Descriptive Summary
Miller, Vassar
Vassar Miller Papers 1937-1992
Houstonian Vassar Miller published ten volumes of poetry over the course of a literary career which spanned almost forty years, and was twice named poet laureate of Texas. The collection includes correspondence, manuscripts and typescripts of her poems, plays, and short stories, and materials pertaining to the editing and publication of the anthology Despite This Flesh.
17 boxes, 8409 leaves, 22 photographs, and 81 items; 9 linear feet
1987-003
Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries
Biographical Note
Vassar Miller was born in Houston in 1924, the daughter of a prominent architect. She began writing as a child, composing on a typewriter due to the cerebral palsy which affected her speech and movement. She attended the University of Houston, receiving her B.A. and M.A. in English.
In 1956, Miller published her first volume of poetry,
Adam's Footprint. Her poems, most of which dealt with either her strong religious faith or her experiences as a person with a disability, were widely praised for their rigorous formality, clarity, and emotional impact. In 1961 Miller was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her collection Wage War on Silence. Over the course of a literary career which spanned almost forty years, Miller published ten volumes of poetry in all. An outspoken advocate for the rights and dignity of the handicapped, Miller also edited a collection of poetry and short stories about persons with disabilities titled Despite This Flesh.
Miller received many awards and accolades for her poetry in her home state. Three of her books won the annual poetry prize of the Texas Institute of Letters. In 1982 and 1988 Miller was named Poet Laureate of Texas, and in 1997 she was named to the Texas Women's Hall of Fame by the Governor's Commission for Women.
Vassar Miller died in 1998.
Major Works:
If I Had Wheels or Love. Dallas, Tex.: Southern Methodist University Press, 1991.
(Editor).
Despite This Flesh. Austin, Tex.: University of Texas Press, 1985.
Struggling to Swim on Concrete. New Orleans, La.: New Orleans Poetry Journal Press, 1984.
Selected and New Poems, 1950-1980. Austin, Tex.: Latitudes Press, 1981.
Approaching Nada. Houston, Tex.: Wings Press, 1977.
Small Change. Houston, Tex.: Wings Press, 1976.
If I Could Sleep Deeply Enough. New York: Liveright, 1974.
Onions and Roses. Middletown, Conn.: Wesleyan University Press, 1968.
My Bones Being Wiser. Middletown, Conn.: Wesleyan University Press, 1963.
Wage War on Silence. Middletown, Conn.: Wesleyan University Press, 1960.
Adam's Footprint. New Orleans, La.: New Orleans Poetry Journal, 1956.
Scope and Contents
The Vassar Miller Papers contain material pertaining to Miller's writings, career, and personal life, and materials pertaining to the editing and publication of the anthology
Despite This Flesh. Materials range in date from circa 1937 to 1992, with most of the material falling between the years 1960 to 1986.
The series relating to Miller's own work and life contain correspondence, poems, short stories, plays, miscellaneous works, drafts and typescripts of published works, and material related to Miller's writing career. The Despite This Flesh series contain correspondence, material related to the preparation of the anthology, stories and poems which were considered for possible inclusion in the anthology, and drafts and proofs of the anthology.
Noteworthy correspondents whose letters or notes may be found in the collection include Larry McMurtry, Richard Hugo, Calvin Trillin, Anne Tyler, and James Wright. A brief partial autobiography of Vassar Miller can be found in Miscellaneous Works, and typescripts of interviews done with Vassar Miller may be found in the correspondence of Karla Hammond and the correspondence of Christopher Woods.
Two chapbooks,
Small Change and Approaching Nada, two literary magazines, The Touchstone
and Elizabeth, and one broadside, Open Question, have been removed from the manuscript collection and cataloged.
Special Collections also holds numerous signed copies of Miller's books, and Miller's personal collection of signed books by other poets.
Index Terms
Terms are either Library of Congress Subject Headings or taken from local sources.
Subjects (Persons)
Miller, Vassar
McMurtry, Larry
Subjects
People with disabilities -- Literary collections
Formats
Correspondence
Chapbooks
Photographs
Manuscripts
Access Restrictions
Open for research.
Use Restrictions
Special Collections owns the physical items in our collections, but copyright normally belongs to the creator of the materials or their heirs. The researcher has full responsibility for determining copyright status, locating copyright holders, and abiding by current copyright laws when publishing or displaying copies of Special Collections material in print or electronic form. For more information, consult the appropriate librarian.
Preferred Citation
Vassar Miller Papers, Courtesy of Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries.
Acquisition
This collection was purchased from Vassar Miller by the UH Libraries in 1987-1988 with the support of the Rockwell Fund and the Imperial Oil Company. Maud Lipscomb donated twenty 4×5″ black and white photographic prints which she took in 1985. Jon Schultz donated a program from the memorial service for Craig Gallagher.
Processed by
Julie Grob, 1999
Detailed Description
1-2
1-25, 1-27
Correspondence
(870 leaves, 4 items):
This series includes correspondence from editors, fellow writers, friends, and family members of Vassar Miller, and some from Miller to her correspondents. Major correspondents are Miller's Latitudes Press editor Bob Bonazzi, her
New Orleans Poetry Journal Press editor Maxine Cassin, and her interviewer Karla Hammond. Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by the last name of the sender, then each sender's correspondence is arranged chronologically. Correspondence identified by first name only, or unidentified, is filed at the end of the series.
1
1
Misc. A
1
2-3
Misc. B
1
4-7
Robert (Bob) Bonazzi
1
8
Misc. C
1
9-14
Maxine Cassin
1
15
Misc. D
1
16
Misc. E
1
17
Misc. F
1
18
Misc. G
1
19
Misc. H
1
20-23
Karla Hammond
1
24
Misc. I
1
25
Misc. J
2
1
Misc. K
2
2
Bruce Kellner
2
3
Misc. L
2
4-5
Misc. M
2
6
Vassar Miller, 1969-1986
2
7
Vassar Miller, 1986-undated
2
8
Misc. N
2
9
Misc. O
2
10
Misc. P
2
11
Norman Holmes Pearson
2
12-13
Misc. R
2
14-15
Misc. S
2
16
Misc. T
2
17
J.R. de la Torre Bueno
2
18
Misc. U
2
19
Misc. V
2
20-21
Misc. W
2
22
Stuart Wright
2
23
Misc. Y
2
24
Misc. Z
2
25-26
First Names Only
2
27
Unidentified
3-6
Poems
(2329 leaves):
Individual poems are arranged first chronologically, then alphabetically within each year. Undated poems are arranged alphabetically after the dated poems. These are followed by unpublished poetry manuscripts in chronological order, and rough drafts of poems in chronological order.
3
1-8
Poems, ca. 1937
3
9
Poems, 1960
3
10-14
Poems, 1961
3
15-16
Poems, 1962
3
17-30
Poems, 1963
4
1-4
Poems, 1964
4
5-8
Poems, 1965
4
9-12
Poems, 1966
4
13-18
Poems, 1967
4
19
Poems, 1968
4
20-21
Poems, 1969
4
22
Poems, 1970
4
23
Poems, 1971
4
24-25
Poems, 1972
4
26-30
Poems, 1973
5
1
Poems, 1974
5
2-3
Poems, 1975
5
4-8
Poems, 1976
5
9-11
Poems, 1977
5
12
Poems, 1978
5
13
Poems, 1979
5
14
Poems, 1980
5
15
Poems, 1983
5
16
Poems, 1984
5
17
Poems, 1985
5
18
Poems, 1986
5
19
Poems, undated, A-D
5
20
Poems, undated, F-H
5
21
Poems, undated, I-M
5
22
Poems, undated, N-On Ap
5
23
Poems, undated, On A S-Pe
5
24
Poems, undated, Ph-Pr
5
25
Poems, undated, Pr-Rem
5
26
Poems, undated, Ren-Sh
5
27
Poems, undated, Si-So
5
28
Poems, undated, Sp-Thi
5
29
Poems, undated, Thu-We
5
30
Poems, undated, Wh-Y
6
1-4
Unpublished Manuscripts, Two Worlds in One [juvenile]
6
5-13
Unpublished Manuscripts, Manuscript [before 1956?]
6
14-17
Unpublished Manuscripts, The Mind Barefoot
6
18
Conference Entries with Criticism, Southwest Writers' Conference, 1951
6
19-21
Contest Manuscript with Entry Rules, National Poetry Series 1979 Open Competition
6
22
Miscellaneous, 1963-undated
6
23
Rough Drafts, 1973-1982
6
24-25
Rough Drafts, 1983
6
26
Rough Drafts, 1984
6
27
Rough Drafts, 1985-1986
6
28-32
Rough Drafts, undated
7
1-38
Short Stories
(552 leaves):
Short stories are arranged alphabetically by title. Untitled stories and fragments are filed at the end of the series.
7
1-2
Autumn Come Silent
7
3
Crack in the Armor
7
4
False Spring
7
5
The Funeral
7
6
The Girl who Wouldn't Do Anything
7
7
The Heavenly Hearing Aid
7
8
The Invasion
7
9
Just Like Mama
7
10
The Lace Handkerchief
7
11
The Man who Got Away with Murder--Almost
7
12-14
Merry Christmas, Mother Milton
7
15
Mr. Pomfret
7
16-17
Miss Scaggs
7
18
The More Things Change
7
19
Nobody but Becky
7
20
No Twelve Year Olds
7
21
Pact
7
22-23
The Red Rooster
7
24
Shadow Before Me
7
25
The Shadows
7
26
Tea Party
7
27
Teashop Closed
7
28
The Terrible Music
7
29
A Time to Die
7
30
To Each his Own
7
31-32
To Tell the Truth
7
33
Tubby the Cub
7
34
Under the Skin
7
35
The Voice
7
36
When the Starts Begin to Fall
7
37-38
Untitled Miscellaneous
8
1-21
Plays
(360 leaves):
Plays are arranged alphabetically by title.
8
1
The Abs
8
2
Huck Finn
8
3-8
Jones Reversed
8
9-12
The Man Who Went Deaf
8
13
Peace, It's Wonderful
8
14-21
Who Dropped Dead? (A Non-Musical Musical)
8
22-40
Miscellaneous Works
(224 leaves, 1 item):
Miscellaneous works include essays, reviews, and unidentified creative formats. Miscellaneous works are arranged alphabetically by title, or in a few cases, by format.
8
22
Article on Cynthia Macdonald
8
23
The Artist in the Christian Community
8
24
Autobiography, 1979
8
25
Book reviews
8
26
The Dialogue Sermon
8
27
Easter and the Imagination
8
28
Film reviews
8
29-32
Jazz Mass Minus Music
8
33
Jazz Mass Minus Music, Some Observations On
8
34
A Poet's Eye View of Theology
8
35
Letters and Papers from Prison
8
36-37
[Something to Clap About: A Folk Mass]
8
38
The Well-Made Poem, Id or Idn?t It?
8
39
Why Poetry?
8
40
Miscellaneous
9-10
Published Works
(1139 leaves):
Typescripts and proofs of published works are arranged chronologically by the year of publication of the finished work. For each publication, typescripts and proofs are arranged in order of their creation. Some of the typescripts and proofs are photocopies.
9
1
Adam's Footprint, Page proof (photocopy)
9
2-3
My Bones Being Wiser, Galley proof
9
4-7
Onions and Roses, Typescript
9
8
Onions and Roses, Galley proof
9
9-14
If I Could Sleep Deeply Enough, Typescript
9
15-17
If I Could Sleep Deeply Enough, Typescript (Photocopy)
9
18-20
If I Could Sleep Deeply Enough, Typescript
9
21-22
If I Could Sleep Deeply Enough, Typescript (Photocopy)
9
23
If I Could Sleep Deeply Enough, Galley proof
9
24-25
If I Could Sleep Deeply Enough, Rough set
9
26-27
If I Could Sleep Deeply Enough, Repro set
10
1-5
Selected and New Poems (The Sun has no History), Typescript
10
6
Selected and New Poems (The Sun has no History), Typescript (Photocopy except for 2nd page)
10
7-8
Selected and New Poems (The Sun has no History), Typescript (Photocopy)
10
9-10
Selected and New Poems (The Sun has no History), Page proof, with corrections, (Photocopy)
10
11-14
Selected and New Poems, 1950-1980, Uncorrected proof copy (Photocopy)
10
15-19
Struggling to Swim on Concrete, Typescript
10
20
Struggling to Swim on Concrete, Galley proof
10
21
Wage War on Silence, Typescript table of contents
10
22
Wage War on Silence, Galley proof
10
23
Wage War on Silence, Galley proof
11, Oversize
1-32
Writing Career
(244 leaves, 37 items):
Material in this series includes articles about Miller, financial and legal documents, items related to special events, reviews of Miller's work, etc. Materials in this series are arranged by subject.
11
1-3
Articles
11
4-5
Bibliography
11
6
Book Publicity
11
7
Events, Annual Alumni Awards Banquet/ UH Alumni Organization, 1985
11
8
Events, Chamber Music of Robert Avalon, 1991
Oversize
Events, Chamber Music of Robert Avalon, 1991
11
9
Events, Houston Poetry Fest/Houston Center for the Humanities, 1985
11
10
Events, Texas Women's Literary Tradition: Conference and a Celebration, 1984
11
11
Events, A Tribute to Vassar Miller/Friends of the UH Libraries, 1983
11
12-13
Events, Very Special Arts Festival, 1985
11
14
Financial/Legal
11
15
Miscellaneous
11
16
Music: Hymns with Thomas Avinger/Alec Wyton
11
17
Poetry Submission Lists
11
18
Receptions/Readings
11
19-20
Reviews
11
21-23
Personal
(62 leaves, 3 items):
This series includes material relating to the churches attended by Miller, articles and other items collected as
Issues about the Handicapped, and miscellaneous personal materials.
11
21
Churches
11
22
Issues About the Handicapped
11
23
Miscellaneous
11, Oversize
Photographs
(22 photographs):
Photographs are arranged in roughly chronological order.
11
24
1962 and 1985, Photographers: Unidentified and Maud Lipscomb
11
25
1985, Photographer: Maud Lipscomb
11
26
With Rev. Helen Havens, 1985, Photographer: Maud Lipscomb
11
27-32
Very Special Arts Festival, 1985, Photographer: Maud Lipscomb
Oversize
[Ca. 1983, Photographer: James Leifeste]
12
1-27
Despite This Flesh Correspondence
(547 leaves, 3 items):
This series contains correspondence related to the editing and publishing of the anthology
Despite This Flesh. A major correspondent is University of Texas Press editor Suzanne Comer. Letters suggesting works for inclusion in the anthology, most of them solicited, are arranged separately at the beginning of this series, ordered alphabetically by author. General correspondence concerning the anthology is also ordered alphabetically by author. At the end of this series are permissions for publication, arranged separately by the name of the author of the work for which permission is being granted.
12
1-3
Suggestions for Anthology
12
4
B-Co
12
5-8
Suzanne Comer
12
9
Co-Ho
12
10
Hu-Mc
12
11-17
Vassar Miller
12
18
N-Pr
12
19
Pr-Sp
12
20
Sp-We
12
21
Wi-Wr
12
22
No Last Name
12
23-27
Permissions
13
1-16
Despite This Flesh Preparation
(228 leaves, 6 items):
The material related to preparation of the anthology is arranged by subject, maintaining original order.
13
1
Author Addresses
13
2-3
Short Story Index
13
4
Short Story Misc
13
5
Fiction Catalog
13
6
Poetry Index
13
7
Grant Information
13
8-9
University of Texas Press
13
10
Choices for Anthology
13
11
Articles and Review
13
12
Old Literature of the Handicapped
13
13
Old Literature of the Handicapped, Wells, H.G., The Time Machine
13
14
Old Literature of the Handicapped, Dickens, Charles, Doctor Marigold
13
15
Old Literature of the Handicapped, Kipling, Rudyard, They …
13
16
Old Literature of the Handicapped, Tagore, Rabindranath, Vision
13-14
Despite This Flesh Possibilities
(523 leaves, 12 items):
The stories and poems which were labeled possibilities for the anthology are arranged with bound publications first, then single leaves. The single leaves are separated into two groupings or drafts, the second of which features line and word counts. Within each of these divisions, the bound publications or stories and poems are arranged alphabetically by author. Alphabetical order may not be exact in some sections in order to keep all of the pages in a short story together.
13
17
De Leeuw, David Birney
13
18
Fahy, Christopher
13
19
Hilberry, Conrad
13
20
Jerome, Judson
13
21
Prescott, Edgar
13
22
Rilke, Rainer Maria
13
23
Winner, Robert
13
24
Katallagete
14
1
Be-Do
14
2
Beyers, Barbara L., By the Banks of the Brazos
14
3
Bromfield, Louis, The Great Facade
14
4
Ep-Ka
14
5
Jacobson, Josephine, The Glen
14
6
Ke-Li
14
7
Ma-Mu
14
8
Ni-Po
14
9
Pritchett, V.S., Blind Love
14
10
Ro-Si
14
11-12
Shaw, Irwin, Whispers in Bedlam
14
13
St-Vl
14
14
Wain, John, King Caliban
14
15
We-Wr
14
16
Unidentified
14
17-27
Line and Word Count
15
1-31
Despite This Flesh Selections
(541 leaves, 13 items):
The stories and poems which were labeled selections for the anthology are arranged in two groupings or drafts, each of which follows the organization which was adopted for the anthology. Alphabetical order may not be exact in some sections in order to keep all of the pages in a short story together.
15
1
Section Introductions
15
2
Table of Contents
15
3
Yoke in his Youth
15
4-7
Counter, Original, Spare, Strange
15
8
Counter, Original, Spare, Strange: Farrington, Mark, Grandma When She Laughs
15
9-10
In Body, A Passenger and Rumpled
15
11
Beam in the Eye
15
12-13
Beam in the Eye: Boyle, Kay, The Crazy Hunter.
15
14
Beam in the Eye
15
15
Beam in the Eye: Wharton, Edith, The Young Gentlemen.
15
16-17
Beam in the Eye
15
18
An Unrung Bell
15
19
Yoke in his Youth
15
20
The Wrestled Angel
15
21
Counter, Original, Spare, Strange
15
22
In Body, A Passenger and Rumpled
15
23-24
In Body, A Passenger and Rumpled: Boyle, Kay, The Crazy Hunter
15
25
In Body, A Passenger and Rumpled
15
26
In Body, A Passenger and Rumpled: Mann, Thomas, Little Herr Friedemann
15
27
In Body, A Passenger and Rumpled: Wharton, Edith, The Young Gentlemen
15
28
Beam in the Eye
15
29-30
An Unrung Bell: Pritchett, V.S., Blind Love
15
31
An Unrung Bell
16
1-27
Despite This Flesh Drafts
(462 leaves, 2 items):
There are three unedited drafts of the anthology, each of which follows the organization of the anthology.
16
1
Table of Contents, Yoke in his Youth
16
2
The Wrestled Angel
16
3
In Body, A Passenger and Rumpled
16
4
Beam in the Eye
16
5-6
An Unrung Bell
16
7
Table of Contents, Introduction
16
8-9
Yoke in his Youth
16
10
The Wrestled Angel
16
11
In Body, A Passenger and Rumpled
16
12-14
Beam in the Eye
16
15-16
An Unrung Bell
16
17
An Unrung Bell
16
18
Title, Table of Contents, Introduction
16
19-20
Yoke in his Youth
16
21
The Wrestled Angel
16
22
In Body, A Passenger and Rumpled
16
23-25
Beam in the Eye
16
26-27
An Unrung Bell
17
1-12
Despite This Flesh Copy-edited Draft
(230 leaves):
There is one copy-edited draft, which follows the organization of the anthology.
17
1-11
Copyedited Draft
17
12
Copyedited Draft, Miscellaneous Pieces
17
13-17
Despite This Flesh Galley Proof
(98 leaves):
There is one galley proof, which follows the organization of the anthology.
17
13-17
Galley Proof