Larry Eigner (1927-1996), was an American poet, short-story writer and essayist, known for spare, passionate poems. Influenced by poets such as Robert Creeley, Charles Olson and William Carlos Williams, Eigner is frequently associated with Olson's Black Mountain Poets, a group known for its postmodern style.
Laurence Joel Eigner was born in Swampscott, Massachusetts, on August 7, 1927. Birth injuries led to cerebral palsy, which affected his mobility and speaking ability. Confined to a wheelchair, Eigner watched the world outside his window with profound interest. He was educated at home and furthered his schooling through correspondence courses from the University of Chicago.
In 1949 Eigner heard poet Cid Corman giving a reading of Yeats's poetry on the radio. This moment altered the course of Eigner's life. He wrote to Corman, taking issue with Corman's reading style, and the two began what would become a long correspondence. Corman introduced Eigner to established poets such as Denise Levertov, Robert Creeley, Robert Duncan and Charles Olson.
In 1978, following the death of his father, Eigner moved to Berkeley, California, to be near his brother Richard. There he continued to write prolifically and became an important fixture in the Bay Area poetry scene. He died from complications of pneumonia on 3 February 1996. His final collection, Readiness/Enough/Depends/On, was published posthumously in 1999. His papers are housed at Stanford University, University of Kansas, and Brown University.
Source: Twentieth Century American Poetry, 2nd Edition
There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Larry Eigner papers, Ms. 79.10, Brown University Library.
The first series of the collection contains the poetry of Larry Eigner, acclaimed by such writers as William Carlos Williams, Denise Levertov and Robert Duncan. It consists of a series of poetry manuscripts spanning two of Eigner's most productive decades, and includes three poetry collections filed separately containing: a publisher's proof of "From the Sustaining Air" "All the bones are white" and "The -/Towards Autumn". Only fifteen of the poems are original manuscripts, although many of the carbons and photocopies have Eigner's handwritten notes and corrections on them.
The second series of this collection is composed of the correspondence between Eigner and Felix Stephanile, Bill Thomas, John Martin and James Weil. The subject matter of these letters covers a number of topics, including: Eigner's view on his own, and contemporary poetry, discussion of the then current literary magazines, an Eigner edition of Sparrow, and Eigner's views of his father's illness and death
The third and final series in this collection consists of miscellaneous items, including a post card with Eigner's poem "running around" printed on it; the Penny Poem Sheet no. 4 which contains Eigner's poems, "I sit still, as philosophers do, I guess," and "same thing" and Sparrow 4, the publication which Eigner and Stephanile discuss in their correspondence.
The collection is arranged in three series:
The collection begins with Eigner's poetry arranged in alphabetical order by either title or first line. In cases where more than one poem is written on a page the page is filled according to the title of the first poem on the page.
Eigner's correspondence is divided into two groups: those letters written by Eigner, and those written to him. Within these groups the letters are arranged alphabetically, and, in the case where more than one letter is written to or by any one individiual, the letters are arranged chronologically. The only exceptions to this are letters written on the manscripts of poems, in which case they are filed with th epoems themselves and cross referenced in their place in the normal sequence of letters with a note referring to where they are filed.
The final folder contains the few miscellaneous items within this collection.
This collection was acquired through two separate purchases. The first from Phoenix Bookstore in New York City in 1975 included the poetry collection, "all the bones are white,"
Brown University Library catalog record for this collection:
Photocopy of typed manuscript filed with letter of January 3, 1954.
Filed with the collection From the Sustaining Air
Filed with the collection "all the bones are white"
Filed with the collection "all the bones are white"
Filed with "a/pine/so/tall"
Filed with "change to another day"
Filed with the collection "From the Sustaining Air"
Filed with the collection "From the Sustaining Air"
Filed with the collection "The -/Towards Autumn"
Filed with "shadow has my head"
Filed with the collection "The -/Towards Autumn"
Filed with the collection "all the bones are white"
Filed with "willing head/on quickened legs"
Filed with "silent/film a/location"
Filed with "varieties of quiet"
Filed with the letter of November 26,1958
Filed with "What stories"
Filed with "black birds and sparrows"
Filed with "always an imposition"
Filed with the letter of January 20, 1978
Filed with the letter of October 20, 1959
Filed with the collection "From the Sustaining Air"
Filed with "Pigeons the"
Revision of "give the dog" 1961 March
Filed with the collection "The -/Towards Autumn"
Filed with the collection "The -/Towards Autumn"
Filed with the collection "From the Sustaining Air"
Filed with "The smoke going straight up"
2 copies. One copy filed with the letter of November 29, 1959
Filed with the collection "From the Sustaining Air"
Filed with "compo/sure"
Filed with "stars and starlight"
Filed with the Penny Poem Sheet, see folder 39
Filed with the collection "The -/ Towards Autumn"
Filed with the letter of January 1, 1954
Filed with "times pass"
Filed with "waves sounding"
Filed with the collection "all the bones are white"
Filed with "varieties of quiet"
Filed with the letter of July 18, 1977
Filed with the collection "From the Sustaining Air"
Filed with the collection "all the bones are white"
Filed with "the moon/bieng stealthy as a cat"
Filed with the collection "From the Sustaining Air"
Filed with the collection "From the Sustaining Air"
Filed with the collection "From the Sustaining Air"
Filed with the postcard of March 30, 1978
Translation from the French: "L'Espanyne en coplas" by Dominque Aubier
Filed with the collection "From the Sustaining Air"
Filed with "smoke extent of chimney"
Filed with "willing head"
Filed with the postcard of March 1978
Filed with the collection "From the Sustaining Air"
Filed with "black birds and sparrows"
Filed with "smoke extent of chimney"
Filed with the collection "From the Sustaining Air"
Filed in Folder 39/ on Penny Poem Sheet
Filed with "trees no animal shape"
Filed with the postcard of March 30, 1978
Filed with "trees no animal shape"
Filed with the letter of August 31, 1960
Filed with "I will have an image"
Filed with the collection "The -/Towards Autumn"
Filed with the collection "all the bones are white"
Filed with "tree/leaves/let go"
Filed with the collection "The-/Towards Autumn"
Filed with the collection "The -/Towards Autumn"
Filed with the collection "The-/Towards Autumn"
Filed with the letter of May 11, 1959 see folder 35.
Filed with "What Stories"
Contains the collection "all the bones are white" which includes the following poems:
Typewritten copy with manuscript notes by the editor. Poems included are:
Contains the collection "The -/Towards Autumn" which includes:
Eigner writes to Hugh Miller discussing the publication of "Flat and Round"
Felix Stephanile was the publisher of a small literary magazine and a poet himself, and the correspondence between the two men covers the period from January 1954 to December 1960, well before either man acquired a reputation of importance. Many of these letters concern an Eigner edition of Sparrow (included in this collection) but the correspondence is not restricted to this topic and includes discussion of such matters as: contemporary poets, their own poetry and then current literary magazines.
These letters include a discussion of Eigner poetry and the Eigner edition of Sparrow.
Contains a discussion of contemporary poets, his own poetry and other publications. Eigner also comments on Sparrow no. 8 and other literary magazines.
Eigner discusses poetry in the latest issue of Sparrow. Contains Eigner's poem, "horse/hours with his navel"
Eigner comments on Stephanile's idea about Billy the Kid, Sparrow numbers 11 and 14. Discusses his and his father's health.
Eigner's note to Thomas concerns the publication of "ah, the air."
Eigner writes to Weil about his health and his fiftieth birthday. He also writes about his impending move to Berkeley. The poem, "light/quietly/thunder" is included.
Eigner writes about his father's illness and subsequent death. Includes the poems, "the fleeting snow," "planes grounded," "pages and pages," and "snow/blinding."
Contains a discussion of the "signed series" of "The -/Towards Autumn"
Contains letter from the year 1973. Discussion includes matters concerning publication of Sparrow.
Contains two letters from Stephanile to Eigner on various matters including a discussion of a number of poets and works in Sparrow. One of the letters is handwritten.
Contents include: three letters written to Eigner which discuss such matters as the ethics of publication, poetry theory and Sparrow number 10
Contains two letters from Stephanile discussing his obsession with the real story of Billy the Kid. He also talks about the proper translation of works of poetry. One of the letters is handwritten.
Contains one post card with Eigner's poem "running around" printed on it, one copy of the "Penny Poem Sheet" number 4, and one issue of Sparrow number 4. Included in these latter two are the following poems: