Table of Contents
Scope and Contents of the Collection
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Overview of the Collection |
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| Creator: | Barker, Eric, 1905-1973. |
| Title: | Eric Wilson Barker Papers |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1930-1968 |
| Quantity: | 0.5 linear ft. |
| Abstract: | Papers of the American poet (1905-1973). Correspondence, manuscripts, and published material. |
| Language: | English |
| Repository: | Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center |
Biographical History
Eric Barker (1905-1973) was an American poet. Born and educated in England, he came to the United States at the age of 16 with his parents. Barker worked for short periods as a truck dispatcher, a gardener, a signal tower operator in a railroad yard, and a caretaker. His real "work" however was writing poetry and roaming the wild area around his home in Carmel, California. Among his books of poetry are The Planetary Heart (1942), Directions in the Sun (1956), A Ring in the Willows (1961), and Looking for Water (1964). He was awarded the Shelley Memorial Award of the Poetry Society of America in 1963.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The Eric Barker Papers include one subject file, correspondence, manuscripts, and published material.
The single Subject file contains a photograph of the poet. Correspondence, all incoming, consists mainly of letters written between 1932 and 1959 from John Cowper Powys. There are a few letters from others, including Llewelyn Powys (most of which are to Barker's wife, dancer Madelynne Greene), Karen Rose, and Robinson Jeffers. Manuscripts include a signed holograph poem and the galley proof of Barker's book, Looking for Water. Published material consists of a tearsheet from Spectrum (1968) to which Barker contributed two poems to the issue for which he was guest editor; an article by Evelyn Ames which appeared in the Literary Review; and clippings about Barker.
Restrictions
Access Restrictions
The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.
Use Restrictions
Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.
Subject Headings
Persons
Subjects
Genres and Forms
Occupations
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for this material is as follows:
Eric Barker Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries
Acquisition Information
Original collection, purchased, 1965. Karen Rose correspondence and 1 folder photographs, gift of Lauri Rose, 2023.
Finding Aid Information
Created by: KM
Date: May 1987
Revision history: 30 Apr 2008 - converted to EAD (AMCon);
17 Jun 2024 - Karen Rose correspondence and 1 folder photographs added, inventory
updated to match labels on folders (MRC)
Inventory
| Correspondence | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Gregory, Alyse 1938 | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Grey, Marian Powys undated | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Jeffers, Robinson 1955-1956 | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Playter, Phyllis 1941 | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Powys, John Cowper 1932-1959, undated | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Powys, Llewelyn 1930, 1936, undated | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Rose, Karen 1963-1965 | ||||||||||
| Gift of Lauri Rose, 2023. | |||||||||||
| Memorabilia | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | Photograph of Eric Barker undated | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Photographs - of Barker, Karen Rose, Jean Burden, Barker's Big Sur cabin | ||||||||||
| Gift of Lauri Rose, 2023. | |||||||||||
| Printed material | |||||||||||
| Clippings about | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | "Eric Barker: Figure in a Landscape" by Evelyn Ames, The Literary Review 1963 | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Miscellaneous 1961-1963 - Clippings from Newsweek and various newspapers | ||||||||||
| Writings | |||||||||||
| Box 1 | "A Jade Pebble" - signed holograph poem | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Looking for Water undated - galleys | ||||||||||
| Box 1 | Poems from Spectrum 1968 - clippings: "For a Metal Sculpture Made Entirely From Spare Parts of Abandoned Cars" and "In Memory of John Cowper Powys" (2 items) | ||||||||||