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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
The letters in this selection were written between 1943 and Harwood's death in 1995. Over half of the letters are to her good friend Tony Riddell; other correspondents include her biographer Alison Hoddinott and well-known figures from literary, artistic and musical circles.The letters are arranged chronologically and grouped into five time periods, each group prefaced by a brief biographical introduction.
Gwen Harwood was a prodigious letter writer who placed a high value on friendship: the letters display the "generosity of spirit, biting wit, and a superb command of language [which] characterise both her poetry and her letters to friends" (Cover). The selection offers a wealth of detail about Harwood's daily life, family and friends life as well as casting valuable light on her poetry and on literary personalities, issues and events of the period and Harwood's relationship with editors and publishers. Many of the letters written during the early 1960s give background details to the use of pseudonyms and the perpetration of literary hoaxes such as the publication of the "Eloisa to Abelard' acrostic sonnets and the poem "The Sentry", co-authored with Vincent Buckley.The letters also contain a significant number of previously unpublished occasional poems, usually satirical or parodic. Verse letters and poems included within letters have been individually indexed.
Notes
-
Dedication:
In memoriam
Gwen Harwood, 1920-1995
Chasely Kratzmann, 1945-1995
Contents
-
Dust to Dust
Memento Homo Quia Pulvis Es [Remember O man thou art dust]i"Policeman postman watchman fireman",
single work
poetry
(p. 67)
Note: Included in a letter to Vivian Smith, 16.12.1958, with author's comment: I got the idea for the opening lines from one of Bill's [her husband, a linguist] infant word-lists under the heading "man".
- On a Second Reading of "Goods Train"i"When I consider how I used to write", single work poetry (p. 102-103)
- "Virtue and Hope depart. God's finger traces" Eloisa to Abelardi"Solace and hope depart. God's finger traces", single work poetry (p. 126)
- [To Vincent Buckley 1961]i"Dear Vin, Your employer's not able", single work poetry (p. 137)
- [To A. D. Hope, Thursday 26.10.61]i"Reich mir die Hand, du sehrgeliebter Mensch [Give me your hand beloved man]", single work poetry (p. 143)
- [To Vincent Buckley 16.8.1962]i"Dear Vincent, I'm just a computer", single work poetry (p. 163)
- Primavera Academicai"Nearing light God became mechanical", single work poetry (p. 164)
- [To Vincent Buckley 20.8.1962]i"Dear Vin, I don't write to importune", single work poetry (p. 165)
- [To Vincent Buckley 25.9.1962]i"Jones says on textual evidence", single work poetry (p. 167)
- [To Vincent Buckley 5.10.62]i"Dear Vincent, I give you fair warning", single work poetry (p. 168)
- [To Vincent Buckley 26.12.1962]i"Dear Vincent, I've just got me volume:", single work poetry (p. 171-172)
- [To Rex Hobcroft 9.12.1963]i"Last Sunday I was having tea", single work poetry (p. 184)
- [To Chris Wallace-Crabbe 13.12.1963]i"Mrs Harwood, busy cooking", single work poetry (p. 185-186)
- [To Larry Sitsky 14.11.1964]i"Usher's residence was cracked", single work poetry (p. 196)
- A Ballade of the Stockingsi"From the bronze plates of Davey Street", single work poetry (p. 208)
- [To Norman Talbot 23.4.1972]i"Dear Norman whom I've loved for ages", single work poetry (p. 265-267)
- [To Chris Wallace-Crabbe 11.8.1972]i"Back into the womb of light", single work poetry (p. 270)
-
[To A. D. Hope 20.9.1973]i"By the grace of Gough Almighty",
single work
poetry
(p. 284-286)
Note: Accompanied by reproduction of postcard
- [To Norman Talbot 30.4.1975]i"O how elegant and shiny", single work poetry (p. 298-299)
- To Chris Wallace-Crabbei"Dear Chris, I must thank you for writing", single work poetry (p. 418)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
-
Gwen Harwood
2012
single work
criticism
— Appears in: The Lifted Brow , no. 14 2012; (p. 30-31) -
Editing Gwen Harwood
2007
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Island , Summer no. 111 2007; (p. 29-45) Alison Hoddinott tells of the 'experience of editing some of the prose and poetry of Gwen Harwood'. (Island) -
Lives and Letters
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: Overland , Winter no. 171 2003; (p. 92-95)
— Review of A Certain Style : Beatrice Davis, A Literary Life 2001 single work biography ; A Steady Storm of Correspondence : Selected Letters of Gwen Harwood : 1943-1995 2001 selected work correspondence ; Yarn Spinners : A Story in Letters : Dymphna Cusack, Florence James, Miles Franklin 2001 anthology correspondence biography ; Memories of an Australian Childhood, 1880-1900 1980 single work autobiography ; A Wealth of Women : Australian Women's Lives from 1788 to the Present 2001 single work biography -
Soundings from Down Under
2002
single work
column
— Appears in: Antipodes , December vol. 16 no. 2 2002; (p. 192-194) An overview of news and major publications relating to Australian literature in 2002. -
Gwen Harwood: 'The Police Own the Brothels'
2002
single work
review
— Appears in: Tirra Lirra , Winter vol. 12 no. 4 2002; (p. 8-10)
— Review of A Steady Storm of Correspondence : Selected Letters of Gwen Harwood : 1943-1995 2001 selected work correspondence ; Selected Poems : A New Edition 2001 selected work poetry
-
Gwen Harwood: 'The Police Own the Brothels'
2002
single work
review
— Appears in: Tirra Lirra , Winter vol. 12 no. 4 2002; (p. 8-10)
— Review of A Steady Storm of Correspondence : Selected Letters of Gwen Harwood : 1943-1995 2001 selected work correspondence ; Selected Poems : A New Edition 2001 selected work poetry -
Lives and Letters
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: Overland , Winter no. 171 2003; (p. 92-95)
— Review of A Certain Style : Beatrice Davis, A Literary Life 2001 single work biography ; A Steady Storm of Correspondence : Selected Letters of Gwen Harwood : 1943-1995 2001 selected work correspondence ; Yarn Spinners : A Story in Letters : Dymphna Cusack, Florence James, Miles Franklin 2001 anthology correspondence biography ; Memories of an Australian Childhood, 1880-1900 1980 single work autobiography ; A Wealth of Women : Australian Women's Lives from 1788 to the Present 2001 single work biography -
CoverNotes
2001
single work
review
— Appears in: The Sunday Age , 28 October 2001; (p. 11)
— Review of A Steady Storm of Correspondence : Selected Letters of Gwen Harwood : 1943-1995 2001 selected work correspondence -
An Unburiable Talent
2001
single work
review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , November no. 236 2001; (p. 10-11)
— Review of A Steady Storm of Correspondence : Selected Letters of Gwen Harwood : 1943-1995 2001 selected work correspondence -
Miss en Scene
2001-2002
single work
review
— Appears in: The Bulletin , 18 December - 8 January vol. 119 no. 6306 2001-2002; (p. 110)
— Review of A Steady Storm of Correspondence : Selected Letters of Gwen Harwood : 1943-1995 2001 selected work correspondence -
Soundings from Down Under
2002
single work
column
— Appears in: Antipodes , December vol. 16 no. 2 2002; (p. 192-194) An overview of news and major publications relating to Australian literature in 2002. -
Editing Gwen Harwood
2007
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Island , Summer no. 111 2007; (p. 29-45) Alison Hoddinott tells of the 'experience of editing some of the prose and poetry of Gwen Harwood'. (Island) -
Gwen Harwood
2012
single work
criticism
— Appears in: The Lifted Brow , no. 14 2012; (p. 30-31)
- The Sentry 1961 single work poetry
- Eloisa to Abelard 1961 single work poetry
- Abelard to Eloisa 1961 single work poetry
- Dead Guitars 1961 single work poetry
- Brisbane, Queensland,
- Hobart, Southeast Tasmania, Tasmania,
- 1943-1995