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Lyn Hejinian Papers
MSS 0074
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Creator:
Hejinian, Lyn
Title: Lyn Hejinian Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1966-2004
Extent:
47.60 linear feet
(119 archives boxes and 2 card file boxes)
Abstract: Papers of Lyn Hejinian, American poet, publisher and editor of Tuumba Press, co-editor of POETICS JOURNAL, and co-director
of the literary project Atelos. She has been a member of the Poetics Faculty at the New College of California and is a professor
in the English department at the University of California, Berkeley. Hejinian has spent most of her life in the San Francisco
Bay Area and is associated with the Language School of contemporary poetry. Prominent correspondents in the collection include
Charles Bernstein, Jack Collom, Arkadii Dragomoshchenko, Ted Greenwald, Susan Howe, Hank Lazer, Katy Lederer, Alice Notley,
Bob Perelman, Tom Raworth, Kit Robinson, Leslie Scalapino, Ron Silliman and Michael Palmer, as well as many younger experimental
writers and students. The papers contain manuscripts and annotated typescripts of Hejinian's published and unpublished poetry;
drafts for MY LIFE (1987), THE HUNT (1991), OXOTA: A SHORT RUSSIAN NOVEL (1991), THE CELL (1992), THE COLD OF POETRY (1994),
HAPPILY (2000), THE LANGUAGE OF INQUIRY (2000), BORDER COMEDY (2001), and THE BEGINNER (2002); notebooks; and critical writings.
Other notable material includes translations of Russian poet Arkadii Dragomoshchenko's DESCRIPTION and XENIA; collaborations;
editorial projects, especially for Atelos and Tuumba Press; lecture and teaching materials; and audiorecordings of Hejinian's
poetry readings and talks.
Repository:
University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
La Jolla, California 92093-0175
Collection number: MSS 0074
Language of Material:
Collection materials in English
Letters of recommendation located in Box 84, Folder 9 are restricted until 2050. Originals of audiovisual items are restricted.
Duplicate copies have been made for use by researchers.
Not Available
Lyn Hejinian Papers, MSS 0074. Mandeville Special Collections Library, UCSD.
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Lyn Hejinian was born in 1941 in San Francisco. After spending high school and college years in New England, Hejinian returned
to California in 1968. In the late 1970s Hejinian began publishing Tuumba chapbooks, which was to become one of the most
important series of chapbooks of contemporary poetry in the United States. Her own published work began with The GREAT ADVENTURE
(197_?), following which appeared A THOUGHT IS THE BRIDE OF WHAT THINKING (Tuumba, 1976), WRITING IS AN AID TO MEMORY (The
Figures, 1978), GESUALDO (Tuumba, 1978), A MASK OF MOTION (Burning Deck, 1980), MY LIFE (Burning Deck, 1980; and Sun and Moon,
1987), THE GUARD (Tuumba, 1984) and REDO (Salt-Works Press, 1984).
From 1981 to 1999, Hejinian was the co-editor, with Barrett Wratten, of POETICS JOURNAL and is co-director, with Travis Ortiz,
of the literary project Atelos. She has been a member of the Poetics Faculty at the New College of California and is a professor
in the department of English at the University of California, Berkeley.
Hejinian lives in Berkeley with her husband, composer-musician Larry Ochs.
Scope and Content of Collection
Accession Processed in 1989
The papers document Lyn Hejinian's literary career and the careers of the language writers with whom she is associated. The
collection includes correspondence dated 1973-1984 involving many important young writers. Because at her Tuumba Press Hejinian
published a significant portion of the avant-garde writing of her day, her papers provide a wealth of material on recent work
in the alternative tradition. Among prominent correspondents in the collection are Charles Bernstein, Susan Howe, Ron Silliman
and Michael Palmer. Occasional copies of Hejinian's own letters enrich the collection. The largest group of letters are
those from and to Hejinian's mother, Mrs. Kenneth Andrews. The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent,
and thereunder chronologically. Many letters are undated or partially dated, so chronology could only be surmised in some
cases. Of special interest is a letter from Hejinian to Stephen Rodefer, dated January 25 1983, in which Hejinian provides
a detailed discussion of her intellectual background.
The Lyn Hejinian papers also include annotated typescripts and manuscripts of Hejinian's published work. These are arranged
alphabetically by title. Materials within each folder remain in their original order.
The papers are arranged in two series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE and 2) WRITINGS.
Accession Processed in 1998
The accession processed in 1998 includes manuscripts and annotated typescripts of Hejinian's writings (both published and
unpublished); manuscripts and annotated typescripts of Hejinian's translations of Russian poetry; manuscripts and annotated
typescripts of collaborations between Hejinian and others; notebooks (1969-1993); audio and visual materials pertaining to
Hejinian and other Language poets; Tuumba Press materials; miscellaneous photographs; and, miscellaneous material documenting
Hejinian's poetry readings and conference activities.
The accession is arranged in seven series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) WRITINGS, 3) COLLABORATIONS, 4) TRANSLATIONS, 5) TUUMBA PRESS
MATERIAL, 6) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL, and 7) AUDIOVISUAL MATERIAL.
SERIES 1: CORRESPONDENCE
The CORRESPONDENCE series includes Hejinian's correspondence dated 1985-1994 and is arranged alphabetically. The series documents
Hejinian's career, the careers of her contemporaries and collaborative projects between Hejinian and Jack Collum, Carla Harryman,
Kit Robinson, Leslie Scalapino, and others. Prominent correspondents include Rae Armantrout, Charles Bernstein, Susan Howe,
Tom Mandel, Michael Palmer, Bob Perelman, Kit Robinson, Leslie Scalapino, and Ron Silliman. Other correspondents include
Hejinian's students and young experimental writers such as A.A. Hedge-Coke, Joel Kuszai, Rod Smith, and Juliana Spahr. Folders
often contain writings submitted to Hejinian as attachments to letters.
SERIES 2: WRITINGS
The WRITINGS series is arranged in three subseries: A) Creative Writings, B) Critical Writings and C) Notebooks.
A) The Creative Writings subseries includes manuscripts and annotated typescripts of Hejinian's published and unpublished
work. Included are drafts and completed typescripts of THE CELL; THE COLD OF POETRY; MY LIFE; OXOTA: A SHORT RUSSIAN NOVEL;
SLEEPS; and, other uncollected writings.
B) The Critical Writings subseries includes manuscript and annotated typescript drafts of essays, lectures and talks given
and/or published by Hejinian. Included are notes for and drafts of "American Literary Realism," "The Rejection of Closure,"
"Stein Talks," and other essays and talks. The "American Literary Realism" materials include letters from other poets regarding
the subject of her talk.
C) The Notebooks subseries, arranged chronologically, includes diary entries and numerous first drafts of published and unpublished
work.
SERIES 3: COLLABORATIONS
The COLLABORATIONS series documents Hejinian's two major collaborative projects: LENINGRAD: AMERICAN WRITERS IN THE SOVIET
UNION, a work composed by Hejinian in collaboration with Michael Davidson, Ron Silliman, and Barrett Watten, and 5 + 5, a
collaborative translation project including the work of American poets Clark Coolidge, Jean Day, Hejinian, Michael Palmer,
and Kit Robinson, and Russian poets Arkadii Dragomoshchenko, Nadezhda Kondakova, Ilya Kutik, Alexei Parshchikov, and Ivan
Zhdanov. Hejinian's collaborations with Jack Collum, Carla Harryman, Michael Palmer, Kit Robinson, and Leslie Scalapino are
located in the CORRESPONDENCE series, as they were composed in correspondence and are interwoven with letters and other documents.
SERIES 4: TRANSLATIONS
The TRANSLATIONS series is arranged in two subseries: A) Translations by Hejinian and B) Untranslated Materials. The first
subseries includes manuscript and annotated typescript drafts of Hejinian's translations of DESCRIPTION and XENIA, both works
written in Russian by Arkadii Dragomoshchenko. The second subseries consists primarily of material given to Hejinian for
the purpose of translation. The subseries are arranged alphabetically by author.
SERIES 5: TUUMBA PRESS MATERIAL
The TUUMBA PRESS MATERIAL series includes reviews of Hejinian's letterpress edition publications, an example of a printed
postcard poem and promotional materials.
SERIES 6: MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL
This series contains announcements and posters regarding Hejinian's poetry readings, conference attendance and book publications.
Also included are photographs of Hejinian and an abstract painting by Hejinian.
SERIES 7: AUDIOVISUAL MATERIAL
The AUDIOVISUAL MATERIAL series is arranged by format in three subseries: A) Cassette Audiorecordings, B) Reel-to-reel Audiorecordings
and C) Videorecordings. The audiorecordings include poetry readings and talks by Hejinian, readings by other poets and recordings
of the IN THE AMERICAN TREE radio program, hosted by Hejinian and Kit Robinson. The videorecordings subseries contains a
lecture, reading and interview with Hejinian.
Accession Processed in 2005
The accession processed in 2005 contains manuscripts and annotated typescripts of Hejinian's published collected writings;
manuscripts and annotated typescripts of collaborations between Hejinian and other poets and artists; manuscripts and annotated
typescripts for Hejinian's editorial projects; notebooks and journals (1974-2002); and miscellaneous material documenting
Hejinian's courses, poetry readings and publication activities.
The accession is arranged in seven series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) WRITINGS, 3) COLLABORATIONS, 4) EDITORIAL PROJECTS, 5) TEACHING
MATERIALS, 6) MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL, and 7) AUDIOVISUAL MATERIAL.
SERIES 1: CORRESPONDENCE
The CORRESPONDENCE series, arranged alphabetically by correspondent, includes letters from Rae Armantrout, Charles Bernstein,
Jack Collom, Arkadii Dragomoshchenko, Ted Greenwald, Fanny Howe, Hank Lazer, Katy Lederer, Alice Notley, Bob Perelman, Tom
Raworth, Kit Robinson, Leslie Scalapino, and Lytle Shaw. Also included are exchanges with Hejinian's students, as well as
emerging experimental writers and poets.
SERIES 2: WRITINGS
The WRITINGS series is arranged in three subseries: A) Creative Writings, B) Critical Writings, and C) Notebooks and Journals.
A) The Creative Writings subseries includes manuscripts and annotated typescripts of Hejinian's published and unpublished
work. Included are drafts and completed typescripts of BORDER COMEDY; HAPPILY; THE LANUGAUGE OF INQUIRY; SLOWLY; and other
uncollected writings.
B) The Critical Writings subseries includes manuscripts and annotated typescript drafts of essays, lectures and talks given
and/or published by Hejinian. Included are different versions of "Numerous: O's Affirmation" and other essays and talks.
C) The Notebooks and Journals subseries, arranged chronologically, includes diary entries and first drafts of published and
unpublished work from 1994-2002 and personal journal entries from 1973-1974.
SERIES 3: COLLABORATIONS
The COLLABORATIONS series documents Hejinian's collaborative projects including THE EYE OF ENDURING with artist Diane Andrews
Hall and THE LAKE with artist Emilie Clark.
SERIES 4: EDITORIAL PROJECTS
The EDITORIAL PROJECTS series documents Hejinian's editorial work including manuscripts and annotated typescripts from the
book ARCANA: MUSICIANS ON MUSIC; and her publications ATELOS and TUUMBA PRESS.
SERIES 5: TEACHING MATERIALS
The TEACHING MATERIALS series contains lecture notes, syllabi and class assignments for classes and seminars taught by Hejinian,
especially at the New College of California.
SERIES 6: MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS
This series contains drafts of her resume, event flyers, an interview with Rae Armantrout, works by others including Carolyn
Erskine Andrew's FARAWAY ISLAND, Arkadii Dragomoshchenko's draft of "Here," Brock Hanson's LYN'S LULLABIES, cover prototypes
by Ree Hall Katrak, and songs by John Zorn.
SERIES 7: AUDIOVISUAL MATERIAL
The AUDIOVISUAL MATERIAL subseries series is arranged by format in three subseries: A) Cassette Audiorecordings, B) Compact
Disc and C) Videorecordings. The audio and videorecordings include poetry readings and talks by Hejinian.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Hejinian, Lyn -- Archives
Tuumba Press -- Archives
Poetics journal
American poetry -- 20th century
Women poets -- United States
Publishers and publishing -- United States -- Archives
Hejinian, Carolyn -- correspondent
Bernstein, Charles, 1950- -- correspondent
Bromige, David, -- correspondent
Eshleman, Clayton, -- correspondent
Howe, Susan, 1937- -- correspondent
Mac Low, Jackson, -- correspondent
Palmer, Michael, 1943- -- correspondent
Rodefer, Stephen, -- correspondent
Silliman, Ronald, 1946- -- correspondent
Taggart, John, 1942- -- correspondent
Retallack, Joan, -- correspondent
Howe, Fanny, -- correspondent
Grenier, Robert, -- correspondent
Raworth, Tom, -- correspondent
Perelman, Bob, -- correspondent
Notley, Alice, 1945- -- correspondent
McCaffery, Steve, -- correspondent
Lacy, Steve, -- correspondent
Collidge, Clark, 1939- -- correspondent
Benson, Steve, 1949- -- correspondent
Hejinian, Lyn. -- Cell
Hejinian, Lyn. -- Grreat adventure
Hejinian, Lyn. -- My life
Hejinian, Lyn. -- Writing is an aid to memory