box 9, Folder 20
Words About the River Conference - Correspondence and typescript drafts
November 1999
MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 6) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS: Includes a small amount of teaching material from Occidental College and two articles about
Ronk; one mentioning her involvement at a poetry conference, and a second highlighting her achievement in being awarded the
Graham L. Sterling Award for Excellence at Occidental College.
Box 9, Folder 21
LA Times - "Meeting of minds for local poets," photocopy of newsclipping regarding workshop sponsored by UCLA Extension
Box 9, Folder 22
QuadAngle: The newsletter for employees of Occidental College - "Thorne packed for opening convocation"
September 26, 1990
Box 9, Folder 23
Teaching materials - Occidental College core and faculty programs
1993 - 2000
Box 9, Folder 24
Reviews and publicity
2005-2016
Box 9, Folder 25
National Poetry Series and National Book Awards publicity
2006-2013
Box 9, Folder 26
Resume and bibliography
2019
Box 10, Folder 1
Interviews with Martha Ronk
undated
General note
Includes one interview conducted by Rusty Morrison, and one interview focused on "Partially Kept."
Box 10, Folder 2
Ephemera and poetry event flyers
Box 10, Folder 3
Reviews written by Martha Ronk
2009-2018
Box 10, Folder 4
Miscellaneous "rejected" poetry drafts
undated
Box 10, Folder 5
Miscellaneous poetry drafts
undated
Box 10, Folder 6-8
Partially Kept - Drafts, correspondence, publication material
2006-2012
General note
Earlier materials (2006-2008) refer to working titles of "Partially Kept" as "Alpine," and "My Partial Tongue." Correspondence
and publications refer to Nightboat Books and Stephen Motika.
Box 10, Folder 9
American Woman Poets in the 21st Century: From Lyric to Language - Anthology contribution
2007
General note
Contains correspondence and drafts for contribution.
Box 10, Folder 10
Fiction collection #2
2009-2010
General note
"A Tourist," "I Sit Still, I Sit Very Still," and "In Order to Recuperate."
Box 11, Folder 1-2
Transfer of Qualities - Drafts
Box 11, Folder 3-4
Ocular Proof - Drafts and research
2010-2016
General note
Includes correspondence with Rusty Morrison.
Box 11, Folder 5
Unfamiliar Familiar - Drafts and notes
2015-2016
General note
Includes edit notes from Paul Vangelisti.
Box 11, Folder 6
Ariadne, a Series - Draft material
2019
General note
Collection of poems responding to a series of paintings by De Chirico that illustrate the myth of Ariadne.
Box 11, Folder 7
Poetics statement, Wesleyan University
undated
Box 12, Folder 1-3
Silences - Drafts and research, and "The blackbird whistling or just after"
2017-2019
General note
Includes correspondence with Cassandra Smith.
Box 12, Folder 4
Quotidian Conference
1999-2000
General note
Includes correspondence (Brian Teare, Michael Palmer, Paul Vangelisti), scheduling, and a copy of Ronk's lecture.
Box 12, Folder 5
Place as Purpose poetry conference
2002
General note
Includes correspondence, notes, and "border and genre panel" materials including poems.
Box 12, Folder 6
Memory in Writing
2004-2006
General note
ECLS 380 Creative Writing (Occidental College) and "Landscape and Memory," (Naropa). Includes syllabi and readings with Ronk's
annotations. Annotations focus on works by Robert Creely and Barbara Guest.
Box 12, Folder 7
Poet's House lecture - Images and Words
2007
General note
Includes drafts with annotations.
Box 12, Folder 8
Found in Translation: Parallel Stories lecture, Santa Barbara
2017 April
Digital photographs - Ronk at MacDowell Colony, Peterborough, NH
2006
General note
Ronk's pictures from MacDowell, primarily of others in her cohort. Approx. 137 jpegs.