Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Title
Date(s)
- 1924-2017 (Accumulation)
Extent
4.0 linear feet [4 record boxes]
Name of creator
Biographical history
Poet David Dwyer grew up just north of New York City and commuted to Manhattan for high school. He later relocated with his wife, writer Kathleen Norris, to Lemmon, South Dakota, where she inherited her maternal grandparents’ farm.
Dwyer’s debut poetry collection, Ariana Olisvos: Her Last Works and Days, received the prestigious Juniper Prize and was published in 1976 by the University of Massachusetts Press. His second collection, Other Men and Other Women, was completed with the support of a $20,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and published in 1988 by Sandhills Press in Ord, Nebraska. In addition to these collections, Dwyer’s poetry appeared in prominent anthologies and literary magazines, including The New York Quarterly, The Agni Review, and The Virginia Quarterly Review.
David Dwyer passed away in 2003 at the age of 57 after a prolonged illness, leaving behind a legacy of vivid and contemplative poetry.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
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.
The collection includes drafts, manuscripts, proofs, and correspondence for Dwyer’s major works, such as the poetry collections Ariana Olisvos: Her Last Works and Days (1976) and Other Men and Other Women (1988). It also contains numerous published and unpublished poems, prose works, and translations, notably his translation of Catherine Pozzi’s Agnes and other French literary texts. Annotated drafts and working notes offer insight into Dwyer’s creative process.
Correspondence in the collection reflects Dwyer’s relationships with literary figures, publishers, and friends, as well as his efforts to secure fellowships and publication opportunities. Other materials include awards and honors, such as the Juniper Prize and the Bush Artist Fellowship, as well as documents related to his teaching and residencies, such as his time as an artist-in-residence in Glen Falls, NY.
Personal materials in the collection document aspects of Dwyer’s life, including his educational background, travels, and health. Of note are records related to his diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer, culminating in his death in 2003. Memorials, tributes, and correspondence regarding his burial and posthumous recognition are also included.
Visual materials include photographs of Dwyer and his family, and ephemera such as membership cards and certificates. The collection also preserves copies of literary journals, anthologies, and yearbooks in which Dwyer’s works appeared.
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
This collection is open to researchers without restrictions. The materials in the Archives do not circulate and may be used in-house only.
Researchers conducting extensive research are asked to make an advance appointment to access archival material. Please call or e-mail prior to visiting the collection and indicate as much detail as possible about a particular topic and intended use.
Physical access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Kathleen Norris retains the literary rights, including copyright, to this material. Patrons wishing to publish from this material must obtain permission directly from Kathleen Norris. For further information, consult with the staff.
Languages of the material
- English
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Immediate source of acquisition
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Accruals
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related archival materials
Ariana Olisvos: Her Last Works and Days
Publication Date: 1976
Other Men and Other Women
Publication Date: 1988
Related descriptions
Notes element
Specialized notes
Alternative identifier(s)
ID
ID
Description control element
Rules or conventions
Sources used
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Dwyer, David, 1946-2003 (Subject)