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William Heyen poetry collection

Special Collections and Archives

William Heyen poetry collection

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Special Collections and Archives

William Heyen poetry collection

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William Heyen is an American poet, essayist, and editor. He was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1940, and earned an undergraduate degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Brockport in 1961. Heyen obtained an MA and PhD from Ohio University. He was a professor of English at SUNY Brockport from 1967-2000. In 2004, Heyen was a finalist for the National Book Award for his book of poetry, Shoah Train.

The bulk of this collection is comprised of Poemlet Press cards: short poems handwritten by William Heyen on cards in hard plastic sleeves. Some cards contain original artwork by Heyen, DeLoss McGraw, and other artists; some cards contain reproductions of artwork or other ephemera, such as baseball cards. A smaller number of poems are printed as broadsides and a 78-page typescript of couplets is also included.

The William Heyen papers are arranged by type of material, and then alphabetically by title.

Yale University holds the William Heyen papers.

William Heyen poetry collection. Kent State University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives.

Gift of Dean H. Keller in 2019.

Bibliography

Thesing, William B. "William Heyen (1 November 1940-)." American Poets Since World War II, edited by Donald J. Greiner, vol. 5, Gale, 1980, pp. 324-330. Dictionary of Literary Biography Vol. 5.

Controlled Access Headings

The following are found in this collection:

Functions:

  • Poetry--Authorship
  • English--Study and teaching

Places:

  • Brockport (N.Y.)

Occupations:

  • Poets
  • College teachers

Material Types:

  • Poetry
  • Trading cards
  • Broadside poems

Detailed Description of the Collection

Box 1 / Folder 1
Broadside: Blue Christmas, 2010
Scope and Content: Two copies. One contains an inscription by the author. Handcrafted by letterpress by Clarence Wolfshohl at Timberline Press.
Box 1 / Folder 2
Broadside: The Carriages, 2015
Scope and Content: Cross-Cultural Communications Bilingual Broadside #59.
Box 1 / Folder 3
Broadside: Couplets, undated
Scope and Content: Broadside that features 8 scherzi, or 13-syllable couplets.
Box 1 / Folder 4
Broadside: Eclipse, 1997
Scope and Content: Published by William B. Ewert.
Box 1 / Folder 5
Broadside: The Eternal Ash, 1981
Box 1 / Folder 6
Broadside: The Halo, 2015
Scope and Content: Includes an Italian translation of the poem. Cross-Cultural Communications Bilingual Broadside #42.
Box 1 / Folder 7
Broadside: Mole, 2015
Scope and Content: Includes an Itallian translation of the poem. Cross-Cultural Communications Bilingual Broadside #60.
Box 1 / Folder 8
Broadside: My Highschool Flame, 2015
Scope and Content: Two copies. Includes an Italian translation of the poem. Cross-Cultural Communications Bilingual Broadside #60.
Box 1 / Folder 9
Broadside: Prayer, 2015
Scope and Content: Two copies. Includes an Italian translation of the poem. Cross-Cultural Communications Bilingual Broadside #44.
Box 1 / Folder 10
Broadside: This Night, 2015
Scope and Content: Includes an Italian translation of the poem. Cross-Cultural Communications Bilingual Broadside #43.
Box 1 / Folder 11
Serial: Poetry Kanto 2011, no. 27, edited by Alan Botsford, Kanto Poetry Center, 2011
Scope and Content: Includes a selection of poems from Hiroshima Suite, by William Heyen. An inscription by the author appears on the title page and page 97.
Box 1 / Folder 12
Typescript: The Orphanage: 1100 Poems, June 3, 2008
Scope and Content: 78-page typescript containing 1100 couplets by William Heyen.
Box 2 / Folder 1
Poemlet: Americana, 2014
Scope and Content: Poemlet in a small clear plastic case with two small glass bottles.
Box 2 / Folder 2
Poemlet: Baseball Time, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 3
Poemlet: Bee Sun Buddha, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 4
Poemlet: Bird, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 5
Poemlet: The Buffalo, undated
Box 2 / Folder 6
Poemlet: "But tell me", 2011
Box 2 / Folder 7
Poemlet: Catholic, 2013
Box 2 / Folder 8
Poemlet: The Christ Portrait / C. 1853-54, 2019
Box 2 / Folder 9
Poemlet: Constituents, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 10
Poemlet: Deliverance, 2017
Box 2 / Folder 11
Poemlet: DeLoss, 2013
Box 2 / Folder 12
Poemlet: Dream Spinster, 2011
Box 2 / Folder 13
Poemlet: Elegy, 2011
Box 2 / Folder 14
Poemlet: Emerson, May 19, 2009
Box 2 / Folder 15
Poemlet: Evensong, November 1, 2010
Scope and Content: Two copies of the poem with different illustrations.
Box 2 / Folder 16
Poemlet: Evensong, 2011
Scope and Content: Three copies of the poem with different illustrations.
Box 2 / Folder 17
Poemlet: Evensong, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 18
Poemlet: Evensong, 2013
Box 2 / Folder 19
Poemlet: Fall, 2011
Scope and Content: Illustrated by Helen Fabi Smagorinsky.
Box 2 / Folder 20
Poemlet: Fast Food, 2010
Box 2 / Folder 21
Poemlet: Flame, May 19, 2009
Box 2 / Folder 22
Poemlet: Flat Feet, 2014
Box 2 / Folder 23
Poemlet: Fool, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 24
Poemlet: Grand Slam, 2013
Box 2 / Folder 25
Poemlet: Hall of Dream, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 26
Poemlet: Heart, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 27
Poemlet: Hereafter, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 28
Poemlet: "He's looking inward still", 2011
Box 2 / Folder 29
Poemlet: Home, 2011
Scope and Content: Illustration by Helen Fabi Smagorinsky.
Box 2 / Folder 30
Poemlet: "I asked master Wolfshohl", 2012
Scope and Content: The front of the poemlet includes the letterpress logo for El Grito del Lobo.
Box 2 / Folder 31
Poemlet: Images for the End of the World, 2010
Box 2 / Folder 32
Poemlet: "In this life, given what we get", 2012
Box 2 / Folder 33
Poemlet: Meditation, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 34
Poemlet: Memory / Four Poets / 1990, 2014
Box 2 / Folder 35
Poemlet: "My fourth wife, that diva", 2014
Box 2 / Folder 36
Poemlet: "My life now almost immortal", 2011
Box 2 / Folder 37
Poemlet: Noel, 2016
Box 2 / Folder 38
Poemlet: On a Painting by DeLoss McGraw, 2014
Box 2 / Folder 39
Poemlet: Options, 2019
Box 2 / Folder 40
Poemlet: Paintings by DeLoss McGraw,, 2014
Box 2 / Folder 41
Poemlet: The Pallbearer, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 42
Poemlet: Passenger Pigeons, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 43
Poemlet: Passport Stamp, 2013
Box 2 / Folder 44
Poemlet: Poet, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 45
Poemlet: Prairie, 2014
Box 2 / Folder 46
Poemlet: Prayer, 2013
Scope and Content: Two copies of the poem with different illustrations.
Box 2 / Folder 47
Poemlet: Prediction, 2012
Scope and Content: Includes two copies.
Box 2 / Folder 48
Poemlet: The Printer, 2012
Scope and Content: Includes two copies.
Box 2 / Folder 49
Poemlet: "Prune for shade", 2011
Box 2 / Folder 50
Poemlet: Query, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 51
Poemlet: A Question of Color, 2014
Box 2 / Folder 52
Poemlet: Remembrancer, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 53
Poemlet: Retired English Professor, 2014
Box 2 / Folder 54
Poemlet: Rhyme, 2014
Box 2 / Folder 55
Poemlet: Roid Hurler, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 56
Poemlet: Santa Depressed on Christmas Eve, 2011
Box 2 / Folder 57
Poemlet: The Secret, 2014
Box 2 / Folder 58
Poemlet: Senior Romance, 2009
Box 2 / Folder 59
Poemlet: Snuff, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 60
Poemlet: Sport, 2014
Box 2 / Folder 61
Poemlet: Steroid Slugger: KKK, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 62
Poemlet: Subway, Late '30s, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 63
Poemlet: "Tell me, you of the tar", 2012
Box 2 / Folder 64
Poemlet: Tom Friedman: Self Portrait, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 65
Poemlet: "Under my cabin", 2011
Scope and Content: Three copies of the poem with different illustrations.
Box 2 / Folder 66
Poemlet: Valentine Card, 2012
Box 2 / Folder 67
Poemlet: The Visitor, undated
Box 2 / Folder 68
Poemlet: The Wealthy Man, 2013
Scope and Content: Two copies of the poem with different illustrations.
Box 2 / Folder 69
Poemlet: "You're holding a spell", 2012
Box 2 / Folder 70
Poemlet: "You're seeing interfused rhythms", 2012