David Dwyer Papers

4.0 linear feet (4 record boxes)

The David Dwyer Papers, spanning the years 1924–2017 (bulk 1969–2003), document the life and literary career of poet, translator, and writer David Dwyer. The collection comprises a wide range of materials related to Dwyer’s published works, translations, personal correspondence, literary activities, and other creative endeavors, reflecting his engagement with both regional and national literary communities.

Included are drafts, manuscripts, annotated proofs, and correspondence for Dwyer’s major poetry collections, including Ariana Olisvos: Her Last Works and Days (1976) and Other Men and Other Women (1988), as well as numerous published and unpublished poems, prose pieces, and literary projects. The papers also preserve working notes and early drafts that provide insight into Dwyer’s creative process. His translation work is well-represented, particularly his efforts to render the writings of French poet Catherine Pozzi, including Agnes, and related research notes and manuscripts.

Correspondence reflects Dwyer’s relationships with publishers, literary figures, and institutions, as well as his efforts to secure fellowships and publication. The collection includes documentation of his participation in residencies and literary programs, such as the Plains Writers Series and an artist residency in Glen Falls, New York. Awards and recognitions such as the Juniper Prize and the Bush Artist Fellowship are also documented.

Personal materials include educational records, travel documentation, personal correspondence, and items related to his health and final years, notably materials concerning his lung cancer diagnosis, treatment, and death in 2003. Tributes, memorials, and correspondence related to his burial at Assumption Abbey in North Dakota are also present.

Visual and ephemera materials include photographs of Dwyer and family members, headshots, and images of rural South Dakota, as well as membership cards, certificates, and personal documents. The collection also contains literary journals, chapbooks, anthologies, and yearbooks in which Dwyer's work appeared, making it a resource for studying American poetry, literary translation, and regional literary history.

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• English

Ariana Olisvos: Her Last Works and Days
Publication Date: 1976

Other Men and Other Women
Publication Date: 1988

Copyright and Use Statement

In Copyright This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Materials in this collection may be subject to Title 17, Section 108 of the United States Copyright Act. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright, privacy, trademark, and other applicable rights for their intended use. Obtaining all necessary permissions is the user's responsibility. Written authorization from the copyright and/or other rights holders is required for publication, distribution, or any use of protected materials beyond what is permitted under fair use.