Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
May Swenson addendum, 1932-1997
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Swenson, May.
- Title
- May Swenson addendum
- Dates
- 1932-1997 (inclusive)19321997
- Quantity
- 19 boxes, (9.25 linear feet)
- Collection Number
- UUS_COLL MSS 485
- Summary
- This collection contains personal papers, professional papers, writings, and audio recordings from May Swenson, a nationally-recognized poet who lived much of her life in Sea Cliff, New York, but was originally from Logan, Utah. It is an addendum to the May Swenson papers, Coll Mss 282.
- Repository
-
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
May Swenson was born on May 28, 1913, in Logan, Utah, the daughter of Swedish immigrants. (Her father, Dan Swenson, was a professor of mechanical engineering at Utah State University.) Following her graduation from USU in 1934 she took a job as a reporter for the Deseret News. A year later she moved to New York City where she worked in a variety of jobs, including as a stenographer, until she became the editor for New Directions Press in 1959. In 1966 Swenson quit working as an editor in order to devote herself full time to writing. For the remainder of her life she lived in Sea Cliff, New York. She died on December 4, 1989, and was buried in Logan.
Swenson's trademark was her use of complex wordplay in her poems, which frequently took the form of riddles or unusual arrangements of the words on the page. These "iconographs" often were arranged to resemble the shape of the poem's subject. Frequently classified as a nature poet, Swenson received much praise for her descriptions of natural phenomena and her sensory tone. Her chief themes were animal and human behavior, sexuality, death, and the nature of art and perception. Swenson's poetry has often been compared to the writings of Elizabeth Bishop, e.e. cummings, and Gertrude Stein. Over the course of her career, Swenson published seven volumes of poetry (see list below). In addition to her poetry, Swenson also wrote three books of poems for children, a play, three short stories, and a book of translated poems by the Swedish author, Tomas Tranströmer. Several additional volumes of Swenson poetry have been published posthumously.
May Swenson received a wide variety of recognitions and honors during her career, including serving as poet-in-residence at several universities in the United States and Canada during the late 1960s and early 1970s. She was the recipient of Guggenheim, Ford, Rockefeller, and MacArthur fellowships and a National Endowment for the Arts grant. In 1972 she received a medal from the International Poetry Forum for her translation of Tranströmer. Swenson also received the Shelley Memorial Award from the Poetry Society of America, the Bollingen Prize from Yale University, and an Award in Literature from the National Institute of Arts and Letters. She was also elected a member of the latter organization, as well as the Academy of American Poets of which she later served as chancellor. In 1967 she received a Distinguished Service Gold Medal from Utah State University, and in 1987 an honorary doctor of letters.
- Books of Poetry:
- Another Animal (1954)
- A Cage of Spines (1958)
- To Mix with Time (1963)
- Half Sun Half Sleep (1967)
- Iconographs (1970)
- New and Selected Things Taking Place (1978)
- In Other Words (1987)
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Like its sister collection, the May Swenson papers (COLL MSS 282), the May Swenson addendum has little or no original order left due to the piecemeal nature in which it was acquired. It was organized to mirror the order of the earlier collection, with three broad series containing the bulk of the manuscript materials: I. Personal, II. Professional, and III. Writings. A fourth series was added to accommodate a large number of audio recordings.
Series I contains family correspondence, autobiographical writings by Swenson, items pertaining to Swenson's death, and Zan Knudsen's notes for her Swenson biography. Series II contains professional correspondence, awards and honors, publicity, interviews and card files, as well as writing about Swenson and her work. Series III contains examples of Swenson's writings, mainly poems both published and unpublished. This series also contains poetry reviews written by Swenson, as well as music and poetry inspired by Swenson. Series IV consists almost exclusively of audio recordings. The first set of recordings includes reel-to-reel tapes that were numbered 1-58, probably by Swenson (note that 13 is missing). The last reel, Reel 59, was acquired from USU English professor Reed C. Stock, and is not a part of May's original audio collection. The CDs and cassette tapes appear to be copied from these reel-to-reel tapes.
While there is some original material in this collection, much of it consists of photocopies, either of material still held by the Literary Estate or from the May Swenson collection at Washington University in St. Louis. Written on documents throughout the collection are brief notes from Zan Knudson explaining the significance of the item. These notes provide useful context to researchers.
Conservation note: The reel-to-reel tapes were reboxed and foldered with the original boxes. Manuscript material found folded up in the original boxes was placed in a separate folder located just behind the reel from which it came.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the May Swenson addendum must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Materials held in Series I, Box 2 cannot be reproduced.
Preferred Citation
Initial Citation: May Swenson addendum, USU_COLL MSS 485, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.
Following Citations:USU_COLL MSS 485, USUSCA.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in four series: Personal, Professional, Writings, and Audio Recordings.
Processing Note
Processed in February of 2013
Acquisition Information
Items purchased by the Friends of the Merrill-Cazier Library in 2011 include letters written to May from The New York Quarterly (December 30, 1978), The New Yorker (August 11, 1983), and Borestone Mountain Poetry Awards (November 9, 1970). All three correspondences are housed in Series II, Box 1, Fd 8. The Friends also purchased a certificate from the National Institute of Arts and Letters (1970—Series II, Box 1, Fd 10) and a copy of the poem "October" from The New Yorker (October 31, 1977—Series III, Box 2, Fd 7).
Joyce Kinkead donated a master copy of A Cage of Spines (Series III, Box 1, Fd 2) to USU Special Collections in 2005.
In 2004 Rozanne Knudsen gave the cassette tapes to Michael Spooner who transferred them to Special Collections and Archives. In 2008 Rozanne Knudsen donated the score for "Truth Becoming," a string quartet written by Pamela J. Marshall and inspired by Swenson's poem, "The Process," to USU Special Collections (Series III, Box 2, Fd 11). Nearly all of the remaining material came from a 2004 Knudsen donation, however, the exact provenance of the reel-to-reel tapes is unknown.
A corrected galley proof of May Swenson's, "New and Selected Things Take Place" (1978) was purchased from Carole Berglie in 2013 and added to Series III, Box 3 of the collection.
Paul Crumbley donated a number of items in 2017, which he recieved from Rozanne Knudsen. These include Series I, Box 1, Folders 14-24; Series I, Box 1, Folders 15-17; and Series III, Box 2, Folders 16-18.
Michael Spooner also donated materials in 2017, including the correspondence in Series I, Box 2 and the educational materials in Series III, Box 2, Folder 19.
USU Special Collections purchased the item in Series II, Box 1, Folder 18 from Ken Sanders Rare Books in 2020.
Related Materials
May Swenson papers, Coll Mss 282
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I: Personal and Family, 1925-1995Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Photocopy of May's patriarchal blessing |
1925 |
| 1 | 2 | Logan High School |
undated |
| 1 | 3 | Correspondence between Swenson and her friends and family |
undated |
| 1 | 4 | Correspondence between Zan Knudsen and Margaret Swenson Woodbury |
undated |
| 1 | 5 | Other correspondence |
undated |
| 1 | 6 | Interviews with Swenson's family |
undated |
| 1 | 7 | Interview with Jane Mayhall about May Swenson |
1995 November 27 |
| 1 | 8 | Autobiographies and Resumes |
undated |
| 1 | 9 | Obituaries, memorial services, and tributes |
undated |
| 1 | 10 | Articles with annotations from Swenson's collection on sexuality (with notes from Zan Knudsen) |
undated |
| 1 | 11 | Notes taken by Zan Knudsen for her books |
undated |
| 1 | 12 | Nell Blaine painting purchased by May Swenson |
undated |
| 1 | 13 | Realtor's description of house in Sea Cliff Village, Long Island |
undated |
| 1 | 14 | Bernard Rosenquit watercolor of Swenson |
1959 |
| 1 | 15 | May Swenson's copy of the Pearl of Great Price |
1907 |
| 1 | 16 | Utah State University Centennial medallion |
1988 |
| 1 | 17 | Swenson to Pearl Schwartz |
October 19 |
| 1 | 18 | Pauline Hansen to May Swenson |
1989 March 22 |
| 1 | 19 | Program for "An Old-Fashined Garden" at Logan Junior High |
1930 December 18 |
| 1 | 20 | Zan Knudson to Brothers and Sisters of May Swenson |
1995 September |
| 1 | 21 | USU Student Life and Scribble articles related to Swenson |
1932-1934 |
| 1 | 22 | "An Evening of Poetry" reading in honor of May Swenson |
1996 February 23 |
| 1 | 23 | "Variations on a Theme by May Swenson." In memory of May by Irving Feldman |
1992 October |
| 1 | 24 | Logan High yearbook pages and unidentified photograph |
undated |
| 2 | 1 | May Swenson/Elizabeth Bishop correspondence
Items in this folder cannot be reproduced.
|
1950-1953 |
| 2 | 2 | May Swenson/Elizabeth Bishop correspondence
Items in this folder cannot be reproduced.
|
1954-1955 |
| 2 | 3 | May Swenson/Elizabeth Bishop correspondence
Items in this folder cannot be reproduced.
|
1956 |
| 2 | 4 | May Swenson/Elizabeth Bishop correspondence
Items in this folder cannot be reproduced.
|
1957-1958 |
| 2 | 5 | May Swenson/Elizabeth Bishop correspondence
Items in this folder cannot be reproduced.
|
1959-1962 |
| 2 | 6 | May Swenson/Elizabeth Bishop correspondence
Items in this folder cannot be reproduced.
|
1963-1964 |
| 2 | 7 | May Swenson/Elizabeth Bishop correspondence
Items in this folder cannot be reproduced.
|
1965-1966 |
| 2 | 8 | May Swenson/Elizabeth Bishop correspondence
Items in this folder cannot be reproduced.
|
1967-1968 |
| 2 | 9 | May Swenson/Elizabeth Bishop correspondence
Items in this folder cannot be reproduced.
|
1969-1979 |
Series II: Professional, 1949-1987Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Writings about Swenson |
undated |
| 1 | 2 | Reviews of Swenson’s poetry |
undated |
| 1 | 3 | Interviews with May Swenson |
undated |
| 1 | 4 | Publicity for poetry readings and books |
undated |
| 1 | 5 | Swenson’s card file of poetry readings |
undated |
| 1 | 6 | Swenson’s card file of awards, reviews, permissions, etc. |
undated |
| 1 | 7 | Clipping file kept by Swenson |
undated |
| 1 | 8 | Professional correspondence |
1949-1987 |
| 1 | 9 | Writings about Swenson |
1980-1987 |
| 1 | 10 | Writings about Swenson |
1970 |
| 1 | 11 | Articles about other poets |
undated |
| 1 | 12 | Photograph said to be the inspiration for “Half Sun Half Sleep” |
undated |
| 1 | 13 | Artwork about May Swenson |
undated |
| 1 | 14 | Miscellaneous notes |
undated |
| 1 | 15 | Master index of Swenson's poems |
undated |
| 1 | 16 | Bibliography of hte Works of May Swenson by Alice Geffen |
undated |
| 1 | 17 | Nico Suarez, May Swenson reading, Logan, Utah |
1977 August 10 |
| 1 | 18 | May Swenson to Tram Combs postcard |
1966 February 28 |
Series III: Writings, 1934-1997Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | "A Book of Days" |
undated |
| 1 | 2 |
A Cage of Spines (master copy) |
undated |
| 1 | 3 | "A Comment on Poetry" |
1950 |
| 1 | 4 | "A Fable" |
1949 |
| 1 | 5 | "A Matter of Diction: Marianne Moore," published in Poetry Calendar
|
1997 September |
| 1 | 6 | "A Preliminary Report" (original at Washington University) |
undated |
| 1 | 7 | "Am I Becoming?" |
undated |
| 1 | 8 | "An Exuberance, Not a Dump," published in Dear Sappho |
1996 |
| 1 | 9 | "An Odyssey and a Pair of Scissors" |
undated |
| 1 | 10 | "Another View" |
undated |
| 1 | 11 | "Bow, Horse, Cane, Harp," |
1957 September |
| 1 | 12 | "Do You Know Who I Am?," (original at Washington University) |
1939 |
| 1 | 13 | "Fables of Things" (original at Washington University) |
undated |
| 1 | 14 | "Flynn's Daughter," USAC English Comp paper |
1932 March 8 |
| 1 | 15 | "From a Daybook," published in The Paris Review |
1981 |
| 1 | 16 | "Genius" |
undated |
| 1 | 17 | "Goodbye, Goldeneye," published in The Nation |
1984 February 18 |
| 1 | 18 | "Her Hands," published in Relief Society Magazine |
1966 August |
| 1 | 19 | "Honorable Mention," (original at Washington University) |
1969 |
| 1 | 20 | "In Love Made Visible," "That One," "On the Cliff," published in Ms. |
1991 March |
| 1 | 21 | Introduction to the Miles/Tomlinson reading, the Guggenheim |
1966 April 28 |
| 1 | 22 | "Irving Fajans," Federal Writers' Project, published in First Person America |
undated |
| 1 | 23 | "Let's Be Objective About This," |
1948 |
| 1 | 24 | "More After This," |
1990 |
| 1 | 25 | "My Poems," "Horse," "Weather," "Guilty" |
undated |
| 1 | 26 | "October" published in The New Yorker |
1977 October 31 |
| 1 | 27 | "Preface: A Poem Happens to Me" |
undated |
| 1 | 28 | "Red Army Round the Ivory Tower" |
undated |
| 1 | 29 | "Relics," (original at Washington University) |
1969-1970 |
| 1 | 30 | "Report of an Experiment Dug Up at the Site of a Buried Archeological Museum on Market Street, Excavation Being in Progress for Erection of a Branch of the New Manhattan Bank," |
1971 |
| 1 | 31 | "Southbound on the Freeway" comment by Swenson |
undated |
| 1 | 32 | "The Boat" |
undated |
| 1 | 33 | "The Countess and the Worm," |
1947 |
| 1 | 34 | "The End of the Line," |
1947 |
| 1 | 35 | "The Eye" |
undated |
| 1 | 36 | "The Inmost Center" |
undated |
| 1 | 37 | "The Kite" |
undated |
| 1 | 38 | "The Missing Meteorite" (original at Washington University) |
undated |
| 1 | 39 | "The Poet as Anti-Specialist," published in Saturday Review,
|
1965 January 30 |
| 1 | 40 | "The Tree. Scene II – Dream" |
undated |
| 1 | 41 | "Third Floor Walk-up, "published in Poetry |
1984-1987 November |
| 1 | 42 | "This Evening" |
undated |
| 1 | 43 | "To Hell and Back," |
1934 |
| 1 | 44 | "Trinity Churchyard," |
1961 Spring |
| 2 | 1 | "Twat-Twat," |
1950-1970 |
| 2 | 2 |
"Under the Baby Blanket," published in Antaeus
|
1982 |
| 2 | 3 | "Working Habits" |
undated |
| 2 | 4 | "You Can't Have Your Cake…" (original at Washington University) |
1940-1950 |
| 2 | 5 | Poems published in The Atlantic Monthly
|
1976-1993 |
| 2 | 6 | Poems published in The Elements
|
1972-1973 |
| 2 | 7 | Poems published in The New Yorker
|
1972-1991 |
| 2 | 8 | Untitled works |
1933-1940 |
| 2 | 9 | Untitled works published in The Scribble
|
1932-1933 |
| 2 | 10 | "May Swenson Reads at Utah State University," by Jillyn Carpenter |
1983 May |
| 2 | 11 | "Truth Becoming," by Pamela J. Marshall. String quartet inspired by Swenson's poem, "The Process" |
undated |
| 2 | 12 | "Turned Back to the Wild by Love," by Richard Howard |
undated |
| 2 | 13 | Poetry reviews by May Swenson |
1971-1986 |
| 2 | 14 | Writings by other authors |
undated |
| 2 | 15 | "The Blue Bottle" typescript |
undated |
| 2 | 16 | "Staying at Ed's Place" typescript and photocopy from The New Yorker
|
1975 |
| 2 | 17 | "Speed" for Folder Poetry Programs |
1984-1985 |
| 2 | 18 |
Iconographs typescript cover design |
1984-1985 |
| 2 | 19 | "Poetry Is Alive and Well and Living in America" by Rozanne Knudson |
1969-2013 |
| 3 | 1 | Corrected Galley proof for May Swenson's "New and Selected Things Take Place", pages 1-111 |
1978 |
| 3 | 2 | Corrected Galley proof for May Swenson's "New and Selected Things Take Place", pages 112-222 |
1978 |
| 3 | 3 | Corrected Galley proof for May Swenson's "New and Selected Things Take Place", pages 223-299 |
1978 |
Series IV: Sound Recordings, 1958-1989Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
Reel-to-Reels |
1958-1978 | ||
| Box | Reel | ||
| 1 | 1 | Poetry reading from A Cage of Spines
|
1958 October 8 |
| 1 | 2 | Two sides:
(1) "Good Grief," "Fire," "Birds and Fire," "Bird Talk" (2) "Birds," "Cards and Marbles Laughing," "Marbles, Shuffling, Laughing and Bell," "Whale Talk High Speed," "Door Squeek and Moog," "Stove Plate," "Lion Head Snap"
|
1970 |
| 1 | 3 | Two sides:
(1) Practice reading for Chumley[?] reading (2) Practice for The Education of a Poet AAP reading at the Guggenheim; Composition for ¾ or 1 7/8 electric recording; Short piece: Tin plate drip in sink, hair dryer, radiator loose, notebook riffled
|
1978 October 28-1978 November 7 |
| 1 | 4 | Two sides:
(1) 4 Collage Modulations; "Lift off Apollo 9;" Guggenheim practice reading, Iconographs; "Woods at Night;" practice for Charleston reading; "The Walloping Window Blind"
(2) "Streisand" and others, "Moon Trip" reading, Library of Congress reading practice, "Mahler Resurrection" collage, "Hair" collage
|
March 1969 |
| 1 | 5 | Two sides:
The May Swenson Reading, University of Arizona; Added commentary and readings made at end of lecture
|
1965 February-December 22 |
| 1 | 6 |
"To Make a Play" set by Patsy Rogers (soprano and piano)
|
1975 |
| 2 | 7 |
May Swenson reading her poetry in Library of Congress
|
1969 May 12 |
| 2 | 8 | Two sides:
May Swenson recorded at Washington University
|
1965 February 12 |
| 2 | 9 | Two sides:
(1) The Vocabulary Building (sound and voice collage),
(2)The EU6UF-ITNA by Ruth Anderson, The $1000 conversation with Janet Wringle[?]
|
1966 February 22 |
| 2 | 10 | Two sides:
Poetry Center, Lois Shelton and May Swenson; practice reading for Caedman Records
|
1974 January 22-1975 September |
| 2 | 11 | Two sides:
(1) "Beetles," "Billie Holiday," "Orpheus," "Cat and Mouse Story"
(2) "Computer Room and Kitchen," "Birth of the Machine," "Rainy Day"
|
undated |
| 2 | 12 | Two sides:
May Swenson reading her poetry in Library of Congress,
(1) "Fixing the Steps"
(2) "Building the Bulkhead II," "Noon Whistle I and II," "Children on the Beach,"
|
1969 May 12-1970 April 29 |
| 3 | 14 |
Unlabeled
|
undated |
| 3 | 15 |
Caedmon proof
|
1975 October |
| 3 | 16 | Two sides:
(1) "Calcutta and Southern Swamp Sounds;" "Telephone Ring: a composition," ; "Washing Dishes,"[?] "Decaying Beethoven"
(2) Dowell[?] reading
|
1971 December-1972 February 12 |
| 3 | 17 | Two sides:
(1) "Police Siren"
(2) "The Superb Lyre Bird" and others
|
undated |
| 3 | 18 | Two sides:
(1) "Tone and Circle and Knot (many permutations)," "Stovework"
(2) "Summoning Bell," "Time and the Telephone," " Hoya Toya," "Whistles"
|
undated |
| 3 | 19 | Two sides:
May Swenson
"Cuddle Up," "Very Short," "Sounds with Loon Call," "Orchestra (with teakettle, frypan, ashtray, sink water, etc.);" Reading for Library of Congress, "Manicuring the Tiger"
|
1969 August-1970 February 16 |
| 4 | 20 | Two sides:
(1) A mix of Frogs, Trains, Drums, Bird-yells, etc.; Clock Work then Bach[?]
(2) Fork Work and Glass; Rounds and Glass
|
1972 November-1973 January |
| 4 | 21 | Two sides:
(1) Touch—Marty Subotnick
(2) plays it backwards
|
1970 |
| 4 | 22 | Two sides:
(1) "The Relay" Alwyn Nicolai electronic score
(2) Bad replay of Reel given to Scribner's: "Question" and "Electronic Sound" settings; "The Whistle People"
|
1972 February 19-23- |
| 4 | 23 | Two sides:
(1) Carol de Simone, May Swenson, "Four-word Lines," "Mornings Innocent," "Love Is,"
(2) Solitaire
|
1970-1973 March |
| 4 | 24 | Two sides:
(1) Begins with "Little Bell" bought at the Fair—then "1st Class Rehearsal," "Inchoate Bells," "Superimposition on 2nd Class Rehearsal," "The Feast of the Termites"
(2) "Birth of the Machine," New York City; "New Job I," Purdue; "Stuff,"; "New Job II,"; "The Modulated String Quartet,"; "Rainy Day in Indiana,; "Calling New York"
|
1966 August-October |
| 4 | 25 | Two sides:
Variations for a Door and a Sigh—Pierre Henry,
"Slumber," "Hesitation," "Song 1," "Awakening," "Song 2," "Stretching," "Gestures," "Reckoning," "Fever 1," "Yawning," "Song 3," "Wrath," "Hesitation 2," "Breathing," "Fever 2," "Gymnastics," "Song 4," "Wailing," "Waves," "Song 5," "Trance," "Death-rattle," "Snoring," "Song 6," "Death"
|
1963 |
| 5 | 26 | Two sides:
(1) Seacliff Spring; "Assawaman" and "Unsubdued Birds,"
|
1972 April-May |
| 5 | 27 | Two sides:
(1) "Apollo 16,"
(2) Liftoff and the Cabinet of Dr. Caligan
|
1972 April |
| 5 | 28 |
"Apollo 14," "Apollo 15," Practice reading for Utah readings
|
undated |
| 5 | 29 | Two sides:
(1) "Cat Cry and Wave," 6 March 1970; "Door Squeek," 9 March 1970; "Bells;" "Beep," 15 March 1970; "Stick on Wire Fence;" "Kingfisher," "Russian Beach," 19 March 1970; "Walk on Beach;" "Washing Dishes," "Tisha-Tisha," April 1970
(2) "Apollo 13," 11 April 1970; "A Good First Stage;" "We Have Zero;" "Liftoffs;" "Trains;" "Splashdown;" "Building the Bulkhead"
|
1970 March 6-April 11 |
| 5 | 30 | Two sides:
Sister Mary Aaron of Celestine Convent, Indiana, interviews May Swenson. Sea Cliff. At end of each side: "The Smith Corona III" and "A Morning at Sea Cliff"
|
1968 June 6 |
| 5 | 31 | Two sides:
(1) "Round," "Round and Universe," "Pregnant Dream," "Out the Window at 49 Grove Overlooking Christopher," "Once Upon a Time," piano piece; Letter; scratchy records from high school: "Sanctus," "Savior Blessed Savior," "Penguin at the Waldorf," "Hills of Home," "I'm Out to be Happy," "Cuddle Up a Little Closer," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," La Cucuracha," 1940s
(2) Kansas City practice reading
|
1940-1967 |
| 6 | 32 | Two sides:
(1) Penque Interview; "Clocks and Whistles,"; "Drums at Wolftrap,"; "Electronic Birds;" "Cat Call"
(2) Minnesota reading; "Jangled Piano;" "Long Goofy Collage;" "Interrupted Signal," "Ambulance Claxon"
|
1968 May -1976 |
| 6 | 33 | Two sides:
(1) Reading at Purdue University
(2) Two practice readings for Books and Coffee—Purdue reading, South Ballroom
|
1966 November 10-1967 February 23 |
| 6 | 34 |
Caedmon proof
|
1975 October |
| 6 | 35 |
Interview 2 Comp with Western Birds—etc.[?]
|
undated |
| 6 | 36 | Two sides:
(1) "And So On," "TV Modulations," "Song Spurs"
(2) "Apollo 12 Struck by Lightning,"
|
1969 November 14 |
| 6 | 37 | Two sides:
(1) "Of Rounds," "The Universe," "The Pregnant Dream," and other stuff made with Ruthie
(2) "Something Backwards," "Fixing the Ruas[?] with Brubeck,"
|
1970 May |
| 7 | 38 | Two sides:
(1) Rude Sonata for many percussions, 2 strings, 2 winds, in the key of G-whiz by an Idiot Prodigy with instrument invented by the Idiot,
(2) Setting of "Question" by the author
|
1966 March 23 |
| 7 | 39 | Two sides:
(1) "Wind Water Stone Metal Wood," "Washing Clothes and the Alphabet," "Harry and Evelyn and interpolated noises," Spinning a Quarter," "Humming and Cheering," "Washing, etc.," "Assorted noises—phone/tunes/radio," "Melting Music," July 1966
(2) "Swedish Translations," "dialing long distance—no answer—street noise—tea kettle," "Poems to Solve" talk at Scribner's sales conference, "street noise—Line Busy and egg timer," "radio," "street noise and horse[?] noise," "conversation: Martha, Pearl," "Martha's laugh," "Phono and phone and timer," "Drums on phone," "street and house noise," "sparrows," "The whole world is Jewish by Mark," "My one left shoe," "A Bramble bush," "My Aunt Adele," "good on high speed," "genuine"
|
undated |
| 7 | 40 | Two sides:
"The Smith-Corona"
|
undated |
| 7 | 41 | Two sides:
(1) "Organ and Mouth"
(2) "Tea kettle, clock, phone"
|
undated |
| 7 | 42 |
Three Songs on Poems by May Swenson, C. Spies, Los Angeles; "Awaiting the Oriole,"; "Mill Neck Pond,"
|
1970 April 8-May 13 |
| 7 | 43 | Two sides:
Practice reading for Minneapolis, uncollected poems
|
1968 April |
| 8 | 44 | Two sides:
(1) Rude Sonata for many percussions, 2 strings, 2 winds, in the key of Gee-whiz by an Idiot Prodigy with instruments invented by the Idiot
(2) "Question" setting
|
1966 March 19-23 |
| 8 | 45 | Two sides:
(1) Beaver College
(2) WNCN reading of NYC poems, followed by "Apartment Noise"
|
1964 December 16-1966 January 20 |
| 8 | 46 | Two sides:
(1) "The Shape of the Sound of A," "Conference with Dolphins," Music and house sounds
(2) Dinner, Easter Eve, M and J in Kitchen
|
1966 |
| 8 | 47 | Two sides:
(1) Wabash Instructor's readings of Stevens
(2) Wabash College Reading "Word Repetition Poems,"; then 2 sound collages—"strings, Bells and a Nickel," Indiana
|
1966 December |
| 8 | 48 |
Engagement, Bialosky-Swenson
|
date |
| 8 | 49 | Two sides:
(1) "Rounds and Ovals," Dinner on Terrace, Ruthie's message
(2) Ruthie and M on Terrace; Bowl noise (concrete); Notes on "The Floor"
|
1966 June |
| 9 | 50 | Two sides:
Karla Interview of May Swenson
|
1978 July 14 |
| 9 | 51 | Two sides:
(1) Kansas City recordings: Assorted sounds, "Sea Cliff Beach," "Firecrackers," "Bells on Bells"
(2) "Flycatcher," "Squeeky Outhouse Door," "Making Camp," "Osprey Nest," "Houseboat (Janet Snorring)," "Grackles," "Bobolinks,"
|
1970 |
| 9 | 52 | Two sides:
Williamsburg reading; "Dinner with Margaret and Ruthie,"; New Year's Eve party
|
1965-1966 |
| 9 | 53 | Two sides:
(1) Lynda, J. Grace and MSS—later "The Fight,"
(2) Reading Cordova Museum, Lincoln, Mass.
|
1966 January 15-28 |
| 9 | 54 | Two sides:
(1) Brooklyn College practice reading; "Unsubdued" Birds
(2) 5 Translations of "Unsubdued" Birds; practice for Merrill/Swenson reading
|
1974-1975 July 22 |
| 9 | 55 | Two sides:
(1) Poems from "To Mix with Time"
(2) Diverse material, meat cut up for the cats, cats eating, J. singing, Ruthie being calf-tied, Dinner being made, etc.; "Whistle Sequeues[?] on Dicheum[?]" poem—"Snowfall," Vietnam speech, Dean Rush and Telephone call to Irene
|
1966 February 17-18 |
| 10 | 56 | Two sides:
(1) Saturday night and Sunday morning; Monday night—Lynda, Pearle, and May; discards from Rude Sonata
(2) Sunday morning; conversation about Becky’s party—voices
|
1966 March 19-27 |
| 10 | 57 | Two sides:
(1) Letter Fall 1966, M to R; 2 movements for strings—R; Ballade—Frank Martin—R and Dika Newlin; 2 pieces for strings—R
(2) Practice reading Marianne Moore’s poems at Bryn Mawr
|
1966 fall-1976 February 20 |
| 10 | 58 | Two sides:
(1) Breadloaf lecture, 1976
(2) The 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago; Add codicil—“Varese[?];” “Christmas Piece;” 4 modulated mixes; “Modulating Babitt;” “Gargoyles and High Mass” modulation; “The Electronic Lunch;” “Preparing the Lunch;” “Eating the Lunch;” “Remembering the Lunch”
|
1968-1976 |
| 10 | 59 | Two sides:
May Swenson poetry reading, NRB Auditorium, USU campus
|
1971 August 10 |
CDs |
1958-1975 | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 11 | 1 | [Reel 1] |
1958 October 8 |
| 11 | 2 | [Reel 7] |
1969 May 12 |
| 11 | 3 | [Reel 8] |
undated |
| 11 | 4 | [Reel 22] |
undated |
| 11 | 5 | [Reel 24] |
undated |
| 11 | 6 | [Reel 28] |
undated |
| 11 | 7 | [Reel 33] |
undated |
| 11 | 8 | [Reel 43] |
undated |
| 11 | 9 | [Reel 52] |
undated |
| 11 | 10 | [Reel 54] |
undated |
| 11 | 11 | [Reel 55] |
undated |
| 11 | 12 | May Swenson collection examples and May Swenson reel tapes as mp3 format |
undated |
| 11 | 13 | Poetry is Alive and Well- May Swenson Interview |
undated |
Cassette Tapes |
1955-1989 | ||
| Box | tape | ||
| 12 | 1 | Pocatello, Idaho |
1981 September 15 |
| 12 | 2 | Reading of Guild Hall, East Hampton |
1989 June 11 |
| 12 | 3 | Remembering Howard Moss/Library of Congress: Maki Ballick |
1988 |
| 12 | 4 | In Other Words |
undated |
| 12 | 5 | L.A. Reading/Williamstown, Massachusetts |
1978-1980 |
| 12 | 6 | Roethke/May Reads William J. Smith's Tribute to Miles |
1987 April-1985 October 23 |
| 12 | 7 | Golden Rose Revisiting New England Poetry Club/Reading from 1st Section of Things Taking Place |
1983 November 14-1984 September 10 |
| 12 | 8 | Queens College reading |
1985 October 7 |
| 12 | 9 | Reading Washington University |
1982 March |
| 12 | 10 | Nassau NCTE-E Biltmore |
1980 October 17 |
| 12 | 11 | University of Texas-Austin |
1979 April |
| 12 | 12 | L.A. Reading/C.W. Post |
1978 |
| 12 | 13 | 92nd Street Poetry Center |
1977 October 10 |
| 12 | 14 | The Poetry and Voice of May Swenson |
1976 |
| 12 | 15 | To Mix with Time by May Swenson (Scribner's Sons) |
1972 |
| 12 | 16 | The World in Books/Poets of Tomorrow |
1955 April 5-1958 September 4 |
| 12 | 17 | Yale reading |
1988 September 14 |
| 12 | 18 | Swenson reading at St. John's University/Marianne Moore, 4 poems at the "Y," |
1987 October -November 16 |
| 13 | 19 | Kaufman Concert Hall, Poetry Center, May Swenson and Henri Cole |
1987 May 18 |
| 13 | 20 | Folger Library/May practicing 26 poems for Roethke reading at University of Washington |
1984-1989 May 25 |
| 13 | 21 | Swenson reading at St. John's University/Marianne Moore, 4 poems at the "Y," |
1984 |
| 13 | 22 | E. Dickinson, Academy of American Poets Lecture |
1984 April 5 |
| 13 | 23 | A very good reading of May's/May's C.W. Post reading |
undated |
| 13 | 24 | Tribute to W.H. Auden at Guggenheim/Tribute to Djuna Barnes at Institute |
1983 October-November 16 |
| 13 | 25 | Philadelphia Art Alliance reading and Found Sounds |
1982 October |
| 13 | 26 | Some Quadrangles, Harvard/Pima College Reading, Tucson |
1982 February 18 |
Vinyl Records |
1960-1979 | ||
| Box | record | ||
| 14 | 1 | May Swenson and EGO PM Also (Side 1 and 3) |
undated |
| 14 | 2 | May Swenson and EGO PM Also (Side 2) |
undated |
| 14 | 3 | May Swenson and EGO PM Also (Side 4) |
undated |
| 14 | 4 | Anthology of Contemporary American Poetry |
1961 |
| 14 | 5 | Twelve Contemporary Poets: 1966 Houston Poetry Festival poets reading selections of their own works |
1966 |
| 14 | 6 | Today's Poets: Their Poems- Their Voices, Vol 2 |
1967 |
| 14 | 7 | The Poetry and Voice of May Swenson |
1976 |
DVDs |
undated | ||
| Box | disc | ||
| 14 | 1-2 | Swenson Home Movies |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Authors, American--Utah.
- Poets, American--Utah.
Personal Names
- Swenson, May--Career in Writing.
- Swenson, May
- Swenson, May--Awards.
- Swenson, May--Correspondence.
- Swenson, May--Family.
Form or Genre Terms
- Oral interpretation of poetry.
- Poetry.
Finding aid/Register created by Clint Pumphrey
2013
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
