Letter from Kertesz to Rukeyser, June 27 1977

Title

eng Letter from Kertesz to Rukeyser, June 27 1977

Description

eng An original, two-page letter, dated June 27th, 1977. Presumably from Louise Kertesz to Muriel Rukeyser. Louise is sending Rukeyser “The Chronology of Important Dates” that she would like to verify with her when they meet. Louise is also enclosing many questions in an envelope. In the “Chronology of Important Dates" Louise wants to include the date of any of Rukeyser’s awards, significant changes in residence, or Rukeyser’s work with organizations such as the Writers’ and Teachers’ Collaborative. Louise found Denise Levertov’s poem dedicated to Rukeyser. She had been reading Levertov’s Sorrow Dance, and noted the “unknown”, the “waking,” and the “transformation,” and also the attempt to see “Paradise in the dust.” Levertov's poems, she notes, "share the spirit and some of the vocabulary of yours." Louise asks Muriel to find out if Levertov would be receptive to inquiries about her poetry. Louise has also read Gary Snyder's Earth House Hold and Turtle Island. Snyder is associated with the Beat poets and uses Buddhist terms, but his vision of the world as one living creature, or “the body of the soul,” and of “singing/the proof/the proof of the power within” is another indication that "what the Beats' began singing in the late Fifties was the spirit manifest in your poetry since the Thirties." Louise hopes Muriel will talk with her about this when they meet. Rukeyser’s letter listing the names of people whom she knew in San Francisco had arrived that day. Louise thanks her for her letter, and for writing to Bernard Perry. Louise also says that Rukeyser’s statement for the Copernicus award was wonderful. As for Rukeyser’s question, “Do you want to ask another press?” Louise replies that she has no experience in these matters, and is trying to hear from Indiana after sending them an impatient letter, trying to contact a literary agent and have him handle the manuscript, and finally, waiting for Rukeyser to talk to McGraw-Hill about her manuscript, as Rukeyser said she might do. Louise will follow the path that is available. If Rukeyser could suggest another press or agent, Louise would look into those as well. Since Indiana is taking so long and does not seem to care very much, Louise feels justified in choosing another press if she can, even before Indiana answers. So if an agent takes Louise on, she will let him do the work. Louise ends the letter by saying that she will write again in a few days with more questions for her and their meeting in July. Louise hopes Muriel continues to do well. There is a sentence of handwriting on page two of the letter.

Identifier

eng 018_LK_01_12_014.jpg

Creator

eng Louise Kertesz

Date Created

eng June 27th, 1977

Medium

eng Paper

Subject

eng Louise Kertesz, Muriel Rukeyser, Female Poets, Correspondence, Photography

Is Part Of

eng 018.LK, Louise Kertesz papers

Contributor

eng Andrew Schick