WMU Research Guides: Special Collections and Rare Book Department: Carol Ann Haenicke American Women's Poetry Collection

Images from the Collection

Early edition of Emily Dickinson's poems (1896), from the Harrison Hayford Emily Dickinson sub-collection.

Page from Mary Ruefle's altered book of erasure poetry, Now It, (2009)

History of the Carol Ann Haenicke Collection of American Women's Poetry

The Carol Ann Haenicke Collection of American Women's Poetry was dedicated on October 28, 1993 and hailed as "the beginnings of a distinctive scholarly resource." The collection was named for Mrs. Haenicke, a librarian and the wife of the president of WMU at that time, Dr. Diether Haenicke. The collection began with a purchase from Dr. Harrison Hayford, of Northwestern University, with the help of Dr. Katherine Joslin of Western Michigan University's English Department. It is primarily comprised of books, but it also contains archival sub-collections (see the links on this page), as well as artists' books and broadsides. The collection is focused on "breadth, inclusiveness and scope rather than for qualities that conventional collectors value more highly, such as rarity or mint condition of the books." The collection continues to grow each year.

Materials from the collection can be located through the libraries' online catalog by searching for author, title, keyword, etc. under "Books and Media" and then limiting those results to this location in the left-hand sidebar: Waldo Library Carol Haenicke Women's Poetry, Waldo Library, Rare Books.

Large Archival Sub-Collections in the Haenicke Collection

Carol Bergé-Judson Crews Correspondence Collection, 1978-1987
This collection primarily consists of correspondence between American poets Carol Bergé and Judson Crews, which took place between the late 1970s and mid 1980s, but also contains a few pieces of correspondence between Bergé or Crews and other artists, editors, publishers, friends, etc.
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The relationship between Bergé and Crews was both artistic and personal. She served as one of the editors for his book of poetry, Clock of Moss (1983). The letters chronicle more of the personal relationship between the two than the literary. There are also drafts of both Bergé's and Crews' poetry and prose and includes Bergé's editor's copy of the manuscript for Crews' book The Clock of Moss. The are also manuscript proofs, journal articles, magazine articles, newspaper articles, and handwritten notes taken by both poets.

Small Archival Sub-Collections in the Haenicke Collection

The personal papers, working papers or correspondence of successful poets and writers can offer insights to students and scholars in many ways.

Besmilr Brigham-William Inman Correspondence Collection, 1971-1978
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The Besmilr Brigham-William Inman Collection consists of an archive box of correspondence between Besmilr Brigham and William Inman from 1977-1978. In addition to correspondence, the collection includes typescripts of two Brigham poetry collections, short stories, photographs of the poet and two resumes of Besmilr Brigham.
Howard Hilles-Corinne Roosevelt Robinson Correspondence Collection, 1913-1938
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Correspondence of the poet Howard Hilles and the poet and younger sister of President Theodore Roosevelt, Corinne Roosevelt Robinson. Includes photographs.
Denise Levertov-Alan Helms Correspondence Collection, 1974-1997
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Correspondence between the poet Denise Levertov and Alan Helms. Denise Levertov was born in Ilford, Essex, England, on October 24, 1923. Levertov published more than twenty volumes of poetry, including Freeing the Dust (1975), which won the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize. She was also the author of four books of prose, most recently Tesserae (1995). In December 1997, Denise Levertov died from complications of lymphoma.
Judith Moffett Literary Correspondence Collection, 1964-1999
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The Judith Moffett Literary Correspondence Collection consists of letters addressed to Dr. Moffett from other poets and writers. The correspondence includes over 400 letters, notes, postcards, and cards all addressed to Dr. Moffett covering a period from 1963 to 1996. The correspondence includes letters from: George Abbe (American poet), Isaac Asimov (fantasy writer), Peter Beagle (American fantasy writer, author of The Last Unicorn), Marvin Bell (American poet), Wendell Berry (American poet), David Bromwich (essayist), Paul Engle (Director of Iowa Writers Workshop), Seamus Heaney (Irish poet), Donald Justice (American poet), Lisel Mueller (American poet), Alicia Ostriker (American poet), Grace Schulman (American poet), and Paul Zelinsky (children's book illustrator and author).
Ted Wilentz, Diane di Prima and Barbara Guest Correspondence Collection, 1967-1991
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This collection contains correspondence addressed to book publisher Ted Wilentz from poets Diane di Prima and Barbara Guest. The first seven folders contain handwritten letters, post cards, greeting cards and a wedding invitation from Diane di Prima. The remaining nineteen folders consist mostly of handwritten letters and one typed letter addressed to Wilentz from Guest.
American Women's Poetry and Miscellaneous Correspondence and Ephemera Collection, 1865-2002
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This collection is an assortment of correspondence and ephemera associated with American Women poets or other authors or artists from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It contains materials pertaining to Margaret Atwood, Amy Clampitt, April Eiler, Nikki Giovanni, Sylvia Plath, May Sarton and others.