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Morris Herman Collection
2009.01
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Title: Morris Herman Collection
Dates: 1960-1993
Collection Number: 2009.01
Creator/Collector:
Morris (Morry) Herman (1934-1993)
Extent: .25 cubic feet
Repository:
Humboldt State University Library
Arcata, California 95521-8299
Abstract: Morris (Morry) Herman continually produced poetry and frequently shared his poetry at readings in Arcata, CA, and in several
small self-published booklets during the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. This collection of about 150 type written pages was
preserved by his friend, Jenna Magneson Anderson, from 1993-2009.
Language of Material: English
The collection is open for use by appointment.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Humboldt State University Library.
Morris Herman Collection. Humboldt State University Library
Patsy Givens delivered the small box of poems to the HSU Library after having received them from Jenna Magneson Anderson who
had held them since shortly after Herman's death in 1993. Patsy donated four copies of Morry's poetry books: two copies of
Something Inside Us Which Flys, one copy each of What Makes the Plum Tree Blossom, and The Swimmer Kicks Free. One copy of
Something Inside Us Which Flys will be cataloged and placed in the Library's Humboldt County Collection. The other copies
remain with the collection of poems.
Biography/Administrative History
The obituary for Morris Herman, printed in The Union on November 18, 1993, summarizes his life. Long time friend, Patsy Givens
wrote the obituary. On October 31, 1993, Morry had been walking home and was struck by a car as he crossed Highway 101 at
Indianola Cutoff. For the last several years of his life Morry had stayed at the Old Arcata Rd-Myrtle Ave. home of his friend
Truman Rocke Warlick.
Morry continually worked at writing poetry. For many years he supported himself as a bartender in several Arcata Plaza establishments.
Frequently he shared his poems at local readings. Often he submitted poems to publications and nearly as often he received
rejection notices. He kept on writing. The Jambalaya hosted a memorial poetry reading for Morry.
His publications include: What Makes the Plum Tree Blossom, Grandmother's Print Dresses. With Jim Linn he published Something
Inside Us Which Flys; a copy of this is in the HSU Library's Humboldt County Collection.
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection is about 150 loose sheets of type written poems. Several contain Morry's handwritten edits. Friends, lovers,
and favorite local places are frequent topics for the poems. The poems have been left in the order in which they arrived.
The only change was to clip together the pages for the several poems that are more than one page.
One copy each of: Something Inside Us Which Flys, What Makes the Plum Tree Blossom, The Swimmer Kicks Free.
Poetry
Arcata, CA