Miles Payne poetry collection, 1958-1965

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Summary

Creators:
Payne, Miles
Abstract:
Extent:
2 folders
Language:
Preferred citation:

Miles Payne poetry collection. San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco History Center

Background

Scope and content:

One folder includes issues of Payne's little magazine The Light Year, autumn 1958 through 1962 (116 leaves.) The Light Year is chiefly poetry by Payne, but especially in early issues, is published correspondence between many significant Beat poets and Payne, as well as responses by Payne. Poets include Charles Bukowski, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, and Sheri Martinelli, and some original poetry by these correspondents is published here. Included in various issues of The Light Year are full page illustrations by Wesley Rusnell and other artists. A second folder holds Payne's The Lovable Cable Car: Free Poems Among Friends, "hand made at the Light Year Press" San Francisco in 1965.

Biographical / historical:

Miles Martin Payne, Jr. was born in San Diego, California in 1923. As early as 1944 he was described as an "editor." Payne was a member of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Capricorn expedition, measuring the intensity of the earth's magnetic force in the south Pacific Ocean, 1952-1953. Payne published The Light Year in Spring Valley (San Diego County) beginning Autumn 1958 and continuing through 1962. He moved to San Francisco that year, and printed as The Light Year Press. The premier issue of City Lights Journal (1963) identifies Payne as an editorial assistant. Payne read poetry with Lewis Welch and John Montgomery at venues that included San Francisco State College in 1964. As "Miles," he published The Lovable Cable Car, 1965. Payne later moved to Santa Cruz, and died there in 1993.

Acquisition information:
Gift

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.

Preferred citation:

Miles Payne poetry collection. San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco History Center

Location of this collection:
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102, US
Contact:
(415) 557-4567
sfhistory@sfpl.org
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