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Carl Rakosi Papers
MSS 0355
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Creator:
Rakosi, Carl, 1903-
Title: Carl Rakosi Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1903-2004
Extent:
6.50 linear feet
(17 archives boxes and 1 oversize folder)
Abstract: Papers of Carl Rakosi, American "Objectivist" poet and social worker, who professionally practiced psychotherapy under the
name Callman Rawley. Rakosi was known for his association with the Objectivist movement as well as Jewish writers of the twentieth
century. The writings in this collection primarily represent Rakosi's recent (1988-2004) literary activities; however, the
numerous other contributions of his 100-year lifespan are also represented. The collection contains correspondence, prose,
poems, book reviews, and extensive interviews with Rakosi, while also including journal articles, case histories and notes
that document his work as a psychotherapist, during the decades when he withdrew from the publishing world. Included are typescripts
and photocopies of poems for THE COLLECTED POEMS OF CARL RAKOSI and page proofs for THE OLD POET'S TALE (1999). The collection
represents the part he played as a young poet in the Objectivist movement, with copies of correspondence with other Objectivist
poets such as Louis Zukofsky, as well as essays written by Rakosi much later on the impact of that literary moment, such as
the short essay called "The Objectivist Connection" that explains the origin of the term "Objectivist." The collection contains
worksheets for poems, audio and videocassette recordings of readings and interviews, and drafts of printed interviews.
Repository:
University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
La Jolla, California 92093-0175
Collection number: MSS 0355
Language of Material:
Collection materials in English
Materials contained in Box 5, Folders 9-11 are restricted until the year 2070 according to federal and state laws.
Not Available
Carl Rakosi Papers, MSS 0355. Mandeville Special Collections Library, UCSD.
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Carl Rakosi was born on November 6, 1903, in Berlin, Germany, and came to the United States with his father and stepmother
in 1910. He received his B.A. (1924) and M.A. (1926) from the University of Wisconsin, and completed his Masters of Social
Work at the University of Pennsylvania in 1940. He married Leah Jaffe in 1939.
During the thirties, Rakosi was a member of a group of poets called "The Objectivists," which included Louis Zukofsky, Charles
Reznikoff, and George Oppen. Between 1939 and 1965, he stopped writing in order to devote himself to social work and psychotherapy.
It was not until 1965, at the urging of Andrew Crozier, that Rakosi started to write again.
Rakosi practiced social work and psychotherapy as Callman Rawley, his legally adopted professional name. Between 1945 and
his retirement in 1968, Rakosi was Executive Director of the Jewish Family and Children's Service in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
He also conducted a private practice in psychotherapy between 1955 and 1971.
As an important Objectivist poet, Rakosi's style of writing can be summarized by Stanley Cooperman's comment:
what Rakosi has, delightfully, is an ability to translate
emotion into objects, tastes, smells: and these, in turn,
are completely familiar- except that the familarity occurs
in unexpected juxtapositions of sound and theme...
Rakosi's work is at once irreverent and serious; highly
intellectual and simplistic.
His published works include SELECTED POEMS (1941), AMULET (1967), ERE-VOICE (1971), EX CRANIUM, NIGHT (1975), MY EXPERIENCE
IN PARNASSUS (1977), SPIRITUS I (1983), and COLLECTED POEMS (1986), THE EARTH SUITE (1997), and THE OLD POET'S TALE (1999).
Besides his literary work, including poetry, essays and book reviews, Rakosi also published articles and reviews on social
work and psychology.
Rakosi continues to be involved in the publishing of his collected works, and to correspond with younger writers interested
in his and other Objectivists' work.
In 2003, His 100th Birthday celebration was marked by several poets--including Anselm Hollo, Lyn Hejinian, George Evans and
others--reading from their own work, at Rakosi's request. Until his death on June 24, 2004, Rakosi continued to develop new
poems and to correspond with younger writers interested in his and other Objectivists' work.
Scope and Content of Collection
Accession Processed in 1996
The Carl Rakosi Papers document Rakosi's recent activities as a poet and writer, as well as his professional career as a psychotherapist
and social worker. The collection, which dates between 1903 and 1995 (bulk dates, 1988-1995), is arranged in four series:
1) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) WRITINGS BY RAKOSI, and 4) WRITINGS BY OTHERS.
SERIES 1: BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS
The BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS series contains Rakosi's birth certificate, official academic transcripts and grade reports, naturalization
papers, poetry flyers, newspaper clippings, and his professional profile and list of publications as a psychotherapist. Also
included are numerous transcribed interviews with Rakosi.
SERIES 2: CORRESPONDENCE
The CORRESPONDENCE series is arranged alphabetically by correspondent and reflects Rakosi's literary and professional career.
In most cases, Rakosi made carbon copies of his replies. Notable correspondents include Jean-Paul Auxemery, who translated
many of Rakosi's poems into French, Cid Corman, Andrew Crozier, Kathi George, and Michael Heller. Also represented are exchanges
with the editors of numerous poetry magazines. Finally, Rakosi's early life is reflected in the letters of his first girlfriend,
Mary Biggs, and his mother, Flora Steiner.
SERIES 3: WRITINGS BY RAKOSI
The WRITINGS BY RAKOSI series is arranged in four subseries: A) Lectures, B) Prose, C) Poetry, and D) Social Work and Psychotherapy.
The "Lectures" subseries contains notes for two lectures on poetry. The "Prose" subseries contains several essays on "Objectivist"
poets, including Charles Reznikoff and George Oppen. Of particular interest is a short essay called "The Objectivist Connection"
that explains the origin of the term "Objectivist." Also included is the first draft and source materials for Rakosi's unpublished
autobiography.
The "Poetry" subseries includes typescripts and photocopies of poems for THE COLLECTED POEMS OF CARL RAKOSI and an annotated
proof for POEMS, 1923-1941; drafts of miscellaneous poems in various stages of development; and some of Rakosi's contributions
to Jewish liturgy.
The "Social Work and Psychotherapy" subseries comprises Callman Rawley's journal articles and book reviews, as well as notes
and analysis on patient interviews.
SERIES 4: WRITINGS OF OTHERS
The WRITINGS OF OTHERS series contains manuscripts of collected poetry sent to Rakosi and is arranged alphabetically by author.
Also included are three critical essays on Rakosi's literary work.
RELATED COLLECTIONS:
Additional Carl Rakosi materials are located in the David Ignatow Papers (MSS 2), United Artists Archive (MSS 12), George
Oppen Papers (MSS 16), Clayton Eshleman Papers (MSS 21), Sun and Moon Archive (MSS 221), and Charley George Papers (MSS 387).
Significant portions of Rakosi's papers are also located at the University of Texas, Austin, the Houghton Library at Harvard
University, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison (see correspondence in case file).
Accessions Processed in 2003
The accessions processed in 2003 contain recent correspondence, worksheets for poems, tapes of readings and interviews with
Rakosi, and drafts of printed interviews. It also supplements the previous accession, with important early correspondence
from the 1930s and materials related to Rakosi's readings and lectures from approximately 1973-1999. The materials are arranged
in five series: 1) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) WRITINGS BY RAKOSI, 4) RECORDINGS, and 5) ORIGINALS OF PRESERVATION
PHOTOCOPIES.
SERIES 1: BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS
This series is arranged in two subseries: A) Interviews and Writings about Rakosi and B) Miscellaneous Materials.
A) The Interviews and Writings about Rakosi subseries contains drafts and printed copies of interviews and writings about
Rakosi, including some which are focused on the larger groups with which Rakosi is often associated such as the Objectivists
and Jewish writers of the twentieth century. This subseries is arranged alphabetically by the author's (or interviewer's)
last name.
B) The Miscellaneous Materials subseries, arranged alphabetically, contains materials related to Rakosi's education and business,
including transcripts, business cards, C.V.'s and other miscellaneous materials. It also includes two large folders of materials
related to his wife, Leah Rakosi.
SERIES 2: CORRESPONDENCE
The CORRESPONDENCE series, arranged alphabetically, reflects Rakosi's continued interest and involvement in the literary scene,
including correspondence with various editors, organizations and younger authors, as well as copies of correspondence with
Allen Ginsberg, George Oppen and Louis Zukofsky. Also included is significant correspondence with persons who are not necessarily
part of the literary world but who are nonetheless important to Rakosi's life and career. This group includes various persons
from his earlier career as a social worker, as well as certain family members with whom he has regularly corresponded over
many years.
SERIES 3: WRITINGS BY RAKOSI
This series is arranged in three subseries: A) Prose, B) Poetry, and C) Readings and Lectures.
A) The Prose subseries, arranged alphabetically, contains blurbs and introductions for Rakosi's and others' books, short essays
and published letters to editors. Perhaps most interesting is the folder containing correspondence between Margery Latimer
(1899-1932, a.k.a. Margery Latimer Toomer, wife of Jean Toomer) and Blanche Matthias, and other research materials used for
Rakosi's COLLECTED PROSE.
B) The Poetry subseries contains some materials related to published works, as well as a significant amount of working papers
(drafts and manuscripts of poems).
C) The Readings and Lectures subseries contains Rakosi's notes and lists of poems for readings and lectures given from approximately
1973-1999. It also includes some flyers and announcements for these events. The subseries is arranged chronologically, with
undated materials at the end.
SERIES 4: RECORDINGS
The RECORDINGS series contains audio and videocassette tapes, as well as compact discs, documenting Rakosi's readings and
interviews 1995-1999. The series is arranged alphabetically.
SERIES 5: ORIGINALS OF PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPIES
The ORIGINALS OF PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPIES series contains the originals of brittle or high acid content documents that have
been photocopied.
Accession Processed in 2005
The accession processed in 2005 contains recent correspondence, substantial folders of source material and drafts of poems
in progress, materials related to Rakosi's 100th birthday celebration, and memorials to the now deceased poet. It also supplements
the previous accession, with excerpts from important early correspondence from the 1930s, including Louis Zukofsky, and continued
correspondence with fellow writers, as well as family members. His correspondence with Tom Devaney contains the transcripts
of a significant interview done with Rakosi in 2001. The materials are arranged in three series: 1) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS,
2) CORRESPONDENCE, and 3) WRITINGS BY RAKOSI.
SERIES 1: BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS
The BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS series, arranged alphabetically, contains materials related to Rakosi's 100th Birthday Celebration
(including music composed for a selection of his poetry), a lifetime achievement award, business cards, C.V.'s, and other
materials.
SERIES 2: CORRESPONDENCE
The CORRESPONDENCE series, arranged alphabetically, reflects Rakosi's interest and involvement in the literary scene, including
correspondence with various editors, organizations and younger authors, as well as copies of correspondence with George Oppen
and Louis Zukofsky. Also included is significant correspondence with both fellow writers and family members with whom he regularly
corresponded over many years. This series includes a large folder of miscellaneous letters from admirers of Rakosi's work,
dating from 1970-2003.
SERIES 3: WRITINGS BY RAKOSI
This series is arranged in three subseries: A) Prose, B) Poetry, and C) Miscellaneous.
A) The Prose subseries, arranged alphabetically, contains a draft of his Letter to the Editor of Poetry Flash on the Conference
on the American Objectivists held at Royaumont, France, in September 1989. Additionally, this subseries contains drafts of
tributes and articles Rakosi wrote about George Oppen.
B) The Poetry subseries contains unfinished working drafts of several poems, including a draft of his earlier poem "Americana."
C) The Miscellaneous subseries contains a significant amount of working papers, drafts and manuscripts of poems and source
materials, including works Rakosi titled "Journal" and "Journal #2." Many of these folders include undated fragments and
drafts which relate to Rakosi's earlier writings.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Rakosi, Carl, 1903- --Archives
Rakosi, Carl, 1903-
Oppen, George
Reznikoff, Charles, 1894-1976
American poetry -- 20th century
Aux'emery, Jean-Paul, -- correspondent
Biggs, Mary, -- correspondent
Codrescu, Andrei, 1946- -- correspondent
Corman, Cid, -- correspondent
Dawson, Fielding, 1930- -- correspondent
DuPlessis, Rachel Blau, -- correspondent
George, Kathi, -- correspondent
Hamburger, Michael, -- correspondent
Heller, Michael, 1937- -- correspondent
Kessler, Milton, -- correspondent
Prynne, J. H., 1936- -- correspondent
Steiner, Flora, -- correspondent
Young, Karl, -- correspondent
Rakosi, Carl, 1903- -- Collected poems
Rakosi, Carl, 1903- -- Droles de journal
Rakosi, Carl, 1903- -- Poems 1923-1941