George Oppen Papers

Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego

9500 Gilman Drive

La Jolla 92093-0175

spcoll@ucsd.edu

URL: http://libraries.ucsd.edu/collections/sca/index.html

Descriptive Summary

Languages: English

Contributing Institution: Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego

9500 Gilman Drive

La Jolla 92093-0175

Title: George Oppen Papers

Identifier/Call Number: MSS 0016

Physical Description: 15 Linear feet (34 archives boxes, 1 flat box, and 1 map case folder)

Date (inclusive): 1958-1984

Abstract: Literary papers of George Oppen (1908-1984), objectivist poet and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1969. Materials range in date from 1958-1984 and include correspondence, manuscripts and typescripts for all the poems contained in Oppen's nine published books, drafts and fragments of unpublished poems, typescripts of published and unpublished essays, and interviews, translations, and reviews of Oppen's work.

Scope and Content of Collection

Literary papers of George Oppen (1908-1984), objectivist poet and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1969. Materials range in date from 1958-1984 and include manuscripts and typescripts for all the poems contained in Oppen's nine published books, drafts and fragments of unpublished poems, typescripts of published and unpublished essays, transcripts of Oppen's verse, and copies of reviews of Oppen's work. Of special interest are loose leaf pages of notes, and Oppen's personal daybooks, all of which help to reveal his thinking about diverse subjects. The largest part of the collection consists of correspondence to Oppen from family members, editors, poets and other writers, and admirers of Oppen's work. The collection is arranged in two parts, consisting of materials processed in 1985, and a small addition processed in 1989.

The accession processed in 1985 is arranged in ten series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) NOTES, JOTTINGS, ETC., 3) DAYBOOKS, 4) POETRY, 5) READING MANUSCRIPTS, 6) PROSE, 1962-1984, 7) INTERVIEWS, 1968-1980, 8) TRANSLATIONS, 9) REVIEWS AND EPHEMERA, and 10) MICROFILM.

The accessions processed in 1989 are arranged in one series: 11) MISCELLANEOUS ADDITIONS.

Biography

Oppen was born in 1908 in New Rochelle, New York, the son of George A. Oppen and Elsie Rothfeld Oppen. He died in 1984 in San Francisco, a victim of Alzheimer's Disease.

When Oppen was 10 years old, his father remarried and moved the family to San Francisco where he opened a profitable chain of movie houses. Although his family was well-to-do, Oppen attended Californian public schools, and in 1926 he enrolled in the Agricultural College, presently Oregon State University, at Corvalis. Soon after his arrival at Corvalis, Oppen met Mary Colby, formerly of Grants Pass, Oregon. Both George and Mary were forced to leave the university before the end of their first semester--George for a semester and Mary for good--because of violating the girl's dormitory curfew while on their first date. Oppen returned to San Francisco to work for his father for a short time. Shortly after Mary joined him in San Francisco, the two decided not to return to university studies, or to accept the middle class comforts that Oppen's father offered. As Mary Oppen explains in her autobiography MEANING A LIFE:

We were constantly searching--searching in our

travels in our pursuit of friends and in our

conversation concerning all that we saw

and felt about the world. We were searching

for a way to avoid the trap that our class

backgrounds held for us if we relented in our

attempts to escape from them...We had learned

at college that poetry was being written in

our own times, and that in order for us to write

it was not necessary for us to ground ourselves in

the academic; the ground we needed was the

roads we were travelling.

In 1927 George and Mary left San Francisco and were married in Dallas, Texas while on their way to New York City.

The Oppens arrived in New York City in 1928 and soon fell into company with Louis Zukofsky and Charles Reznikoff, two New York City Jewish poets who, following the example of William Carlos Williams, were intent on reclaiming Pound's Imagism from the influence of Amy Lowell and other "Amygists." Out of the nexus of like-minded poets the Objectivist movement was born. The term was first employed in Zukofsky's essays "Program: 'Objectivist', 1931" and "Sincerity and Objectification," which Zukofsky included at the end of an issue of Poetry he had edited for Harriet Monroe. Besides Zukofski, Oppen, Williams, and Reznikoff, the issue also included work by Carl Rakosi, Kenneth Rexroth, Basil Bunting, Robert McAlmon, and several other poets whose work Zukofsky believed to exemplify the Objectivist program.

In 1929 the Oppens moved to France where they established To, Publishers. Though they published work by Pound, Williams and a larger version of Zukofsky's Objectivist anthology, the venture failed because American booksellers considered their books paperbacks and, thus, refused to stock them. After returning to the United States in 1933, the Oppens again tried their hand at publishing with the establishment of the Objectivist Press. Besides additional works by Pound and Williams, the press published Oppen's volume of poetry, Discrete Series, which had been written in 1929 before the Oppens left for France and revised shortly after their return to the States.

The Objectivist Press may have succeeded if it had been the Oppen's foremost concern. However, the suffering brought on by the Depression and evident throughout the country captured their attention. "Apprehesion mixed with elation," Mary Oppen writes, "as we disembarked at Baltimore and began the drive to New York City. As we approached the first stoplight, grown men, respectable men--our fathers--stepped forward to ask for a nickle, rag in hand, to wipe our windshield. This ritual was repeated every time we paused, until we felt we were in a nightmare, our fathers impoverished." In 1935 the Oppens turned their backs on their lives as artists and for the next five years worked as strike organizers, first in Brooklyn and later in Utica, New York, for the Communist Party of the United States of America. According to Mary Oppen, "we decided to work with the Communist Party, not as artist or writer because we did not find honesty or sincerity in the so-called arts of the left....We said to each other, 'Let's work with the unemployed and leave our other interest in the arts for a later time'" Oppen's own explanation to L.S. Dembo in 1968 is more to the point: "If you do something politically, you do something that has political efficacy. And if you decide to write poetry, then you write poetry, not something that you hope, or deceive yourself into believing, can save people who are suffering...In a way I gave up poetry because of the pressures of what for the moment I'll call conscience."

The "later time" did not occur until 1958. The years of political activism were followed by the birth of the Oppens' daughter Linda. Oppen then worked as a die cutter in a factory until 1942 when he was drafted into the United States Army. Shortly before V-E day, he suffered multiple wounds from an exploding shell. After the war, the Oppens settled in Huntington Beach, California where Oppen employed himself first as a housing contractor then as a maker of hi-fi cabinets. Oppen was forced to give up his business and flee to Mexico with his family in 1950, after the FBI began to threaten him and Mary with imprisonment for their refusal to betray their friends. Soon after arriving in Mexico City, Oppen joined with a native of Mexico in operating a furniture factory and entertained thoughts of entering the Mexican real estate market. Those thoughts were put to rest when Oppen wrote his first poem in twenty-five years. In 1958, he and Mary returned to New York City where they lived until the late 1960s. Throughout the 1970s, until Oppen's affliction with Alzheimer's disease prohibited his travelling, the Oppens spent their summer months on Deer Isle, Maine and the rest of the year in San Francisco.

It is difficult to say whether Oppen's return to writing poetry signifies the synthesis of his artistic and political impulses or his confession that political activism is no more useful to changing the world than art is. Regardless of how critics have responded to this question, they typically share the opinion that Oppen's return to writing resulted in the production of a formidible and important collection of poetry "whose craft and inquiring intelligence are a significant influence on contemporary American poetry." In 1962 Oppen published THE MATERIALS, his second collection of verse. It was followed three years later by THIS IN WHICH (1965). In 1969, his third collection of verse, OF BEING NUMEROUS, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. SEASCAPE: NEEDLE'S EYE was published in 1972 and was followed in 1973 with the appearance of the Fulcrum Press edition of his COLLECTED POEMS. In 1975, New Directions brought out a more complete edition of Oppen's collected work, which also included a section of the work titled "Myth of the Blaze." Finally, Oppen's last collection, PRIMITIVE, which was edited by Mary Oppen, appeared in 1978.

Preferred Citation

George Oppen Papers, MSS 16. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.

Acquisition Information

Acquired 1984-1989

Restrictions

The George Oppen papers, with the exception of the 1989 accession, are restricted due to fragility. Materials have been microfilmed and scanned. Researchers may place requests to access digital copies of through our virtual reading room service. Researchers wishing to use the original materials must first obtain the permission of the director of Special Collections & Archives.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

American poetry -- 20th century

Oppen, George -- Archives

Reznikoff, Charles, 1894-1976 -- Correspondence

Shapiro, Harvey, 1924-2013 -- Correspondence

DuPlessis, Rachel Blau -- Correspondence

Mourelatos, Linda Oppen, 1940- -- Correspondence

Enslin, Theodore -- Correspondence

Bronk, William -- Correspondence

Ignatow, David, 1914-1997 -- Correspondence

Heller, Michael, 1937- -- Correspondence

Martin, John, 1947- -- Correspondence

Laughlin, James, 1914-1997 -- Correspondence

Zukofsky, Louis, 1904-1978 -- Correspondence

Weinberger, Eliot -- Correspondence

Williams, William Carlos, 1883-1963 -- Correspondence

Taggart, John, 1942- -- Correspondence

Tomlinson, Charles, 1927-2015 -- Correspondence

Degnan, June Oppen -- Correspondence

Oppen, Mary, 1908-1990 -- Archives

Accession Processed in 1985

CORRESPONDENCE

Scope and Content of Series

Series 1) CORRESPONDENCE. Arranged in three subseries: family correspondence, general correspondence, and miscellaneous correspondence. The bulk of the family correspondence contains Oppen's letters to his sister and once editor June Oppen Degnan and letters from his daughter Linda Oppen Mourelatos. (The letters between Oppen and Diane [Andy] Meyer and Eve Haight, Oppen's niece and grand-niece respectfully, have been incorporated into the general correspondence since they were acquired at a later date and after microfilming of the family correspondence had occurred.) The family correspondence also includes letters from Oppen's son-in-law Alex Mourelatos and between Mary Oppen and Linda Oppen Mourelatos.

The general correspondence is arranged alphabetically, and chronologically where possible, in accordance with the arrangement of Oppen's letter file. The list of correspondents is extensive and far-ranging. There are letters from many of Oppen's contemporaries such as William Bronk, David Ignatow, Charles Reznikoff, Charles Tomlinson, Williams Carlos Williams, and Louis Zukofsky; and from numerous younger poets, among them Rachel Blau DuPlessis, Ten Enslin, Michael Heller, John Taggart, and Sally Appleton Weber. The publishers of the American and English editions of Oppen's Collected Poems, Fulcrum Press and New Directions, are both substantially represented, as are the literary critics Donald Davies, L. S. Dembo, and Hugh Kenner. There are numerous letters from friends and readers expressing their admiration for Oppen's work. For Instance, there are letters from Max Pepper, whose daughter Sara is referred to in the poem "Sara in Her Father's Arm" (CP, 30): and from Robert and Carolyn Goodman, thanking Oppen for commemorating their son in his poem "The Book of Job and a Draft of a Poem to Praise the Paths of the Living" (CP, 236). Mitchell Goodman was one of the three civil rights activists murdered in Mississippi in 1964. The miscellaneous correspondence consists primarily of unidentified letters and manuscripts, but it also includes three folders of letters and materials pertaining to Oppen's death and memorial service in 1984.

As expected, the chief subject of a great portion of the correspondence to Oppen concerns Oppen's poetry. Numerous letters are requests for manuscripts, while others discuss matters of typesetting, copyrights, and royalty payments. Still other letters pertain directly to the poetry, Oppen's compositional procedures and choice of themes, as well as his literary and philosophical influences. Also present are letters from Oppen to various correspondents which discuss Oppen's life: his relationship with his wife Mary, his role as a publisher of Objectivist writing in the 1930s, his and Mary's political convictions and activities, the reasons for his 25 year silence, and, finally, his response to many major events during the 1960s and 1970s such as the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the escalation of the Vietnam war, and the infamous Altamont rock concert. It should also be noted that many of Oppen's letters contain, or are themselves, seed poems, the most famous example being the two or three letters between Oppen and the British poet Charles Tomlinson in 1964 which resulted in the collaborative poem "To C.T." (CP, 142).

Family Correspondence

Box 1, Folder 1-8

Letters to June Oppen Degnan between 1957 and 1973

Box 1, Folder 9-20

Letters from Linda Oppen Mourelatos between 1957 and 1977

Box 1, Folder 21

Letters from Alex Mourelatos

Box 1, Folder 22

Letters from Mary Oppen to Linda Oppen Mourelatos

Box 1, Folder 23

Letters from Mary Oppen to George Oppen

General Correspondence

Box 2, Folder 1

Abbot, Steve 1978

Box 2, Folder 2

Ackerson, David 1973

Box 2, Folder 3

Adams, Betsy 1975-1976

Box 2, Folder 4

Adams, Michael 1980

Box 2, Folder 5

Albiach, Anne-Marie 1969-1970

Box 2, Folder 6

Aldridge, Richard 1969

Box 2, Folder 7

Alpert, Barry 1974

Box 2, Folder 8

American Academy Award 1980

Box 2, Folder 9

American Poetry Archive 1977

Box 2, Folder 10

American Poetry Review 1975-1976

Box 2, Folder 11

Amirkhanian, Charles 1967-1977

Box 2, Folder 12

Antin, David

Box 2, Folder 13

Apodaca, David 1974

Box 2, Folder 14

Arizona State University Student Association 1974

Box 2, Folder 15

The Ark 1979

Box 2, Folder 16

Armantrout, Rae undated

Box 2, Folder 17

Armstrong, Bonnie 1969

Box 2, Folder 18

Arnett, Carroll 1968

Box 2, Folder 19

Arnold, David 1977

Box 2, Folder 20

Artman, Carol

Box 2, Folder 21-22

Auster, Paul between 1973 and 1980

Box 2, Folder 23

Bancroft Library 1973

Box 2, Folder 24

Bardona, Carlin 1972-1974

Box 2, Folder 25-27

Barnett, Anthony between 1967 and 1978

Box 2, Folder 28-31

Barrows, Anita between 1973 and 1979

Box 2, Folder 32

British Broadcasting Company 1973

Box 2, Folder 33

Beauvais, Phyllis undated

Box 2, Folder 34

Bedoian, Victor 1972

Box 2, Folder 35

Berlinger, B. N. 1976

Box 2, Folder 36

Bishop, Jim 1971-1973

Box 2, Folder 37

Black Mesa Press (includes Mary Oppen typescript) 1981

Box 2, Folder 38-49

Blau DuPlessis, Rachel between 1968 and 1983

Box 3, Folder 1

Bonazzi, Rochelle and Robert undated

Box 3, Folder 2

Bontempi, Art 1976

Box 3, Folder 3

Booth, Phillip 1967-1973

Box 3, Folder 4

Bose, Buddhadeva 1961-1964

Box 3, Folder 5

Boundary 2 1975

Box 3, Folder 6

Breit, Luke W. 1977

Box 3, Folder 7

Bristow, Mark 1974

Box 3, Folder 8

Britton, Burt undated

Box 3, Folder 9-11

Bronk, William between 1962 and 1981

Box 3, Folder 12

Browning, Don undated

Box 3, Folder 13

Berl, Christine 1976-1980

Box 3, Folder 14

Buel, Jack 1978

Box 3, Folder 15-16

Buel, Nellie between 1969 and 1980

Box 3, Folder 17

SUNY - Buffalo, Irving Feldman 1967

Box 3, Folder 18

Bunting, Basil 1973

Box 3, Folder 19

Burbank, Jim 1974-1976

Box 3, Folder 20

Caddel, Richard 1977

Box 3, Folder 21

Cadnum, Michael 1977, 1979

Box 3, Folder 22

Cambridge Poetry Festival, Paul Johnstone 1977

Box 3, Folder 23-24

Caplan, Ron between 1965 and 1970

Box 3, Folder 25

Cardoza, Sucha 1974-1978

Box 3, Folder 26

CCLM 1974

Box 3, Folder 27

Chapman, Abraham and Belle 1974-1977

Box 3, Folder 28

Chicago Review 1978

Box 3, Folder 29

Chilton, Randolph 1979

Box 3, Folder 30

Clark, Thomas 1965

Box 3, Folder 31

Clayton, Jay 1970

Box 3, Folder 32

Cody's 1978

Box 3, Folder 33

Colby, Noel 1978

Box 3, Folder 34

Colby, Wendell 1978

Box 3, Folder 35

Cookson, William 1965

Box 3, Folder 36-37

Cooper, Jane 1972-1977

Box 3, Folder 38

Corbett, Bill 1971

Box 3, Folder 39

Corman, Cid 1960, 1980-1981

Box 3, Folder 40

Cox, Ed 1976-1978

Box 3, Folder 41

Cox, Martin 1966

Box 3, Folder 42-44

Crawford, John between 1965 and 1981

Box 3, Folder 45

Crawford, John, Andrew Hoyen, W. Kaplan 1966

General note

Letters concerning GO's "Another Language of New York."

Box 3, Folder 46-48

George Oppen to John Crawford (photocopied letter files) approximately 1960-1980

Box 3, Folder 49

Creeley, Robert 1965, 1967

Box 3, Folder 50

Crozier, Andrew 1965

Box 3, Folder 51-53

Cuddihy, Michael between 1971 and 1980

Box 3, Folder 54

Cunningham, Carol 1978

Box 4, Folder 1

Dahlen, Beverly 1975, 1978

Box 4, Folder 2

Dakota Territory - Tom McGrath 1973

Box 4, Folder 3

Daley, John 1974

Box 4, Folder 4

Davidson, Michael 1978

Box 4, Folder 5

Davie, Donald 1969-1979

Box 4, Folder 6

Deitch, Dave (Daytop) undated

Box 4, Folder 7-9

Dembo, L. S. between 1968 and 1980

General note

Includes letters from Dembo's secretary C. N. Pondrom, and letters to J. Laughlin.

Box 4, Folder 10

Deutsch, Babette 1976

Box 4, Folder 11

Dietrich, Frank 1974

Box 4, Folder 12

Directory of American Poets 1974

Box 4, Folder 13

Dodd, Wayne 1977, 1981

Box 4, Folder 14

Duerdan, Richard 1978

Box 4, Folder 15

Duncan, Robert 1974-1978

Box 4, Folder 16

Early, Joe 1968

Box 4, Folder 17

Eaton, Richard 1974-1981

General note

Includes essay on GO.

Box 4, Folder 18

Economou, George 1973

Box 4, Folder 19

Edwards, Michael 1973-1975

Box 4, Folder 20-21

Einzig, Barbara between 1973 and 1975

Box 4, Folder 22

Englebert, Michael 1976-1977

Box 4, Folder 23-24

Enslin, Ted between 1965 and 1979

Box 4, Folder 25

Eshleman, Clayton 1968

Box 4, Folder 26-27

Faucherau, Serge between 1966 and 1978

Box 4, Folder 28

Feld, Ross 1968-1971

Box 4, Folder 29

Field, Edward 1976-1978

Box 4, Folder 30

Finlayson, Doug undated

Box 4, Folder 31

Fisher, David 1975-1980

Box 4, Folder 32

Fixel, Lawrence 1968

Box 4, Folder 33

Ford, Hugh 1978

Box 4, Folder 34

Four Zoas Press undated

Box 4, Folder 35

Franklin, Albert undated

Box 4, Folder 36

Fraser, Kathleen 1966-1978

Box 4, Folder 37

Fredman, Steve 1973

Box 4, Folder 38

Freeman, John 1977-1979

Box 4, Folder 39

Freeman, Peter C. 1976

Box 4, Folder 40

Frelicher, Melvyn 1976

Box 4, Folder 41

Fresno State College 1967

Box 4, Folder 42

Friendly Local Press 1968-1970

Box 4, Folder 43

Fulcrum Press, Stuart and Deirdre Montgomery 1967-1973

General note

14 TLs, 3 TLcs and 1 TLc from Laurence Pollinger to Fulcrum Press, 3 TLsc and 2 TLc to Laurence Pollinger from Fulcrum Press, 2 TLs from Carol McNair to GO, 7 TLs from Laurence Pollinger to GO, 1 contract, 2 acknowledgement pages, contents pages, 10 R (59 lvs.).

Box 4, Folder 44

Fulton, Theresa ca. mid-1970s

Box 4, Folder 45

Gach, Garry undated

Box 4, Folder 46

Ganick, P. 1976

Box 4, Folder 47

Genesis West 1962

Box 4, Folder 48

Gitin, David and Joyce 1968-1981

Box 4, Folder 49

Glide 1970

Box 4, Folder 50

Goldblatt, Eli 1977-1979

Box 4, Folder 51

Goodman, Robert and Carolyn 1964

Box 4, Folder 52

Green, Galen 1973

Box 4, Folder 53

Green, Laurence 1977

Box 4, Folder 54

Gregg, Linda 1979

Box 4, Folder 55

Griffin, Jonathan 1977-1980

Box 4, Folder 56

Grosseteste 1971-1978

Box 4, Folder 57

Gruber, Ruth 1973

Box 4, Folder 58-59

Guedalla, Roger and Vicki between 1968 and 1973

Box 4, Folder 60

Guerrard, Philip 1978

Box 5, Folder 1

Haight, Eve 1960s

Box 5, Folder 2

Halpern, Seymour 1972

Box 5, Folder 3

Hamburger, Michael 1973-1975

Box 5, Folder 4

Hanzlicek, Charles 1966-1968

Box 5, Folder 5-9

Heller, Michael between 1968 and 1980

Box 5, Folder 10

Henkin, Bill 1968-1971

Box 5, Folder 11

Hindus, Milton 1976-1980

Box 5, Folder 12

Hirshman, Jack 1973

Box 5, Folder 13

Hofstadter, Mark ca. 1970s

Box 5, Folder 14

Homberger, Eric 1973-1975

Box 5, Folder 15

Howe, Susan 1977

Box 5, Folder 16

Howie, Harry 1977, 1979

Box 5, Folder 17

Human Handkerchief 1974

Box 5, Folder 18

Huot, Robert undated

Box 5, Folder 19

Ignatow, David 1962-1981

Box 5, Folder 20

Inquiry 1978

Box 5, Folder 21

Iowa Review 1971-1975

Box 5, Folder 22

Jaffe, Sherril 1978

Box 5, Folder 23-29

Jaffer, Frances ca. 1975-1985

Box 5, Folder 30

James, John 1964

Box 5, Folder 31

Jevremovic, George 1976

Box 5, Folder 32-33

Johnstone, George between 1964 and 1981

Box 5, Folder 34

Johnstone, Paul 1975-1976

Box 5, Folder 35

Jolins, Judith 1972

Box 5, Folder 36

Jordan, Donald M. 1979

Box 5, Folder 37

Justice, Donald 1967

Box 6, Folder 1

Kaplan, Lenore 1960-1972

Box 6, Folder 2

Kaplan, Paul 1965

Box 6, Folder 3

Kaplan, William 1963-1978

Box 6, Folder 4

Kaufman, Shirley 1973-1977

Box 6, Folder 5

Kelley, Robert 1975

Box 6, Folder 6

Kenner, Hugh 1963-1978

Box 6, Folder 7

Klein, Arnold 1977

Box 6, Folder 8

Kleinzahler, August 1979

Box 6, Folder 9

Knopf, Alfred A. 1974-1975

Box 6, Folder 10

KPBS-FM San Diego 1978

Box 6, Folder 11-13

Kray, Elizabeth between 1963 and 1973

Box 6, Folder 14

Kulchur 1963

Box 6, Folder 15

KPFA-FM Berkeley 1968

Box 6, Folder 16

Lampeter Muse undated

Box 6, Folder 17

Lattimore, Alexander 1976

Box 6, Folder 18

Laughlin, Anne and James (see also New Directions) 1974

Box 6, Folder 19

Layten, Meredith 1976

Box 6, Folder 20

Lazarus 1974

Box 6, Folder 21

Levertov, Denise 1963-1970

Box 6, Folder 22

Levick, Hugh undated

Box 6, Folder 23

Levine, Phil 1967-1974

Box 6, Folder 24

Lewis, Peter 1976

Box 6, Folder 25-26

Liljefelt, Stanley 1974

Box 6, Folder 27-32

Lippe, Jane between 1974 and 1979

Box 6, Folder 33

J. B. Lippincott, Co. 1970

Box 6, Folder 34

Logan, John undated

Box 6, Folder 35

Loney, Alan 1977

Box 6, Folder 36

Low, Madelaine M 1965

Box 7, Folder 1-3

McAleavy, David between 1974 and 1980

General note

Third folder contains GO bibliography.

Box 7, Folder 4

McCarthy, Eugene J. 1969

Box 7, Folder 5

McClure, Michael 1963-1974

Box 7, Folder 6

McDonough, Paul 1977

Box 7, Folder 7

McGuire, Mike 1974

Box 7, Folder 8

McHugh, Heather ca. late 1960s

Box 7, Folder 9

McMillen, R. Paul 1978

Box 7, Folder 10

McWilliams, Carey 1977

Box 7, Folder 11

Maderos, Tom 1977

Box 7, Folder 12

Mailer, Norman ca. early 1960s

Box 7, Folder 13

Malanga, Gerard 1963, 1974

Box 7, Folder 14

Malone, Collie 1969

Box 7, Folder 15

Mariah, Paul 1962

Box 7, Folder 16

Marshall, Jack 1969

Box 7, Folder 17-20

Martin, John (includes Black Sparrow Press) between 1974 and 1979

Box 7, Folder 21

Massachusetts Review 1962

Box 7, Folder 22

Mendel, Mark 1975

Box 7, Folder 23

Merlin Press 1976

Box 7, Folder 24-29

Meyer, Diane (Andy) between 1961 and 1980

Box 7, Folder 30

Mezey, Bob 1973

Box 7, Folder 31

Miles, Josephine

Box 7, Folder 32

Missouri Review undated

Box 7, Folder 33

Morrow, Bradford 1979

Box 7, Folder 34

Montgomery Seminar of the Arts 1973-1978

Box 7, Folder 35

Mottram, Eric 1973

Box 7, Folder 36

Mundhenk, Michael 1981

Box 7, Folder 37

Museum of Modern Art 1974

Box 7, Folder 38

Mycue, Edward

Box 7, Folder 39

Nancarrow, Conlon 1978

Box 7, Folder 40

National Endowment for the Arts

Box 7, Folder 41

Navaro, Bud 1978

Box 7, Folder 42

Navaro, William 1977

Box 7, Folder 43

Neigehauer, Sasha

Box 8, Folder 1

New Directions - Publishing contracts for Collected Poems 1975

Box 8, Folder 2

New Directions - Proof notations for last two sections of Collected Poems 1975

Box 8, Folder 3-10

New Directions - Correspondence with James Laughlin between 1959 and 1981

Box 8, Folder 11-19

New Directions - Correspondence with Robert MacGregor (includes Laurence Pollinger, Gerald Pollinger) between 1966 and 1973

Box 8, Folder 20

New Directions - Martin, Fredrick

Box 8, Folder 21

New Directions - Miscellaneous correspondence

Box 8, Folder 22

New Directions - Permissions 1968-1974

Box 8, Folder 23

New Directions - Permissions 1975-1978

Box 8, Folder 24

New Directions - Royalty statements

Box 8, Folder 25

New York City Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Administration 1969

Box 8, Folder 26

New York State Council of the Arts 1970

Box 8, Folder 27

New Yorker 1963

Box 8, Folder 28

University of North Carolina, Greensboro 1976

Box 8, Folder 29

Obituaries (published) 1984

Box 8, Folder 30

O'Brien, Joseph M. 1977

Box 8, Folder 31

O'Brien, Michael 1970-1978

Box 8, Folder 32

Occident ca. mid-1970s

Box 8, Folder 33

O'Conner, Jean undated

Box 8, Folder 34

Olds, Sharon 1976-1980

Box 8, Folder 35

Oppenheimer, Joel 1975-1978

Box 8, Folder 36

Orlen, Steven ca. early 1960s

Box 8, Folder 37

Oxford University Press 1972, 1974

Box 9, Folder 1

Pacheco, Jo ca. late 1960s

Box 9, Folder 2

Paganetti, Jo Ann 1975

Box 9, Folder 3-5

Paideuma - Burton Hatlen between 1978 and 1981

Box 9, Folder 6

Paper Air - Gill Ott 1978-1979

Box 9, Folder 7

Paris Review 1965

Box 9, Folder 8

Parker, Frank 1975

Box 9, Folder 9

Perkins, Mark ca. mid-1970s

Box 9, Folder 10

Pepper, Max ca. early 1960s

Box 9, Folder 11

Perfect Bound 1978

Box 9, Folder 12-13

Perishable Press - Walter Hamady (includes Robert MacGregor) between 1968 and 1972

Box 9, Folder 14

Peterson, Don 1970

Box 9, Folder 15

Pettet, Simon 1976-1977

Box 9, Folder 16

Phelps, Donald 1966

Box 9, Folder 17

Plank, Richard 1976

Box 9, Folder 18

Planz, Allen 1964-ca. 1970

Box 9, Folder 19

Playboy 1971-1972

Box 9, Folder 20

Pn Review 1977

Box 9, Folder 21

Poetry

Box 9, Folder 22

Poetry 1963-1978

Box 9, Folder 23-24

Poetry Center between 1968 and 1978

Box 9, Folder 25

Poetry in Public Places 1974-1976

Box 9, Folder 26

Polis. 1980

Box 9, Folder 27

Pompidou Centre (Paris) 1977

Box 9, Folder 28

Pound, Ezra undated

Box 9, Folder 29

Power, Kevin 1975-1977

Box 9, Folder 30

Powers, David 1978

Box 9, Folder 31

Prynne, Jeremy 1973

Box 9, Folder 32

Pulitzer Prize- Certificate; 3 partial drafts of acceptance speech 1969

Box 9, Folder 33

Quasha, George 1969-1977

Box 9, Folder 34

Rain 1972

Box 9, Folder 35

Rakosi, Carl 1969-1978

Box 9, Folder 36

Randall, Margaret undated

Box 9, Folder 37

Rector, Liam 1978

Box 9, Folder 38

Rector, Ron undated

Box 9, Folder 39

Red Cedar Review - Michael McCormick undated

Box 9, Folder 40

Reisman, Jerry 1969

Box 9, Folder 41

Replansky, Naomi 1973

Box 9, Folder 42-44

Reznikoff, Charles between 1959 and 1980

Box 9, Folder 45

Rice, Stan 1976

Box 9, Folder 46

Richardson, Robert 1975

Box 9, Folder 47

Riley, Peter 1975

Box 9, Folder 48

Robbins, William undated

Box 9, Folder 49

Roditi, Edward 1980

Box 9, Folder 50

Rodefer, Steven ca. 1968, 1978

Box 9, Folder 51

Rogers, Del Marie 1978

Box 9, Folder 52-56

Rorty, Amelie Oksenberg - Letters mainly addressed to Mary Oppen between 1970 and 1980

Box 9, Folder 57

Rosachacki, Don 1972

Box 9, Folder 58

Rosenblum, Martin J. 1974

Box 9, Folder 59

Ross-Erickson, Inc. 1 Calling Card

Box 9, Folder 60

Rothenberg, Jerome 1968-1977

Box 9, Folder 61

Rothfeld, Tracy 1976

Box 9, Folder 62

Royet-Journand, Claude 1978

Box 9, Folder 63

Rozinante - Allen Kimball 1977

Box 9, Folder 64

Rudman, Mark 1978

Box 9, Folder 65

Rudolf, Anthony ca. late 1970s

Box 9, Folder 66

Ryan, Dennis 1976

Box 9, Folder 67

Ryan, Sister Patricia 1974, 1976

Box 9, Folder 68

Rye, Judy Sexton 1980

Box 10, Folder 1

St. James Press 1979

Box 10, Folder 2

Samer, Paul Yuri 1978

Box 10, Folder 3

San Francisco Board of Supervisor 1969

Box 10, Folder 4

San Francisco Public Library 1963-1964

Box 10, Folder 5

Santos, Mary D. 1974

Box 10, Folder 6

Sarton, May undated

Box 10, Folder 7

de Sayogo, Irene 1978

Box 10, Folder 8-9

Schneider, Steve and Toby approximately 1960-1980

Box 10, Folder 10-18

Schneider, Steve between 1962 and 1981

Box 10, Folder 19

Schmitz, Axel 1968

Box 10, Folder 20

Schultz, Philip 1968-1971

Box 10, Folder 21

Schwabacher, Ethel 1967

Box 10, Folder 22

Schwartz, Howard 1977

Box 10, Folder 23

Schwerner, Armand 1964-1976

Box 10, Folder 24

Seabury Press 1974

Box 10, Folder 25

Seidman, Hugh 1968-1973

Box 10, Folder 26

Seigman, Ataxia and Judith undated

Box 10, Folder 27

Shahar, David and Shula 1975

Box 10, Folder 28

Shapiro, Abbie 1978

Box 10, Folder 29-33

Shapiro, Harvey between 1967 and 1972

Box 10, Folder 34

Sharp, Tom 1977-1980

Box 10, Folder 35

Sharpe, Jr. Charles H. undated

Box 10, Folder 36

Shein, Keith 1978

Box 10, Folder 37

Shoemaker, Jack 1972

Box 10, Folder 38

Silk, Dennis 1976

Box 10, Folder 39

Simic, Charles 1973

Box 10, Folder 40

Simon and Schuster 1970

Box 10, Folder 41

Solt, Mary Ellen 1961-1962

Box 10, Folder 42

Sorrentino, Gil 1963-1965

Box 10, Folder 43

Spingarn, Lawrence 1972

Box 10, Folder 44

Station Hill Press 1978

Box 10, Folder 45

Strasser, Edna 1965, 1967

Box 10, Folder 46

Stein, Sherman 1967, 1969

Box 10, Folder 47

Stewart, Alexander 1977

Box 10, Folder 48

Stock, Doreen 1974-1977

Box 10, Folder 49

Stock, Ron undated

Box 10, Folder 50

Seuss, Penelope 1971

Box 10, Folder 51

Sullivan, III, Arthur G. undated

Box 10, Folder 52

Sumac Press - Jim Austin between 1972 and 1973

Box 10, Folder 53-55

Sumac Press - Dan Gerber between 1970 and 1980

Box 11, Folder 1-6

Taggart, John between 1967 and 1981

Box 11, Folder 7

Taylor, Andrew 1975-1978

Box 11, Folder 8

University of Texas, Austin 1977

Box 11, Folder 9

Thayler, Carl 1980

Box 11, Folder 10

Thin Line Press 1962

Box 11, Folder 11-15

Tomlinson, Charles between 1963 and 1981

Box 11, Folder 16

Torrance, Chris undated

Box 11, Folder 17

Valentine, Jean 1975

Box 11, Folder 18

Van Der Hallen, Marijke 1978

Box 11, Folder 19

Vas Dias, Robert 1969-1978

Box 11, Folder 20

Waessner, Warren 1970

Box 11, Folder 21-22

Wakoski, Diane between 1964 and 1978

Box 11, Folder 23

Waldrop, Rosemarie and Keith 1972, 1977

Box 11, Folder 24

Walsh, Joe 1977

Box 11, Folder 25

Watershed Foundation 1981

Box 11, Folder 26-30

Weber, Sally Appleton between 1969 and 1981

Box 11, Folder 31

Weaver, Judith 1977

Box 11, Folder 32

Webster, Brenda undated

Box 11, Folder 33

Webster, Tom 1970-1971

Box 11, Folder 34

Weil, James L. 1963-1980

Box 11, Folder 35-39

Weinberger, Eliot between 1968 and 1980

Box 11, Folder 40

Weinfield, Henry ca. mid-1970s

Box 11, Folder 41

West, Michael ca. late 1970s

Box 11, Folder 42

Whelen, Christopher 1981

Box 11, Folder 43

Whitney, John 1965

Box 11, Folder 44

Will, Fred 1967-1968

Box 11, Folder 45

Williams, Jonathan 1971-1979

Box 11, Folder 46

Williams, William Carlos and Floss 1960, 1962

Box 11, Folder 47

Wilson, John 1975-1977

Box 11, Folder 48

Wilson, Keith 1968-1976

Box 11, Folder 49

Wilson, Mark 1971

Box 11, Folder 50

Wolf, Douglas 1978

Box 11, Folder 51

Woolf, Eleanor ca. mid-1960s

Box 11, Folder 52

Worth, Doug 1970-1974

Box 11, Folder 53

Wright State University 1978

Box 11, Folder 54

Yoken, Melvin B. 1970

Box 11, Folder 55

Young, Alan 1979

Box 11, Folder 56

Young, Pete undated

Box 11, Folder 57

Younger, Irving undated

Box 11, Folder 58

Zebrun, Gary 1979

Box 11, Folder 59

Zekeli, Peter 1980

Box 11, Folder 60

Zimet, Julian undated

Box 11, Folder 61

Zukofsky, Louis 1959-1962

Miscellaneous Correspondence

Box 12, Folder 1-7

Miscellaneous approximately 1960-1980

Box 12, Folder 8

Miscellaneous typescripts and manuscripts sent to GO

Box 12, Folder 9-10

Letters of condolence to MO

Box 12, Folder 11

Program and guest list for GO memorial service

NOTES, JOTTINGS, ETC.

Scope and Content of Series

Series 2) NOTES, JOTTINGS, ETC.: Consists of single unbound leaves or slips of paper on which diverse notes have been written. For the most part, these materials date from 1960-1980, though there are a few leaves that can be dated as late as 1982 while others might have been written as early as 1958.

Oppen appears to have used blank yellow and white standard size typing paper during ca. 1958-1962. From 1962 to 1966, he seems to have favored cheap 8 1/2 x 11 pulp paper. After 1966, he began to write primarily on fine quality letterhead, first for his New York address and subsequently for his San Francisco address. However, there are numerous instances of pulp paper being used in the 1970s and of the New York letterhead being used well after the Oppens had relocated in San Francisco; notes remain in the sequence in which they were received by the Library. Notes received in later accessions or discovered elsewhere in the collection were simply filled in at the end of the series.

The notes and jottings, as well as the daybooks, reveal many facets of Oppen's work and life which are not readily evident in his poetry and only hinted at in some of the interviews. They include reflections about his poetic career and writing practices, and about the work of contemporaries such as Ezra Pound, Charles Olson, Robert Duncan, Charles Reznikoff, and especially Louis Zukofsky. A number of the notes reflect on Oppen's philosophical positions and his reading of Heidegger, Wittgenstein, and other philosophers.

Box 13, Folder 1-20

Miscellaneous

Box 14, Folder 1-15

Miscellaneous

Box 15, Folder 1-12

Miscellaneous

Box 16, Folder 1-13

Miscellaneous

Box 17, Folder 1-11

Miscellaneous

Box 18, Folder 1-6

Miscellaneous

DAYBOOKS (Notes bound by Oppen)

Scope and Content of Series

Series 3) DAYBOOKS: Collections of notes and drafts of poems which Oppen bound together. The daybooks are distinct from the reading manuscripts listed in series five. The former contain discrete notes much like those found in the notes and jottings series. But they also contain drafts and fragments of poems, as well as drafts of letters. They have the definite feel of a journal composed over an extended period of time. In contrast, the reading manuscripts were constructed for the occasion of a particular reading.

The daybooks have been named according to their bindings, e.g. "Pipe Stem Cleaner Daybook," and are arranged in chronological sequence. However, the chronology, as well as the suggestion that the groupings constitute meaningful units, must be eyed with a certain degree of suspicion as it is entirely possible that Oppen bound discrete leaves of material together to make their handling and storage more manageable.

Box 19, Folder 1

Stapled Daybook 1961 - 1962

General note

It consists of 22 leaves, mostly foolscap paper. Primarily notes, it contains only a few drafts of poems. A letter concerning the protest of blacks in Little Rock , Arkansas in 1954 and with a return address for Mexico suggests that at least some of these papers were carried back to the U.S. by GO. Other leaves suggest that the packet is of a later date.

Box 19, Folder 2-6

Pipe-Stem Cleaner Daybook 1963

General note

This is one of two daybooks that GO bound with pipe-stem cleaners. It consists of 147 leaves, most of which are foolscap paper.

Box 19, Folder 7

Nailed Daybook 1963 - 1964

General note

105 leaves nailed to a 14 x 9.6 cm. irregular rectangular piece of pine board; the leaves consist almost entirely of white typing paper (without letterhead) and foolscap. A few sheets of lined theme book paper and onion-skin paper are included also. Ca. 1963-1964 (according to GO's references to being 55 years old and to the assasination of John Kennedy).

Box 19, Folder 8-11

Pipe-Stem Cleaner Daybook

General note

This is the second of two collections of notes, letters, poems, etc. that GO bound at the top with pipe stem cleaners. It consists of 110 leaves numbered by either MO or Rachel Blau DuPlessis and prefaced by note in either of their hands that is dated 2 May 1982. The packet begins with what appears to be notes for an introduction to a poetry reading given by GO, William Bronk, and Diane Wakoski at the Guggenheim Museum. And since it contains more drafts of poems than the other daybooks, it could be classed as a reading manuscript. Nevertheless, the bulk of the daybook is made up of notes and letters. Its date may be ca. 1964-1965 since it includes drafts of "Another Language of New York," the serial poem GO later titled "Of Being Numerous." However, it also includes transcriptions of poems from The Materials, which, if worksheets, would place the daybook ca. 1960-1961.

Box 19, Folder 12

Discussion of Another Language of New York 1965 - 1966

General note

A prefatory note written by Rachel Blau DuPlessis in 1982 describes this packet as a long meditation of the serial poem eventually titled "Of Being Numerous." GO apparently intended to send this or an edidted version of it to DuPlessis and John Crawford. DuPlessis, however, cannot recall seeing it or anything like it before 1982. It is not known whether GO had ever sent it to Crawford. The packet consists of 56 leaves numbered by DuPlessis or Mary Oppen in 1982.

Box 19, Folder 13

New Year: Pasted Daybook 1968 - 1968

General note

It consists of 23 more or less whole leaves of light-weight typing paper. There are also a number of partial slips pasted partially or completely to one of the larger leaves. The penultimate page is a title page for Seascape: Needle's Eye. One loose leaf of yellow light-weight typing papers is also in the folder.

Box 19, Folder 14

Legal pad (8.5 x 14) undated

General note

It consists of 10 lined leaves, on which eight are written.

Box 19, Folder 15

Miscellaneous and undated tablets

Box 19, Folder 16

Legal pad (8.5 x 14) ca. late 1970s

General note

It consists of eight bound sheets and 11 unbound sheets.

Box 19, Folder 17

Last Words of George Oppen ca. early 1980s

General note

A 5 inch x 7 3/4 inch spiral notebook (with wire binding removed). It contains four lined leaves on which Mary Oppen has transcribed the statements that GO pasted to the wall of his study.

Box 19, Folder 18

Last Words of George Oppen ca. early 1980s

General note

26 various size pieces of paper with GO's statements on them. These slips were glued to the walls of Oppen's study. They have been numbered by Mary Oppen. Numbers 2 and 16 are missing and are taken from the notebook of Mary Oppen's transcriptions (see 19.17).

Box 19, Folder 19

Primitive ca. early 1980s

General note

A copy of GO's last book (wrappers) with his writing on the front and inside front covers.

Box 19, Folder 20

Self-portrait (photocopy) undated

POETRY

Scope and Content of Series

Series 4) POETRY: Manuscripts and typescripts are filed in series four, POETRY, and are arranged in three sub-series. Those of poems collected in one of Oppen's nine published books make up the first subseries; they are arranged first chronologically according to the date of their first publication, and then according to where they appear in the book. Those of poems published in magazines but not collected in a book constitute the second sub-series; they are too arranged chronologically according to their dates of publication. The third subseries consists of manuscripts and typescripts of unpublished poems; they are listed alphabetically by title or first significant word. The three sub-series overlap to some extent, since group manuscripts (collections of several poems in a "dummy book") occasionally include poems that were later excluded from the book. Group manuscripts are listed chronologically, usually after individual poems and before the photocopy of the published book.

Published Poetry (1932-1978)

DISCRETE SERIES (1934, 1966)

Box 20, Folder 1

Photocopy of a carbon TS

General note

Carbon TS contained in the Charles Reznikoff Papers (Box 18, Folder 17) at UCSD. 16 lvs.

Box 20, Folder 2

Photocopy of TS carbon described in 20.1. Presumably sent to GO by John Martin. 16 lvs

Box 20, Folder 3

Preface by Ezra Pound. New York: The Objectivist Press, 1934. Photocopy. 19 lvs

Box 20, Folder 4

Reprint of 1934 Objectist Press edition, without preface by Ezra Pound. Cleveland: Asphodel Bookshop, 1966. Photocopy. 18 lvs

MATERIALS

Box 20, Folder 5

"Eclogue." M 1, CP 17 (1 lf.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 6-8

"Image of the Engine" - Sections 2, 4 and 5 1962

Box 20, Folder 9

"Population." M 6, CP 22 (2 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 10

"Resort." M 7, CP 23 (3 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 11

"Travelogue." M 9, CP 25 (3 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 12

"Return." M 10-12, CP 26-28 (3 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 13-14

"Blood from the Stone" - Sections 1-4 1962

Box 20, Folder 15

"Birthplace: New Rochelle." M 18, CP 34 (3 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 16

"Myself, I Sing." M 19-20, CP 35-36 (2 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 17

"Stranger's Child." M 21, CP 37 (9 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 18

"Ozymandias." M 22, CP 38 (6 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 19

"Debt." M 23, CP 39 (3 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 20

"Product." M 24, CP 40 (3 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 21

"Workman." M 25, CP 41 (2 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 22

"The Undertaking in New Jersey." M 26, CP 42 (2 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 23

"Tourist Eye." M 28, CP 44 (1 lf.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 24

"From a Photograph." M 31, CP 47 (12 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 25

"The Tugs of Hull." M 32, CP 48 (1 lf.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 26

"Time of the Missile." M 33, CP 49 (2 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 27

"Antique." M 35, CP 51 (4 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 28

"Coastal Strip." M 36, CP 52 (3 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 29

"O Western Wind." M 37, CP 53 (4 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 30

"The Hills." M 38, CP 54 (9 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 31

"The Source." M 39, CP 52 (14 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 32

"Chartres." M 40, CP 56 (1 lf.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 33

"Daedalus: The Dirge." M 42, CP 58 (2 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 34

"Part of the Forest." M 43, CP 59 (2 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 35

"Survival Infantry." M 44, CP 60 (4 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 36

"Squall." M 45, CP 61 (2 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 37

"California." M 46, CP 62 (2 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 38

"Sunnyside Child." M 47, CP 63 (1 lf.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 39

"Pedestrian." M 48, CP 64 (6 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 40

"To Memory." M 49-50, CP 65-66 (2 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 41

"Still Life." M 51, CP 67 (2 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 42

"Leviathan." M 52, CP 68 (9 lvs.) 1962

Box 20, Folder 43

Manuscript 1959

Box 20, Folder 44

Manuscript, Part I 1960

Box 20, Folder 45

Manuscript, Part II 1960

Box 20, Folder 46-47

Manuscript 1960

Box 20, Folder 48

Page proofs, dated "Nov. 1961"

Box 20, Folder 49

Assorted page proofs 1961

Box 20, Folder 50

Corrected page proofs, dated "Feb. 13, 1962"

Box 20, Folder 51

Photocopy of the published book 1962

THIS IN WHICH

Box 21, Folder 1

Dedication to June Oppen Degnan. TIW iii (1 lf.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 2

"Technologies." TIW 13-14, CP 71-72 (2 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 3

"Armies of the Plain." TIW 15-16, CP 73-74 (1 lf.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 4

"Philai Te Kou Philai." TIW 17-19, CP 75-77 (1 lf.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 5

"Psalm." TIW 20, CP 78 (5 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 6

"The City of Keansburg." TIW 21, CP 79 (1 lf.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 7

"Five Poems About Poetry." TIW 22-27, CP 80-85 (4 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 8

"The Gesture." No. 1 of "Five Poems About Poetry." TIW 22, CP 80 (1 lf.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 9

"That Land." No. 3 of "Five Poems About Poetry." TIW 24, CP 82 (5 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 10

"Parousia." No. 4 of "Five Poems About Poetry." TIW 25, CP 83 (1 lf.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 11

"From Virgil." No. 5 of "Five Poems About Poetry." TIW 26-27, CP 84-85 (1 lf.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 12

"Guest Room." TIW 29-32, CP 87-90 (3 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 13

"Giovanni's Rape of the Sabine Women at Wildenstein's." TIW 33-35, CP 91-93 (3 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 14-18

"A Language of New York" - Sections 1-5 1965

Box 21, Folder 19

"Eros." TIW 44-45, CP 102-103 (5 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 20

"Boy's Room." TIW 46, CP 104 (2 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 21

"Penobscot." TIW 47-49, CP 105-107 (12 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 22

"Carpenter's Boat." TIW 52, CP 110 (3 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 23

"Of This All Things..." TIW 53, CP 111 (2 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 24

"The People, The People." TIW 54, CP 112 (2 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 25

"Bahamas." TIW 55, CP 113 (15 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 26

"The Founder." TIW 56, CP 114 (2 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 27

"Alpine." TIW 58, CP 116 (3 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 28

"The Mayan Ground." TIW 61-63, CP 119-121 (3 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 29-30

"Quotations" - Nos. 2-3 1965

Box 21, Folder 31

"The Bicycles and the Apex." TIW 67, CP 125 (4 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 32

"Monument." TIW 69, CP 127 (2 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 33

"Niece." TIW 71, CP 129 (3 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 34

"The Zulu Girl." TIW 72, CP 130 (3 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 35

"The Building of the Skyscraper." TIW 73, CP 131 (1 lf.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 36-38

"A Narrative" - Sections 1-11, 3, and 10 1965

Box 21, Folder 39

"To C.T." TIW 84, CP 142 (2 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 40

"World, World." TIW 85, CP 143 (5 lvs.) 1965

Box 21, Folder 41

Manuscript, dated April 1963

Box 21, Folder 42-43

Manuscript 1964

Box 21, Folder 44

Manuscript, Part I 1964

Box 21, Folder 45

Manuscript, Part II 1964

Box 21, Folder 46

Galleys 1965

Box 21, Folder 47

Photocopy of the published book 1965

Box 21, Folder 48

Mock-up 1965

OF BEING NUMEROUS

Box 22, Folder 1

Dedications and acknowledgments, with contents page 1968

Box 22, Folder 2-38

"Of Being Numerous" - Sections 1-40 1968

Box 22, Folder 39

Manuscript titled "Another Language of New York." 16 lvs., 19 numbered sections 1966

Box 22, Folder 40

Photocopy of manuscript titled "Another Language of N.Y." 21 lvs., 30 numbered sections 1967

Box 22, Folder 41

"A Kind of Garden: A Poem for My Sister." OBN 44-45, CP 182-183 (10 lvs.) 1968

Box 22, Folder 42-54

"Route" - Sections 1-14 1968

Box 22, Folder 55-57

"Power, The Enchanted World" - Sections 1, 2 and 5 1968

Box 22, Folder 58

"After This." Transitional manuscript between "This In Which" and "Of Being Numerous." 26 lvs. 1965

Box 22, Folder 59

Photocopy of the published book 1968

ALPINE

Box 22, Folder 60

Photocopy of the published book 1969

Box 22, Folder 61

"A Barbarity" 1969

SEASCAPE: NEEDLE'S EYE

Box 23, Folder 1

Title page 1972

Box 23, Folder 2

"The Extremes" 1972

Box 23, Folder 3

"From a Phrase of Simone Weil's and Some Words of Hegel's." SNE 9, CP 205 (8 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 4

"The Occurrences." SNE 10, CP 206 (4 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 5

"Animula." SNE 11-12, CP 207 (10 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 6

"West." SNE 13-14, CP 208-209 (8 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 7

"Of Hours." SNE 15-17, CP 210-212 (8 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 8

"Song: The Winds of Downhill." SNE 18, CP 213 (8 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 9

"Some San Francisco Poems." SNE 19-36, CP 214-228 (9 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 10

"Moving over the hills,...," Section 1 of "Some San Francisco Poems." SNE 19, CP 214 (10 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 11-12

"A Morality Play: Preface." Section 2 of "Some San Francisco Poems." SNE 20-22, CP 215-216 1972

Box 23, Folder 13

"Question The Uses." Precursor to "'And Their Winter and Night In Disguise,'" section 3 of "Some San Francisco Poems." SNE 23-25, CP 217-218 (30 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 14

"And Their Winter and Night in Disguise." Section 3 of "Some San Francisco Poems." SNE 23-25, CP 217-218 (28 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 15

"Anniversary Poem." SNE 26-27, CP 219-220 (21 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 16

"Silver as / The needle's eye..." Section 6 of "Some San Francisco Poems." SNE 30-31, CP 223 (23 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 17

"O withering seas..." Section 7 of "Some San Francisco Poems." SNE 32, CP 224 (5 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 18

"The Taste." Section 8 from "Some San Francisco Poems." SNE 33, CP 225 (7 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 19

"The Impossible Poem." Section 9 from "Some San Francisco Poems." SNE 34, CP 226 (9 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 20

"But So As By Fire." Section 10 of "Some San Francisco Poems." SNE 35-36, CP 227-228 (6 lvs.) 1972

Box 23, Folder 21

Photocopy of published book 1972

COLLECTED POEMS (Fulcrum Press) - Photocopy of published book

Box 23, Folder 22

Pages 1-53 plus title, acknowledgements, and dedication pages. 26 lvs. 1972

Box 23, Folder 23

Pages 54-99. 23 lvs. 1972

Box 23, Folder 24

Pages 100-137. 19 lvs. 1972

Box 23, Folder 25

Pages 138-160. 12 lvs. 1972

MYTH OF THE BLAZE

Box 24, Folder 1

Front pages for a projected volume. Published only as the final part of COLLECTED POEMS, New Directions. 5 lvs. 1975

Box 24, Folder 2

Fragments and drafts of several poems that appear to be ur-poems to the collection Myth of the Blaze (some of the drafts are also related to poems collected in Seascape: Needle's Eye and Primitive). Published only as the final part of Collected Poems, New Directions. 36 lvs. 1975

Box 24, Folder 3

"The Speech At Soli." Published only as the final part of Collected Poems, New Directions. CP 234 (28 lvs.) 1975

Box 24, Folder 4-11

"The Book of Job and a Draft of a Poem to Praise the Paths of the Living" - Early published versions, drafts, and sections 1-6 1975

General

Published only as the final part of Collected Poems (New Directions).

Box 24, Folder 12

"Myth of the Blaze." CP 242-244 (12 lvs.) 1975

Box 24, Folder 13

"Inlet." CP 245 (14 lvs.) 1975

Box 24, Folder 14

"Semite." CP 246-249 (15 lvs.) 1975

Box 24, Folder 15

"The Little Pin: Fragment." CP 248-249 (15 lvs.) 1975

Box 24, Folder 16

"The Lighthouses." CP 250-251 (5 lvs.) 1975

Box 24, Folder 17

"Confession." CP 252 (6 lvs.) 1975

Box 24, Folder 18

"Who Shall Doubt." CP 253 (4 lvs.) 1975

Box 24, Folder 19

"To the Poets: To Make Much of Life." CP 254 (9 lvs.) 1975

Box 24, Folder 20

"Two Romance Poems," Poem 1. CP 255 (2 lvs.) 1975

Box 24, Folder 21

"Res Publica," Poem 2 of "Two Romance Poems." CP 256 (6 lvs.) 1975

COLLECTED POEMS (New Directions)

Box 25, Folder 1

Assorted page proofs. Page proofs from section of The Materials. 21 lvs. 1975

Box 25, Folder 2-4

Manuscript for Collected Poems 1975

Box 25, Folder 5-12

Page proofs for Collected Poems 1975

Box 25, Folder 13-18

Photocopy of Collected Poems 1975

PRIMITIVE

Box 26, Folder 1

"If it All Went Up In Smoke" 1978

Box 26, Folder 2

Signature page for signed edition 1978

Box 26, Folder 3

Contents page, MS 1978

Box 26, Folder 4

"A Political Poem." P 9-10 (5 lvs.) 1978

Box 26, Folder 5

"Disasters." P 11-13 (20 lvs.) 1978

Box 26, Folder 6

"The Poem." P 14 (5 lvs.) 1978

Box 26, Folder 7

Early drafts of "To Make Much" 1978

Box 26, Folder 8

"To Make Much." P 15-16 (16 lvs.) 1978

Box 26, Folder 9

"Waking Who Knows." P 17 (2 lvs.) 1978

Box 26, Folder 10

"If it All Went Up In Smoke." P 18 (5 lvs.) 1978

Box 26, Folder 11

"The Tongues." P 19 (4 lvs.) 1978

Box 26, Folder 12

"Populist." P 20-22 (6 lvs.) 1978

Box 26, Folder 13

"Gold On Oak Leaves." P 23-24 (1 lf.) 1978

Box 26, Folder 14

"The Natural." P 25 (5 lvs.) 1978

Box 26, Folder 15

"Till Other Voices Wake Us." P 30-31 (7 lvs.) 1978

Box 26, Folder 16

Manuscripts for PRIMITIVE, dated December 1976

Box 26, Folder 17

Manuscripts for PRIMITIVE. One dated 16 January 1977 and the other 20 January 1977

Box 26, Folder 18

Typescripts of poems included in PRIMITIVE 1978

Box 26, Folder 19

Photocopy of the published book 1978

Uncollected Published Poetry (1932-1978)

Box 26, Folder 20

Discrete Series, I-IV

Box 26, Folder 21

Brain

Box 26, Folder 22

Biblical Tree

Box 26, Folder 23

Monument

Box 26, Folder 24

Memory at "The Modern"

Box 26, Folder 25

Preface

Box 26, Folder 26

From the Friendly Local Press

Box 26, Folder 27

Voyage

Box 26, Folder 28

Students Gather

Box 26, Folder 29

Epigram

Box 26, Folder 30

Modern Incident

Box 26, Folder 31

Theological Question

Box 26, Folder 32

Astray Over Earth - Translation of Parmenides' "Moon Fragment"

Box 26, Folder 33

Song

Box 26, Folder 34

Poem about the Garden

Box 26, Folder 35

Artist

Box 26, Folder 36

Law of Poetry

Box 26, Folder 37

Beautiful as the Sea - Poetry in Public Places

Box 26, Folder 38

Sympathy Coincidence

Box 26, Folder 39

To Find a Way - Distant relative of "The Lighthouses" (CP 250-251)

Box 26, Folder 40

Fear

Box 26, Folder 41

Image

Box 26, Folder 42

In Memoriam Charles Reznikoff

Box 26, Folder 43

He De Dark

Box 26, Folder 44

Probity

Box 26, Folder 45

Whirl Wind Must

Unpublished Poetry and Fragments

Box 27, Folder 1

Absurd, absurd we looked..

Box 27, Folder 2

Acapulco - Distant relative of "Return," (CP 26-28)

Box 27, Folder 3

Accident

Box 27, Folder 4

advantages of smut..

Box 27, Folder 5

Aesthetic

Box 27, Folder 6

Air is cold now..

Box 27, Folder 7

Air makes me..

Box 27, Folder 8

Alien spirits we are alas..

Box 27, Folder 9

All our hidden history..

Box 27, Folder 10

All the fancy things..

Box 27, Folder 11

Amalgamated

Box 27, Folder 12

Anmesiac Children - Distant relative to "The Theological Question"

Box 27, Folder 13

And Yet the Things

Box 27, Folder 14

Another: A Dark Song

Box 27, Folder 15

Another Quotation

Box 27, Folder 16

Any Way But Back

Box 27, Folder 17

Approaching a third book..

Box 27, Folder 18

Apology for Love

Box 27, Folder 19

Archaic Fact - Omitted from "Of Being Numerous"

Box 27, Folder 20

Bahaman

Box 27, Folder 21

Belvedere

Box 27, Folder 22

Bill before his death..

Box 27, Folder 23

Bird is tame..

Box 27, Folder 24

Birthday Poem: Unease

Box 27, Folder 25

Blind Horrors

Box 27, Folder 26

Boat..

Box 27, Folder 27

Bob, Dick

Box 27, Folder 28

Book of days..

Box 27, Folder 29

Brief

Box 27, Folder 30

buried (a..

Box 27, Folder 31

By Air

Box 27, Folder 32

carved / of that air... - Omitted from PRIMITIVE

Box 27, Folder 33

Casual poets..

Box 27, Folder 34

Cat Boat Repeated

Box 27, Folder 35

Children of France

Box 27, Folder 36

Church Interior

Box 27, Folder 37

Committee

Box 27, Folder 38

Of Contingency: A Faulty Sonnet

Box 27, Folder 39

Cultural Triumph

Box 27, Folder 40

Day

Box 27, Folder 41

Daytop

Box 27, Folder 42

Dear Sally the year..

Box 27, Folder 43

Decades

Box 27, Folder 44

December 1964

Box 27, Folder 45

Dedication

Box 27, Folder 46

Desert Fathers

Box 27, Folder 47

Dialogue

Box 27, Folder 48

Difference

Box 27, Folder 49

Difficulty is..

Box 27, Folder 50

Disoriented

Box 27, Folder 51

Dithyramb

Box 27, Folder 52

Dog - An arrangement of a poem by Buddhaveda Bose

Box 27, Folder 53

Domestic Poem

Box 27, Folder 54

Do you know I've got hips and bones..

Box 27, Folder 55

Dream - Omitted from PRIMITIVE

Box 27, Folder 56

Epithalamium

Box 27, Folder 57

Ethnic

Box 27, Folder 58

Etymology

Box 27, Folder 59

Eyes / close down..

Box 27, Folder 60

Faces I have..

Box 27, Folder 61

Facts on the Bay

Box 27, Folder 62

Fame - Distant relative of "The Book of Job and a Draft of a Poem to Praise the Paths of the Living," Section 1, (CP 236-237). 2 lvs. pasted

Box 27, Folder 63

Fetish

Box 27, Folder 64

Fields language..

Box 27, Folder 65

Flathead Lake

Box 27, Folder 66

Flight 162

Box 27, Folder 67

For Example

Box 27, Folder 68

For Julian

Box 27, Folder 69

For my gentlemen..

Box 27, Folder 70

France

Box 27, Folder 71

From the Chillam Ballam

Box 27, Folder 72

From Up-State

Box 27, Folder 73

Gap in the world..

Box 27, Folder 74

Generation of Drivers

Box 27, Folder 75

George

Box 27, Folder 76

Gift - Possible relative to "The Gift, The Gifted"

Box 27, Folder 77

Girl Smoking

Box 27, Folder 78

The Good

Box 27, Folder 79

Good Marriage

Box 27, Folder 80

Had entered her life..

Box 27, Folder 81

Happiness and the Bronx Zoo

Box 27, Folder 82

Harbor View

Box 27, Folder 83

Haphaestus

Box 27, Folder 84

Having killed too many people..

Box 27, Folder 85

His own blood..

Box 27, Folder 86

Houses

Box 27, Folder 87

Hypothesis - Omitted from PRIMITIVE

Box 28, Folder 1

If I Stood

Box 28, Folder 2

If you can't love..

Box 28, Folder 3

If you would taunt the creature..

Box 28, Folder 4

I have found..

Box 28, Folder 5

I move..

Box 28, Folder 6

Impossible to know..

Box 28, Folder 7

In and for itself..

Box 28, Folder 8

Inheritance - An arrangement of a poem by Arabinda Guna

Box 28, Folder 9

In Homage

Box 28, Folder 10

In Praise of Learning

Box 28, Folder 11

In the coming battle I..

Box 28, Folder 12

In the Park

Box 28, Folder 13

IN THIS ROOM

Box 28, Folder 14

Box 28, Folder 15

I think / And am..

Box 28, Folder 16

Itself a draft..

Box 28, Folder 17

John the Great

Box 28, Folder 18

Knowledge is an instrument..

Box 28, Folder 19

Laced gaiter... - Omitted from DISCRETE SERIES

Box 28, Folder 20

Legend..

Box 28, Folder 21

Line

Box 28, Folder 22

Long streets..

Box 28, Folder 23

Lost..

Box 28, Folder 24

Lovely Articulate Song

Box 28, Folder 25

Love of the open..

Box 28, Folder 26

Love oneself..

Box 28, Folder 27

Magnificent Head, the Nostrils, the Eyes

Box 28, Folder 28

Man like a landscape..

Box 28, Folder 29

Men Working

Box 28, Folder 30

Married Couple

Box 28, Folder 31

Mary

Box 28, Folder 32

Maudit

Box 28, Folder 33

Mau's Time

Box 28, Folder 34

Meaning

Box 28, Folder 35

Meditation

Box 28, Folder 36

Me meaning..

Box 28, Folder 37

Memory of Oars

Box 28, Folder 38

Moon..

Box 28, Folder 39

Mother and Child

Box 28, Folder 40

Mount Desert Island

Box 28, Folder 41

Move

Box 28, Folder 42

Music of the Times

Box 28, Folder 43

Naked the body..

Box 28, Folder 44

Nails. Possibly not GO's text

Box 28, Folder 45

Name

Box 28, Folder 46

Narrative

Box 28, Folder 47

Nation

Box 28, Folder 48

Near / and difficult..

Box 28, Folder 49

Near the Beginning

Box 28, Folder 50

New Age

Box 28, Folder 51

New People

Box 28, Folder 52

Newton..

Box 28, Folder 53

New Year's

Box 28, Folder 54

Nomad..

Box 28, Folder 55

Nostalgia, nostalgia..

Box 28, Folder 56

Not a virtue, not a social virtue..

Box 28, Folder 57

Not by our strength..

Box 28, Folder 58

No they would not open..

Box 28, Folder 59

Not virtue..

Box 28, Folder 60

Of that poem..

Box 28, Folder 61

Of those on whom the full..

Box 28, Folder 62

Of you not seeing..

Box 28, Folder 63

Old man not being read..

Box 28, Folder 64

Old man..

Box 28, Folder 65

Omega Point - Omitted from PRIMITIVE

Box 28, Folder 66

One well cannot..

Box 28, Folder 67

On 69th Street..

Box 28, Folder 68

On the Quality of Politics

Box 28, Folder 69

Orpheus

Box 28, Folder 70

Outside

Box 28, Folder 71

Paris seeming soft..

Box 28, Folder 72

Park

Box 28, Folder 73

Parkway - Distant relative of "Return," CP 26-28

Box 28, Folder 74

Pascal's Gamble

Box 28, Folder 75

Patrimony of Desires

Box 28, Folder 76

Philosopher

Box 28, Folder 77

Phonemes

Box 28, Folder 78

Pigeons fly from the dark bough... - Omitted from DISCRETE SERIES

Box 28, Folder 79

Pitch of the words echo..

Box 28, Folder 80

Platitude

Box 28, Folder 81

Poem

Box 28, Folder 82

Poem about an Article

Box 28, Folder 83

Poem Called Rather Bravely Liberality

Box 28, Folder 84

Poem Including World

Box 28, Folder 85

Poem

Box 28, Folder 86

Poem begins with this..

Box 28, Folder 87

Poet Lectures on Creative Writing

Box 28, Folder 88

Poetry, learning everything, leaves..

Box 28, Folder 89

Program

Box 28, Folder 90

Pro Vita - Distant relative of "Return," CP 26-28

Box 28, Folder 91

Questioning

Box 28, Folder 92

Rebellious One

Box 28, Folder 93

Recognition 1962 - 1962

Box 28, Folder 94

Regions

Box 28, Folder 95

Rembrandt's Old Woman Cutting Her Nails

Box 28, Folder 96

Renee's Room

Box 28, Folder 97

Report: The Sense of Thinking

Box 28, Folder 98

Resolve

Box 28, Folder 99

Ritual - Distant relative of "World, World," CP 143

Box 28, Folder 100

Role

Box 29, Folder 1

Safety Razor

Box 29, Folder 2

Say

Box 29, Folder 3

Passenger / sees nothing..

Box 29, Folder 4

Senior Citizens

Box 29, Folder 5

Seven..

Box 29, Folder 6

Shack..

Box 29, Folder 7

Sharp waves shove and worry..

Box 29, Folder 8

She Steals Birds

Box 29, Folder 9

She tosses her hair..

Box 29, Folder 10

Shore

Box 29, Folder 11

Simple Life

Box 29, Folder 12

Slowly over islands events..

Box 29, Folder 13

Small Words

Box 29, Folder 14

Snail... [Illegible script]

Box 29, Folder 15

Soliloquy

Box 29, Folder 16

Sometimes sometimes..

Box 29, Folder 17

Sorrow almost overcome by the glory..

Box 29, Folder 18

Space

Box 29, Folder 19

Squirrel's Stance

Box 29, Folder 20

Statuette

Box 29, Folder 21

Steamer at the Pier,... - Omitted from DISCRETE SERIES

Box 29, Folder 22

Stone, steel, concrete, asphalt..

Box 29, Folder 23

Storm

Box 29, Folder 24

Story

Box 29, Folder 25

Story of Orpheus

Box 29, Folder 26

Strained now, the poem, poet..

Box 29, Folder 27

Style

Box 29, Folder 28

Sunday

Box 29, Folder 29

Sun-lit it was no dream all's wild..

Box 29, Folder 30

Surface

Box 29, Folder 31

Swimming Fish

Box 29, Folder 32

Tears of the mourning..

Box 29, Folder 33

That host of beings, aspects, events..

Box 29, Folder 34

That nothing can be done..

Box 29, Folder 35

That Passion

Box 29, Folder 36

Therefore I talked too much..

Box 29, Folder 37

There is a mobilization..

Box 29, Folder 38

These things..

Box 29, Folder 39

The Test

Box 29, Folder 40

They snicker at the names of Aphrodite..

Box 29, Folder 41

This center, this small burden..

Box 29, Folder 42

Three Visions

Box 29, Folder 43

Thing that gathers, not the words..

Box 29, Folder 44

Times is good my boy..

Box 29, Folder 45

This In Which we are..

Box 29, Folder 46

This is not home..

Box 29, Folder 47

To declare a motive..

Box 29, Folder 48

To Dream

Box 29, Folder 49

Totally unhappy when I am unable to write well..

Box 29, Folder 50

To the Muse

Box 29, Folder 51

The Town

Box 29, Folder 52

Truck Stop

Box 29, Folder 53

Truth..

Box 29, Folder 54

Turn in the soft dark..

Box 29, Folder 55

Turn from the watery edge..

Box 29, Folder 56

Twenty five years we feared..

Box 29, Folder 57

Therapy

Box 29, Folder 58

Unemployed

Box 29, Folder 59

Unknowable / In which we are..

Box 29, Folder 60

Unprintable Poems

Box 29, Folder 61

Untitled

Box 29, Folder 62

Box 29, Folder 63

Vedanta

Box 29, Folder 64

Violence, in violence..

Box 29, Folder 65

Visit

Box 29, Folder 66

Visit

Box 29, Folder 67

Voice

Box 29, Folder 68

Volkswagen

Box 29, Folder 69

Walk

Box 29, Folder 70

Waters wet bank of the low..

Box 29, Folder 71

We are speaking here..

Box 29, Folder 72

Wedding

Box 29, Folder 73

We had our lives..

Box 29, Folder 74

What does not..

Box 29, Folder 75

Whatever feelings mouse has got..

Box 29, Folder 76

What is beautiful..

Box 29, Folder 77

Wheelers and Dealers: The Theory of Games

Box 29, Folder 78

Where does it take me?..

Box 29, Folder 79

Where were the poets?..

Box 29, Folder 80

Whether we found..

Box 29, Folder 81

Whether one reaches..

Box 29, Folder 82

Which Also We Know

Box 29, Folder 83

Will..

Box 29, Folder 84

Wind Makes Up

Box 29, Folder 85

Without self-mutilation there can be no..

Box 29, Folder 86

WISELY the sluggard..

Box 29, Folder 87

Woman, said Diane, speaking wisely..

Box 29, Folder 88

Women

Box 29, Folder 89

Words..

Box 29, Folder 90

Words said over..

Box 29, Folder 91

Wry, wreched space of the television..

Box 29, Folder 92

You come seeking arms and that is not..

Box 29, Folder 93

Young Mother

Box 29, Folder 94

Four illegible manuscripts

READING MANUSCRIPTS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 5) READING MANUSCRIPTS: Series 5 consists of collections of poems, usually bound in some manner, which Oppen prepared for several readings he gave during the 1960s and 1970s. They consist of manuscripts, annotated typescripts, and, most often, page proofs of published poems pasted onto standard typing paper. Directions noting time allotted for reading a poem, and poems that might be omitted if necessary, are written on the manuscripts, while introductory remarks are usually written on separate leaves and interspersed among the manuscripts or pasted to the covers of the grouping. (NOTE: the manuscript for the reading at the Guggenheim, one of the more interesting bindings fashioned by Oppen, was unwittingly disassembled during microfilming of the collection.)

Box 30, Folder 1

Reading selection from THE MATERIALS

Box 30, Folder 2

Reading selection from THE MATERIALS and THIS IN WHICH

Box 30, Folder 3

Manuscript for reading at the Guggenheim 1963 - 1964

Box 30, Folder 4

Manuscript for reading for The Academy of American Poets

Box 30, Folder 5

Manuscript for reading 1964 - 1965

Box 30, Folder 6

Manuscript for reading , ca. early 1970s

Box 30, Folder 7

Chapbook 1977. Possible reading manuscript of poems from PRIMITIVE

PROSE, 1962-1984

Scope and Content of Series

Series 6) PROSE, 1962-1984: Photocopies of the few essays, reviews, and statements that Oppen published after returning to the United States in 1959. There are no complete manuscripts or original typescripts of these works in the collection. Statements related, and perhaps seminal to a particular prose work, are scattered throughout the correspondence, notes, and daybooks.

The prose works have been arranged chronologically according to date of the first publication. This would seem to approximate closely the chronology composition with the exception of "Statement of Poetics," written in 1975 for an interview by Reinhold Schiffer but not published until 1984. Also included in this series is a draft of an unfinished and unpublished essay titled "The Romantic Virtue." Not included are the several blurbs Oppen wrote for books by William Bronk, Rachel Blau DuPlessis, David Fisher, Jonathon Griffin, David McAleavey, and Sally Appleton Weber.

Box 31, Folder 1

Three Poets. Review of work by Allen Ginsberg, Charles Olson, and Michael McClure

Box 31, Folder 2

Mind's Own Place

Box 31, Folder 3

Letter from George Oppen

Box 31, Folder 4

On Armand Schwerner

Box 31, Folder 5

Letter

Box 31, Folder 6

Note on Tom McGrath

Box 31, Folder 7

Letter

Box 31, Folder 8

Letter

Box 31, Folder 9

Non-Resistance, Etc. Or: The Guiltless

Box 31, Folder 10

Letter

Box 31, Folder 11

Foreward

Box 31, Folder 12

Note on Charles Tomlinson

Box 31, Folder 13

Letter

Box 31, Folder 14

My Debt to Him

Box 31, Folder 15

Statement on Poetics

Box 31, Folder 16

Romantic Virtue. Unpublished

INTERVIEWS, 1968-1980

Scope and Content of Series

Series 7) INTERVIEWS, 1968-1980: Typescripts and photocopies of the interviews Oppen permitted during the last 15 years of his life. These are perhaps the best source for his comments on his poetic practices and contemporary poetry in general.

The interviews are listed in chronological order according to the reported date of their occurrence. The Englebert-West interview probably took place in 1976 shortly after the death of Charles Reznikoff (see Englebert's correspondence to Oppen); however, in the version published in the American Poetry Review (1985), the interviewers date the conversation as taking place during the spring of 1975.

Box 31, Folder 17

George Oppen. Interviewed by L.S. Dembo

Box 31, Folder 18

Conversation with George Oppen. Excerpt of interview by Charles Amirkhanian and David Gitin

Box 31, Folder 19

Interview with George Oppen and Ted Berrigan. Interviewed by Ruth Gruber 1973

Box 31, Folder 20

Interview with George Oppen. Interviewed by Reinhold Schiffer

Box 31, Folder 21

Conversation with George and Mary Oppen. Interviewed by Kevin Powers

Box 31, Folder 22

George and Mary Oppen: An Interview. Interviewed by Michael Englebert and Michael West 1975

Box 31, Folder 23

Poetry and Politics: A Conversation with George and Mary Oppen. Interviewed by Burton Hatlen and Tom Mandel 1980

TRANSLATIONS OF GEORGE OPPEN'S POETRY

Scope and Content of Series

Series 8) TRANSLATIONS: Translations of Oppen's poetry which were present in his papers or his library. The list is arranged chronologically according to date of publication, and the translator and publication in which the translations appeared have been identified.

Box 32, Folder 1

Jorge Guitart and Kevin Power, trans. Two Poems in EL UROGALLO, 5, 27-28, pp. 16-17 1974

Box 32, Folder 2

Serge Fauchereau, trans., QUELQUES TEXTES (Paris: Centre Georges Pompidou) 1977

Box 32, Folder 3

Marijke van der Hallen, trans., GEORGE OPPEN: GEDICHTEN. Bound thesis for German Philology. Bilingual text. A letter from Marijke van der Hallen to Mary Oppen has been inserted into the front of the thesis 1977

Box 32, Folder 4

Jacques Roubaud, trans. 24 Poems in UNE LITTERATURE MECONNUE DES U.S.A.; EUROPE: REVUE LITTERAIRE MENSUELLE, pp. 109-121 1977

Box 32, Folder 5

Claude Royet-Journoud, trans., 10 Poems in ARGILE XV (Spring 1978), pp. 18-41

Box 32, Folder 6

Friedhelm Kemp and Hoyt rogers, trans. Four Poems in ENSEMBLE 10: INTERNATIONALES JAHRBUCH FUR LITERATUR, ed. Heinz Piontek (Munchen: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag) pp.22-31. Bilingual publication in the autograph letter from Hoyt Rogers is included in the folder 1979

Box 32, Folder 7

Poemas, LA TORRE DE LOS TIEMPOS SIETE. Miguel Angel Flores (Mexico, D.F.) 1980

REVIEWS AND EPHEMERA

Scope and Content of Series

Series 9) REVIEWS AND EPHEMERA: Primarily comprised of reviews sent to Oppen by the reviewers themselves or, more often, by the Literary Clipping Service. The reviews are arranged alphabetically by name of reviewer. Rather than duplicate David McAleavey's bibliography of works about George Oppen's writings, only a short description of each folder's contents has been provided, noting the type and quantity of materials and the reviewers represented in the folder.

Box 33, Folder 1

A-G. Newspaper clippings, tear sheets from magazines, and photocopies, as well as some book lists in which George Oppen titles appear

Box 33, Folder 2

H-M. Newspaper clippings, tear sheets from magazines, and photocopies. Includes a TL, presumably from Michael Heller and another one signed from Paul Mariah

Box 33, Folder 3

N-S. Newspaper clippings, tear sheets from magazines, and photocopies. Includes TLs from Joel Oppenheimer

Box 33, Folder 4

T-Z. Newspaper clippings, tear sheets from magazines, galley proofs, and photocopies

Box 33, Folder 5

Reviews published in England. Newspaper clippings and photocopies

Box 33, Folder 6-7

Ephemera. Includes announcements, programs, book lists, and advertisements

MICROFILM

Oversize FB-070

Microfilm version of George Oppen collection

General note

There are 33 rolls of microfilm, corresponding to the box-folder sequence of boxes 1-33.

Accessions Processed in 1989

MISCELLANEOUS ADDITIONS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 11) MISCELLANEOUS ADDITIONS: Includes correspondence, a typescript of a poem based on a phrase written by Charles Reznikoff, a 1973 interview transcript, reviews and ephemera. The 1989 additions are not microfilmed.

Correspondence

Box 34, Folder 1

Streetfare Journal - Typed letter to Mary Oppen

Box 34, Folder 2

Weinfield, Henry - Mostly undated letters written by George Oppen. ML, TL 1980

Box 34, Folder 3

Typescript of a poem based on a line by Charles Reznikoff undated

Box 34, Folder 4

BBC Interview of Oppen, 21 August 1986 - Recorded 22 May 1973 - Two photocopies of typed transcript

Reviews and ephemera

Box 34, Folder 5

American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters brochures 1979 - 1980

Box 34, Folder 6

Catalogue of Exhibit, "This In Which: Materials and Vectors - George Oppen - A Prospect," Starr Library, Middlebury College 1986

Oversize MC-037, Folder 11

Certificate of Honor - Issued by the City of San Francisco 1969

Box 34, Folder 8

George Oppen, 75th Birthday Tribute - Poetry Center of San Francisco brochure

Box 34, Folder 9

Kenner, Hugh, "George Oppen - In Memorium" - Poetry Project newsletter, TL to Mary Oppen 1984

Box 34, Folder 10

National Endowment for the Arts. TL, certificate 1980 - 1981

Box 34, Folder 11

Newspaper articles about George Oppen 1980 - 1988

Miscellaneous

Box 34, Folder 12

Bronk, William, two letters to Oppen. Holograph. The two letters are dated 8 May 1968 (to George and Mary) and 23 July 1976 (to George). Both letters contain poems by Bronk 1968 - 1976

Box 34, Folder 13

Linenthal, Mark, GROWING LIGHT mock-up. Contains typescript insert of the poem "Coming To"

General note

Linenthal is the husband of Frances Jaffer; see Oppen's correspondence with Jaffer for more on Linenthal.

Box 34, Folder 14

Oppen, George, letter to John Crawford inscribed in "West End." "West End" vol. 1, no. 2, Spring-Summer 1972. Magazine contains one of Oppen's personalized green bookmarks 1972

Box 34, Folder 15

Oppen, George, published volume, THE MATERIALS. Volume contains author's editions and annotations 1962

Box 34, Folder 16

Oppen, George, published volume, THIS IN WHICH. Volume contains author's editions and annotations 1965

Box 34, Folder 17

Replansky, Naomi, "The Darkening Green." Typescript poems. Inscribed to George and Mary, April 1976. Contains author's hand-written editions 1976