Manuscripts
A collection of 1,695 items from 1969 to 1986; it consists primarily of correspondence and poems relating to the compilation and publication of "Modern poetry of western America, an anthology of poems written by principal 20th century poets of the western United States," the book was published in 1975 by the Brigham Young University Press. The book was compiled and edited by Clinton F. Larson and William E. Stafford, both poets and professors of English. The collection includes biographical writing, editorial materials, published reviews, published poetry with lists and waivers, rejected poetry, and miscellaneous material. The letters written between Larson and Stafford express various thoughts, opinions and criticisms regarding the poems submitted for their review as well as decision-making concerning which authors, and which of their poems, to ultimately include or exclude from the anthology. In the invitations extended by the editors to contributing authors, the following material was provided: a letter conveying their vision for the anthology and a request for samples of the author's work, a release form for permission to publish the selected works, and a cover sheet requesting biographical information of the author. The bulk of the collection is dated 1974 and consists of these returned release forms and cover sheets, in addition to copies of poems submitted for review by the authors. Both accepted poems and rejected poems from nearly all authors are included, as well as biographical profiles from contributing authors. Poets in the collection include, among others: Earle Birney, Marilyn McMeen Miller, R. A. Christmas, Marden J. Clark, Thomas H. Ferril, Brewster Ghiselin, Thom Gunn, Philip Levine, Sandra McPherson, Theodore Roethke, Ralph J. Salisbury, Karl Shapiro, Ann Stanford, A. Wilber Stevens, May Swenson, and Peter Wild.
mssLarson
