Collection inventory

Special Collections home page

John Wieners Papers

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: KM
Date: Jul 1987

Biographical History

Poet John Wieners was born in Boston on January 6, 1934. After graduating from Boston College in 1954, Wieners attended Black Mountain College from 1955-1956, studying under Charles Olson and Robert Duncan. He became associated with the Poet's Theatre in Cambridge, and his two one-act plays were produced by the New York Poet's Theatre and Judson Poets Theatre in New York. In 1957 he founded the poetry magazine, Measure, and in 1962 received the Poet's Foundation Award. Among his published books are The Hotel Wentley Poems (1958), Ace of Pentacles (1964), Pressed Wafer (1967), Asylum Poems (For my Father) (1969), Youth (1970), Nerves (1970), Selected Poems (1972), and Behind the State Capitol, Or Cincinnati Pike (1975).

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The John Wieners Papers consists of a Subject file, Correspondence, Writings, and Published material.

The Subject file contains biographical information. The Correspondence includes letters from various poets, many of whom contributed to Measure, a poetry journal which Wieners edited. All correspondence is incoming unless otherwise noted. The Writings consist of the manuscript, galley proofs, and other materials relating to Wieners' book Ace of Pentacles; a journal produced between 1955 and 1956; a notebook; typescript poems; and two untitled pieces: a short story, and a book manuscript. The Printed material includes book reviews and publicity items for Ace of Pentacles, photocopies of Measure issues, and an assortment of articles and newspaper clippings about avant-garde writers.

Arrangement of the Collection

Material is arranged alphabetically. Within the correspondence folders, each folder is arranged chronologically.

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

Broughton, James, 1913-1999.
Carr, James F.
Corman, Cid.
Corso, Gregory.
Creeley, Robert, 1926-2005.
Duncan, Robert, 1919-1988.
Ginsberg, Allen, 1926-1997.
Kerouac, Jack, 1922-1969.
Lamantia, Philip, 1927-2005.
MacLeish, Archibald, 1892-1982.
McClure, Michael.
Merwin, W. S. (William Stanley), 1927-2019.
Moore, Marianne, 1887-1972.
Whalen, Philip.
Wieners, John, 1934-2002.
Williams, Jonathan, 1929-2008.

Subjects

American literature -- 20th century.
American poetry -- 20th century.
Bohemianism -- United States.
Literature, Experimental.
Poets, American.

Genres and Forms

Correspondence.
Diaries.
Galley proofs.
Manuscripts for publication.

Occupations

Poets.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

John Wieners Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Table of Contents

Subject file

Correspondence

Writings

Printed material

Inventory