John Wieners, Papers, 1958-1972

Inventory

Prepared by Barbara Bass, June 14, 2002; updated October 2004
1 document case, .33 cubic foot., 11th floor

Biographical Note

A poet of the Beat Generation, John Wieners was born near Boston in 1934. Wieners graduated from Boston College in 1954 with an A.B. in English. Later that year, he found himself walking past a café where the poet Charles Olson was reading, and decided on the spot to pursue poetry. Thereafter he became involved in the beat scene, reading and traveling all over the United States and also studying at Black Mountain College and SUNY-Buffalo (under Olson himself). Although felled by personal problems at various points in his career, Wieners published many volumes of poetry, notably The Hotel Wentley Poems (1958), Ace of Pentacles (1964) and Nerves (1970).

Scope and Content

The John Wieners Papers include poems and drafts of poems, most of which are undated. Also included is a manuscript journal from 1970-72.

Box 1

Folder -- Contents

1. "And always tropical songs call me forth": 1958
2. "Beauty never was mine": [no date]
3. "Buds on the trees": [no date]
4. "Cage": [no date]
5. "Drug fantasy": [no date]
6. "The Exercise": [no date]
7. "For Ed Dorn": [no date]
8. "The Guy in the garage": [no date]
9. "Love takes over": [no date]
10. "Menu": [no date]
11. Notebook: [no date]
12. "Yonnie": [no date]
13. Manuscript journal, [1970-72]. 145 leaves, written on both sides. Contents appear to be in large part unpublished and include a number of prose pieces. The bulk of the journal is poetic and includes drafts or versions (heavily corrected) of a number of poems.