|
In this exchange of letters, Cid Corman and Merton discuss each other's work, especially poetry. Corman was very critical, sometimes harshly, of Merton's social essays, stating that their violence in style undermined his message of non-violence. Merton admits to being sometimes overly bombastic to drive home a point, but claims to be doing so in the school of "rowdy types like Blake, or Leon Bloy, or the Elizabethans" (1966/09/06 letter). The file contains original letters from Corman and carbon copies from Merton.
Cid Corman was a poet who went to Japan in 1951 and founded a literary magazine and press by the name of Origin. Besides writing his own poetry, he translated the works of a number of French and Japanese poets (source: The Courage for Truth, p. 246). Cid Corman writes to Merton from Kyoto, Japan.
Please click here for general restrictions concerning Merton's correspondence.
See also letters from Merton to Corman published in The Courage for Truth, pp. 246-251.
If the person in correspondence with Merton has full text records in the Merton Center Digital Collections, there will be a numeric link to them below.
This Record Sub-Group is not divided into Series and is arranged chronologically.
Click icons for links: ✓="Published | Library Record", ✉="Scanned" | 🗷="Scanned, Viewable Only at Merton Center"
| # | Date | From/To | First Lines | Pub ✓ | Notes |
| | y/m/d | Merton | | Scan ✉ | |
| 1. |
1966/05/24 |
TLS to Merton |
you scarcely have to introduce yourself. I have read your poetry since New Directions began |
|
«detailed view» |
| 2. |
1966/07/08 |
TL[c] from Merton |
Origin iii, 1 came in the other day and I promised in my note to you before that, that I would write |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 3. |
1966/07/09 |
TLS to Merton |
thanks, and to the Abbot too, for the check. There are places, even today, where small sums weigh |
|
«detailed view» |
| 4. |
1966/07/12 |
TLS to Merton |
you answer me--our letters crossing--as to what I sent you. I'll send you #2 within the week, |
|
«detailed view» |
| 5. |
1966/08/27 |
TLS to Merton |
your RAIDS came today and I've gone thru most of it during the day--on the bus and in the gallery, |
|
«detailed view» |
| 6. |
1966/09/05 |
TL[c] from Merton |
I have two good letters of yours from July to reply to and now Origin 2 and the books. I was |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 7. |
1966/09/06 |
TL[c] from Merton |
I wrote you yesterday and now your letter of the 27th has reached me today. So I see you got |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 8. |
1966/09/10 |
TALS to Merton |
your letter seems to have crossed with mine, so that I've answered some of your questions sooner |
|
«detailed view» |
| 9. |
1966/09/12 |
TLS to Merton |
you will have had my two letters in answer to your that "crossed". I can tell enough from this just |
|
«detailed view» |
| 10. |
1967/03/10 |
TL[c] from Merton |
I have been waiting for the right chance to send you a word or two about the new Origin (4) and now |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 11. |
1968/04/21 |
TL[c] from Merton |
It is a long time since I have written: can't keep up with correspondence at all. It is just too |
|
«detailed view» |
| 12. |
1968/05/26 |
TLS to Merton |
after writing you I felt as if I had possibly sounded more ungracious than I meant to. In any case |
|
«detailed view» |
| 13. |
1973/11/30 |
TLS[x] from Center to Corman, Cid |
Mr. Victor Kramer at Georgia State University has requested permission to look at your |
|
«detailed view» |
| 14. |
1973/12/06 |
TLS to Center from Corman, Cid |
of course, I don't know Mr Kramer, but presumably you do and trust his discretion and competence. |
|
«detailed view» |
|
 |
|
 |
|