Zukofsky Manuscripts, Papers
& Letters
The LZ Collection at the Humanities Research Center at the
University of Texas is the primary repository for LZ’s manuscripts and papers,
as LZ intended. He began sending material to the HRC around 1963 in an arrangement
that included the publication of Bottom in a deluxe edition by the
University of Texas, and in various large batches over the years and CZ even
sent further materials after LZ’s death. CZ also sent her own materials, both
her various collaborative projects as well as her very extensive
bibliographical work on LZ. The collection has been further augmented by papers
and letters from others, particularly those held by Lorine Niedecker. Since LZ
was quite meticulous in preserving his working papers and notebooks, the
collection is remarkably complete. Additional manuscripts and typescripts,
usually copies, sent out to friends and/or for publication can be found in
various other collections.
Letters can be found scattered all over. A
finding list for all surviving letters between LZ and Ezra Pound, William
Carlos Williams and T.S. Eliot has been compiled by Barry Ahearn and can be
found here. Further correspondents will be added to
this list in the future.
Below, following the HRC listing, I have listed
those collections which include manuscripts and papers, followed by those
collections that appear to only consist of letters. Particularly with regard to
correspondence, the list below is certainly incomplete. Annotations not in
bracket are copied from the respective on-line inventory descriptions.
University of Texas at
Austin, Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/uthrc/00138/hrc-00138.html
[The major repository of LZ’s papers; aside from the online
inventory, see Booth and Henderson for descriptive catalogues]
Holograph and typescript manuscripts and correspondence
make up the bulk of the Louis Zukofsky Collection (1910-1985). The collection
is organized into five series: I. Works, 1921-1978 (17.5 boxes), II. Letters,
1930-1968 (3.5 boxes), III. Recipient, 1924-1977 (9.5 boxes), IV.
Miscellaneous, 1910-1985 (6.5 boxes), and V. Subject Files, 1936-1975 (7
boxes).
The Works Series covers Zukofsky's writing career
thoroughly between 1921 and 1968, including the "A" series of poems from "A"-1 to
"A"-21/Rudens, typescripts and galley proofs for all three versions of
All: The Collected Poems, and various
individual poems, short stories, and radio scripts. Of particular interest in
this series are the working notebooks in which Zukofsky and his wife translated
Catullus. The Latin text runs on the
left-hand page while the English is written on the right. The same method was
used by Zukofsky in editing "A"-14 and "A"-15 with one
version of the poem written on the left-hand page and an edited version on the
right. Individual poems, as well as the major titles, are listed in the Index
of Works in this guide.
The Letters Series is relatively small but does contain a
large collection of letters from Zukofsky to fellow poets Cid Corman, Lorine
Niedecker and Carl Rakosi. Most of the letters in this series are personal,
however some communications with publishers and organizations are present. The
Recipient Series is much larger and contains substantial numbers of letters to
Zukofsky from Basil Bunting, Cid Corman, Guy Davenport, Hayden Carruth, Robert
Creeley, Hugh Kenner, Marianne Moore, Samuel Newberry, Lorine Niedecker, Ezra
Pound, Mary Ellen Solt, Jonathan Williams, and William Carlos Williams.
The Miscellaneous Series is composed largely of works by
other authors and correspondence between other people about Zukofsky. There are
three theses, several reviews of Zukofsky's publications, works by Lorine
Niedecker, a series of holograph poems by Whittaker Chambers in a travel diary,
and a quantity of envelopes and folders. Also included are a few newspaper
clippings, notes on the publication of Zukofsky's works and an honorary degree
from Bard College.
The Subject Files Series contains more holographs and
typescripts of Zukofsky's later work, including "A"-22 through
"A"-24; Little, for Careengers;
Autobiography, and the French
translation for First Half of
"A"-9. Material for "A"-24
is particularly complete, ranging from holograph notes in a spiral notebook to
the typescript scores for individual characters and including production notes.
Celia Zukofsky's listing of Zukofsky's works, titled A Bibliography, is also found here, along with the correspondence
which lead to its publication. Correspondence regarding Catullus and Arise, Arise!
is also included, as is the correspondence between Zukofsky and about a dozen
institutions where he gave readings.
Elsewhere in the Ransom Center are an extensive
collection of newspaper clippings and other printed materials covering the
publication and criticism of Zukofsky's work (Vertical Files), 17 sound
recordings (Manuscript Sound Recordings Index), some video footage, a series of
collages and drawings by and of Zukofsky in the Art Collection, a few
photographs in the Literary Files of the Photography Collection, and a wallet
that belonged to Zukofsky in the Personal Effects Collection.
University of Alberta
Libraries, Black Sparrow Press Archive
http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/bsp/index.cfm
[Correspondence, galleys and other papers related to the Black
Sparrow Press editions of Little and
CZ’s A Bibliography of LZ].
University of British Columbia, Louis Zukofsky Collection
http://www.library.ubc.ca/spcoll/collenglish.html
The collection of the published work of LZ. The collection
includes “every word in every book in every possible variant edition” with the
exception of Le Style Apollinaire (a book destroyed by fire in the
publisher’s Paris warehouse in 1934), which is present here only in a unique
manuscript copy, in English, stapled together and marked by Zukofsky “First
American Edition.” Half the books and pamphlets are signed and/or inscribed by
Zukofsky. There are also anthologies and periodical issues [many very difficult
to obtain] containing his work; four translations; four critical works;
manuscripts; ephemera; and a photograph.
University of California,
San Diego, Geisel Library, Mandeville Special Collections Library
http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/testing/mscl-fa1.html
A collection of
poems, some set to music composed by Celia Thaew Zukofsky: “A”-9, first half,
with explanatory preface; Paris [“A”-10]; Anew
3; “Happier, happier, now”; “Motet”; “To my wash-stand”; “When in winter
spring?” Also two versions of the essay "Charles Reznikoff: Sincerity and
Objectification," one in Zukofsky's hand and the other a typographical
transcription by Kathryn Shevelow.
[Correspondence to and/or from John Taggart, David & Rose
Ignatow, George Oppen, Carl Rakosi, Charles Reznikoff, June Oppen Degnan,
Jerome Rothenberg, Paul Blackburn, Donald Allen]
Columbia University
Library, Rare Book Library
[LZ’s MA thesis: Henry Adams: detached mind and the growth of
a poet (1924)].
University of Durham, Basil
Bunting Poetry Centre
http://www.dur.ac.uk/basil-bunting-poetry.centre/
[The Bunting Archive includes
significant LZ materials: typescripts of “A”-8 (various passages), First
Half of “A”-9, “A”-9 (second half), Arise, Arise, “‘Further Than’—,”
“Song 23” (“The Immediate Aim”), “‘Mantis’” and “‘Mantis,’ An Interpretation,”
“Modern Times,” “Thanks to the Dictionary,” “Song 28” (“Specifically a writer
of music”), “Trio for Workers” (“A madrigal for 3 voices”), A Worker’s
Anthology; 6 letters and a postcard to Bunting; 6 letters to Karl Drerup;
typescript (7 pages) of poems by Robert Allison Evans, almost certainly
forwarded to Bunting by LZ]
University of Indiana,
Lilly Library
http://www.indiana.edu/~liblilly/lilly/mss/html/zukofsky.html
[Poetry archive after
1961; letters to René Taupin and drafts of both “A” and short poems from the period 1928-1944; further
correspondence with D.G. Bridson, Cid Corman, Leroi Jones, Henry Rago, Mary
Ellen Solt, William Carlos Williams and Oscar Williams].
The Zukofsky mss., 1928-1933, consist of letters and
writings of Louis Zukofsky, 1904-1978, poet. The letters are addressed to René
Taupin, French critic and translator, who for part of this period was living in
New York City, and are written from New York City, Berkeley, California,
Madison, Wisconsin (where he was an instructor of English for a year) Chicago,
Illinois, and one letter from Budapest, Hungary. There are no letters for the
year 1932. They are concerned largely with his work "A," his application for a Guggenheim fellowship, classes
at the University of Wisconsin, financial matters, publication and writing
problems. Some of the writers mentioned in the letters include: Basil Bunting,
Thomas Stearns Eliot, Theodore Hecht, Norman Wicklund Macleod, Harriet Monroe,
Ezra Loomis Pound, Andre Salmon, William Carlos Williams. Theodore Hecht has
also written a letter in French to Taupin on the verso of Zukofsky's of August
7, 1933.
Writings present include various drafts and stages of
Zukofsky's long poem "A,"
manuscripts of his "Immature Pebbles" and "Prop. LXI" and
two fragments of miscellaneous notes and aphorisms. Also present is Zukofsky's
translation of René Taupin's review "Three Poems by Andre Salmon,"
published in Poetry (Feb. & Mar.
1931). Collection size: 62 items
Kansas State University
Library, University Archives & Manuscripts
http://www.lib.ksu.edu/depts/spec/findaids/pc1994-07.html
The Louis Zukofsky Papers (1928-1969) chronicle
his relationship with a number of his contemporaries, particularly René Taupin,
as well as describing what life was like for a poet in the 1930's. The papers
contain correspondence, printed material and typescripts.
The papers are divided into four series: 1) Correspondence
(1928-1969), 2) Literary works (1931, n.d.), 3) Printed material (1930-1933)
and 4) Miscellaneous.
The most significant part of this collection is
the correspondence. It is divided into four sub-series: a) Louis Zukofsky to
René Taupin (1930-1941), b) Louis Zukofsky to various others (1942-1969), c)
various individuals to René Taupin (1923-1946) and d) other correspondence
(1927-1940). The correspondence from Zukofsky to Taupin is the largest and most
significant part of the collection (70 items) containing references to works in
progress and contemporaries, such as Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams,
Harriet Monroe, George Oppen, Basil Bunting, Jesse Loewenthal, Tibor Serly and
Robinson Morton. Other comments offer insight into the economy and social
atmosphere of 1930's America. The second sub-series of correspondence (22
items, 7 correspondents) focuses primarily on Zukofsky's literary career:
responses to inquiries to reprint his poetry, notification of new works and
mention of reviews. His family and contemporaries are mentioned in a number of
letters. Primary correspondents are: Clayton Hoagland and Tom Pickard. The
third sub-series of correspondence (60 items, 47 correspondents), various
individuals to Rene Taupin, focuses primarily on the creation of La France en
Liberte (13 items) and responses to a questionnaire concerning France's
survival under German occupation (8 items). A significant portion of these
letters (29 items) is in French and has not been translated. Notable
correspondents include: Ivan Goll, Sommerville Story, Germaine Sinclair, Warre
Bradley Wells, Carl Van Doren, Patrick Braybrooke, Dorothy Canfield Fischer, A.
E. Bacon, Charles A. Beard, Charles M. Stern and Tibor Serly. The fourth
sub-series of correspondence is primarily in French and has not been
translated. The correspondence in English contains comments on Taupin's
abilities and promotional information about La
France en Liberte. Correspondents include: Jean de Gourmont, Raymond Arne
and Fernand Baldensperger.
The literary works series includes typescript reviews by Zukofsky
of Hidden Flame by Bunichi Kagawa and
Redimiculum Matellarum by Basil
Bunting. Also included is an essay in French on Andre Salmon by René Taupin.
The printed material series contains a review of
Zukofsky's Objectivists' Anthology,
an essay on Ezra Pound by Zukofsky, a review of Maldorer by Taupin and reviews of Taupin's L'Influence du symbolisme Francais sur la poesie Americaine (de
1910 a/ 1920). The final series contains a prescription sheet, a
bibliographical sketch of Taupin (1923-1930) and the first page of an essay
entitled Profession of Faith.
New York Public Library, Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection
http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/spe/brg/berg.html
Uncatalogued Manuscript Holdings: includes some “A”
materials, poems, photos and a few letters.
Cid Corman Collection: a few postcard/letters to Babette Deutsh
(1957-1968).
E.E. Cummings Collection: holograph essay on Pound and Cummings.
Washington University in
St. Louis Library
Trigram Press Archive: library.wustl.edu/units/spec/manuscripts/mlc/findingaidshtml/wtu00115.html
[Correspondence, typescript and proof concerning publication of Catullus
Fragmenta (1969) by Turret Books]
Zukofsky Collection: library.wustl.edu/units/spec/manuscripts/mlc/zukofsky/zukofsky.html
3 items. Louis Zukofsky to Babette Deutsch 1958: Jan. 24. 1 item
(3 pp.): ALS, concerning birthdays and some of his recent works, including Bottom: On Shakespeare, and a Test of Poetry. Discusses hope of having
her meet with William Carlos Williams and his wife and promises to return the
fiddle. Letter 1956. 1 item. Letter laid in Zukofsky, Louis, Some Time, Stuttgart. Louis Zukofsky to
Henry Wenning 1963: Mar. 30. 1 item (1 p.): ALS, thanking him for the safe
return of his manuscript “A” 1-12.
Robert Creeley Papers: [3 letters]
http://library.wustl.edu/units/spec/manuscripts/mlc/findingaidshtml/wtu00031.html
George Marion O’Donnell Papers: [1 letter]
library.wustl.edu/units/spec/manuscripts/mlc/findingaidshtml/wtu00091.html
Bellarmine College, Thomas
Merton Center
http://www.merton.org/Research/Correspondence/zb861.html
[Correspondence to and from Thomas Merton].
University of California,
Berkeley, The Bancroft Library
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
[Correspondence with League of American Writers and SF State
College Poetry Center (9 letters)].
UCLA Library, Special
Collections, Young Research Library
http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/special/scweb/index.htm
[Correspondence and some manuscripts in the papers of Kenneth
Rexroth, Robert Payne and Joglars
magazine].
University of Chicago,
Regenstein Library, Harriet Monroe Modern Poetry Collection
http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/spcl/mopo.html
[Correspondence with Poetry
magazine 1912-1961]
University of Delaware
Library, Special Collections
http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/findaids/pagany1.htm
[Correspondence with Pagany
magazine 1929-1932].
Kent State University
http://speccoll.library.kent.edu/literature/poetry/zukofsky.html
This collection contains correspondence between Louis Zukofsky and
Will Petersen and Hank Chapin (55
items).
New York University, Fales Library & Special Collections
http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/fales/cdfa.htm
[Various correspondence in the Avant Garde Collection, primarily
related to little magazines: Caterpillar, Lines, Maps
(John Taggart Archive), Outburst—also further correspondence in the
Theodore Enslin Papers.]
Princeton University
Library, Rare Books Special Collections
http://libweb.princeton.edu/libraries/firestone/rbsc/aids/putnam-nr.html#Box
[13 letter from and 5 letter to LZ from Samuel Putnam in relation
to the New Review (1930-1932)].
Stanford University
Libraries. Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives.
http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/spc/
[Correspondence with Robert Creeley, Allen Ginsberg, Nathaniel
Tarn, Denise Levertov].
SUNY Buffalo Libraries,
Poetry Collection
http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/units/pl/collections/manuscripts/index.html
[Various correspondence, including to William Carlos Williams, as
well as correspondence and papers related to Jargon Society publications]
Texas Christian University Library, Special Collections
http://lib.tcu.edu/spcoll/finding%20aid_files/Oliphant%20-%20MS15.pdf
David Oliphan Papers [cards and letters 1966-1969].
Yale University, Beinecke
Library
http://www.library.yale.edu/beinecke/
[Correspondence to and/or from Ezra Pound, William Carlos
Williams, Henry Seidel Canby, Sister Mary Bernetta Quinn, Harry Roskolenko,
William Rose Benet, Basil Davenport, Norman MacLeod, Dorothy Norman and Golden Goose, mostly related to journal
publications]
Zurich James Joyce Foundation
http://www.joycefoundation.ch/
“Scenario and Continuity” film script
adapted from Ulysses by Jerry Reisman and LZ (carbon copy), 132 sheets
[part of the Hans E. Jahnke Bequest].
