The Collected Letters of Robinson Jeffers, with Selected Letters of Una Jeffers: Volume Three, 1940-1962
1024
The Collected Letters of Robinson Jeffers, with Selected Letters of Una Jeffers: Volume Three, 1940-1962
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Overview
This volume of correspondence, the last in a three-volume edition, spans a pivotal moment in American history: the mid-twentieth century, from the beginning of World War II, through the years of rebuilding and uneasy peace that followed, to the election of President John F. Kennedy. Robinson Jeffers published four important books during this period—Be Angry at the Sun (1941), Medea (1946), The Double Axe (1948), and Hungerfield (1954). He also faced changes to his hometown village of Carmel, experienced the rewards of being a successful dramatist in the United States and abroad, and endured the loss of his wife Una. Jeffers' letters, and those of Una written in the decade prior to her death, offer a vivid chronicle of the life and times of a singular and visionary poet.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780804794770 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Stanford University Press |
| Publication date: | 07/15/2015 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 1024 |
| File size: | 25 MB |
| Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
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The Collected Letters of Robinson Jeffers, with Selected Letters of Una Jeffers
Volume Three, 1940â"1962
By James Karman
STANFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Copyright © 2015 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior UniversityAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8047-9477-0
CHAPTER 1
LETTERS 1940–1962
UJ to Frederick and Maud Clapp
Tor House. Carmel. California
January 3 1940.
Darling Clapps —
The adorable gloves! And all the lovely Christmas things you did for us! Donnan looks very handsome in his tie & h'd'k combination — & by great good luck, Edith Greenan gave him a big scarf of precisely the same color — though of different design. He will tell you about his pleasure himself.
We had no idea that Garth would be home — he'd kept it as a surprise & walked in Christmas eve on the stroke of midnight — just when my spirits were a bit low. Donnan hadn't gotten home & we'd {R & I} been at Noëls — came home to an empty house. Various people began to stroll in & I was just reading a letter from D. aloud & read the words "If I dont get home I think there will be something happen to make up for it" — I said "nothing in the world * would make up for it except to have Garth." As I said that, a tap on front door & there he was! Connie Bell & Galt Bell were here & they told Noël they had never seen anything as dramatic, — because I did let go! — & it was the sort of dramatic coincidence which Hardy for instance uses constantly & Robin always thinks doesn't happen! but it does to me all the time!
Donnan did arrive next day — having been in another strange adventure. — he is in & out of them all the time — I'll tell all about him another time. He is all right, & its heaven to have them here. Garth is in magnificent shape this time. He took three weeks off as the work is slack enough to permit it in mid-winter. He stopped in Los Angeles & bought us all presents. You should see Robin {in} the frontiersman pants. I wonder whether you have noticed the change in tone of the Living Age? It satisfies me better now that it sees more eye-to-eye with me! * Robin is noble enough to enjoy its politics whether or not he agrees!
We went to the usual Christmas day dinner & dance at the Tevises & New Years Day dinner at Noëls but not to Noëls New Years Eve as we usually do, as the boys had a dancing party engagement ( — which kept them out until 6 AM.) I was glad not to be at Hollow Hills, New Years Eve — it was just a year ago that we were so gay & happy there with Mario dancing & he was particularly charming & showing us Argentinian dances — he was much in my mind this year.
Lots of people in town. Ella Young & the O'Sheas for [begin strikethrough]dinner[end strikethrough] lunch. Ella in tremendous form with extraordinary tales of psychic things & perdictions & two long tales about Maud Gonne's Ka & a Mrs Smith of Dublin's Ka.Extraordinary tales as Ella was mixed up with both of them {(both Kas)}. Roland Young was here again yesterday. He is a regular dear. — I had * a {Christmas} wire from Mabel — from New York. I dont know much about her.
My trip to the séance {in S. F. we two alone} with Emily happened a fortnight ago. I shall write a letter to Blanche soon & describe it in some detail — {& ask her to give you.} Really very strange — inexplicable proceedings. Apparently my presence was very congenial because the results were very pronounced! We were tapped & shaken — & my hand was squeezed by a {warm} human-feeling one as soon as we got settled in our chairs — even before the medium went into a trance My father, Robin's father, Maeve, various relations, an Indian, a Lady Jessamine {& Sally Flavin} — et al came to me, {and talked very sensibly for the most part,} & all of Emily's regular communicants came. 1-3/4 hrs. I wish one of you would experience this & say what your conclusions are. I havent any —
We are having rain these last days — most welcome — we've had a drought ("what heavenly weather," have said thoughtless ones). Wind & waves & tossing sea birds out our windows. When I went in the {sea} today the rain beat on my face — feels wonderful.
All my love
Una.
Did you like the Unicorn cards Noël had made for me? Please give to Blanche when you've read.
UJ to Melba Berry Bennett
Tor House. Carmel.
Jan 4. 1940
Dearest Melba:
O I did intend to write you days & days ago about your book — Your poems show your quick & sensitive reaction to life & to beauty — and an ironic twist now & again that I like. The Quercus Press did a really beautiful job on it. Weren't you all proud of it?
I dont see any possibility of our being able to get down to Palm Springs. Garth surprised us by coming home for Christmas (walked in on stroke of midnight Christmas Eve) He stays until the latter part of next week. Certainly there isnt any chance for a lengthy stay, much as I'd like it. It will be fine to see you here later — well, & maybe April will be cool this year. {Dont try to keep any place open for us, too uncertain.} — I had a Christmas card from the Mrs. Carter in San Mateo I told you of — did you ever interview her? If you ever want to, I will give you a note to her. She is cagey — rather eccentric but used to be keen — & comical too! & is really * the only person who saw Robin & me together many times during the last tumultuous year before I left Teddie. She was a much older woman than I but extremely clever at games. {She lived next door to me on Flower St} We used to swim 3 times a week at Bimini, — she & I & often Robin joined us. We {(she & I)} played golf at San Gabriel a lot.
I had a BITTER New Years [begin strikethrough]card[end strikethrough] {card} from Alberts — first intimation I've had that he is alive, even, in a long time. Did you receive one?
Noël had those Christmas cards made for me, weren't they darling! Leslie Roos gave me a mate to the English pottery one in my dining table of last year & Lee Tevis found two silver ashtrays — swith unicorn heads — so I was lucky.
Did you know that Edith Greenan's book was chosen one of the fifty best in U. S. for 1939 — best gotten-up — a feather in Ritchies cap!
Robin does not remember Janet Nevens. (you wrote Nivens) is that right? Robin says he remembers his mother had friends close by — Ethelbert Nevin, composer. is that the family?
So glad to get the pictures of little horse. Had you ever any more information about it?
I had an extraordinary experience lately — went to a private séance in S. F.
Love & good wishes to you & Frank
Devotedly
Una
UJ to Blanche Matthias
Tor House. Carmel. California
January 4. 19340
Dearest Blanche:
The sandalwood perfume is delightful — I am enjoying it so much for I have not had any for some time and even Langston began to inquire why I'd given up my favorite scent. Garth came home & surprised us & he & Robin have been busily occupied with the Surgery book. He & Donnan mean to write you themselves. You are very kind & thoughtful to your Tor House family. Many thanks to our Blanchie
In Maud's letter, which I asked her to give you, I said I would write you of two things not gone into with her. First Donnan's latest adventure. At the end of the [begin strikethrough]school year[end strikethrough] {semester} he disappeared & sent us a note that he intended to get a job for awhile & see whether he could support himself, said he would let us know as soon as he got a job, that he hoped later to have a career as hitherto planned but felt it time to earn a little for himself. You can imagine our anxiety. * Well on Christmas eve we rec'd a wire {from Reno} saying "who says a system won't work? Am eight centuries ahead Popping home for Christmas. — —" We looked for him all next day. — I forgot to say that Robin & he have always had great arguments about the possibility of winning at roulette with a system. Donnan had one! Robin began to warn me that he probably would lose his eight centuries before he got away from Reno & he did! He won until he had $915.00 {(he intended to stop at a thousand)} then his system broke down. So we got another wire: "Perhaps he was right. Am returning baconless." — He & another Berkeley lad had gone to Reno because they heard that there were lots of jobs to be had there but they didn't find any & finally Donnan began to play with above results. However he landed a job to begin early in Feb. at $8.00 a day if we'll consent. — Being a croupier!!!! Now we don't know what to do about. It might be valuable for him to be on his own — but in * such a situation. Can't think what to do about it.
I cant go into much detail about the séance now but certainly there were extra-physical manifestations that were queer & cause speculation. My father talked like himself — even said when I asked him if I hadn't fine boys — "Yes they are but they'll bear watching — Ill keep an eye on them!" My father was accurately described, & many queer things — I wrote the whole thing out in detail & will show it to you sometime. Several little things were said by different ones which dealt with rather unimportant things long ago in my life & certainly unknown to the medium, & if my mind were being read there would have had to be much much digging & pushing about of material to pry out things half-forgotten & unimportant. Noël had finally decided not to go as being completely contrary to the rules of his church but was much thrilled with my * experience. We saw lights instantly we went into the séance room — tiny lights & then balls of light {twice} as big as an orange, moving about, some of the large ones striated with colors. Apparently I have some sort of energy or what-not, very favorable to these manifestations.
Did I tell you we talked several hours with Toscanini? He & his wife stopped to lunch with two Italian girls who have rented Charlotte Kellogg's house & he wished to meet Robin. He is most charming & sympathetic, spoke English very clearly though with a very foreign accent, — but perhaps you know him. His wife knows very little English but looks plump & pleasant. We shall miss Jean K. I think she is the finest young woman I know. Did you know Edith Greenan's book was chosen one of the 50 best in U. S. for 1939, best gotten-up that is, — type etc. I had Christmas greetings from John & Claire but failed to notice whether it was mailed from Maine or New York. Do you ever see Esther B.
Garth has to start back to New Mex. Jan 10. Oh dear!
Write sometimes — I love you dearly {Love to Russell too}
Devotedly
Una
Please give to Maud
UJ to Maud Clapp
Tor House. Carmel
February 1. 1940
Darling Maud:
What a beautiful, beautiful unicorn from you today — one I had never seen before. This month has been rich in unicorns — the lovely Hugo design for crystal {from you}, a still unpublished poem by Ella Young about a unicorn, quite enchanting & elusive, & two references (one a poem) in Llewelyn Powys' last book "Love and Death, an imaginary Autobiography." Last night I dreamed about my unicorn ring. I thought Garth & Donnan & I, — they still little boys — were travelling across the continent on a Canadian Pacific train. We discovered that my bag had been rifled, our tickets & money stolen, then I said "and oh, my rings! — my precious unicorn ring & the old three-pearled ring Belle-Mère always had worn & gave me." And Donnan said "Well, the pearl ring is gone, but there your unicorn one is on your finger — you couldnt lose it."
Then your lovely photograph came before I was up. *
Garth writes of bitter freezing & even sub-zero weather in New Mexico. Donnan is home, gaining weight, busy & happy. Dont know yet what steps he will take toward his hoped-for career but he is usefully employed at the moment [begin strikethrough]playing[end strikethrough] {rehearsing} Marellus {Titinius} in Julius Caesar. (Noël is J. C.) Donnan is surprising everyone — he makes [begin strikethrough]a[end strikethrough] striking bits out of a small part{s}. Herbert Heron is a good Brutus although he is at present reading his lines with more poet[begin strikethrough]ry[end strikethrough]ical {fervor} than action, but he is — or has been a professional & will do well at the performance. He once did a quite remarkable Hamlet in the Forest Theatre. Heron goes on here year after year, — even decade after decade — eloquent in Shakespeare with reading groups once a week. We three went to S. F. as Noël's guests day before yesterday to see Maurice Evans in Hamlet. He was superb! * The timbre of his voice is very beautiful & his enunciation a delight. He has played three weeks in S. F. to sold-out houses. Its an uncut version & lasted four hours. I am not enthusiastic about going to Shakespeare plays. I prefer to read them & to skip lots of long harangues — This production was so fine in every particular that the four hours seemed like half the time. This uncut Hamlet allows for a more robust creature than we are accustomed to, more variety in his melancholy & irresolution, {& a little humor —}
Maud, I am not, I fear, quite convinced by Beaverbrook He is less than consistent when he quotes some senators (& not top-flight ones either) as saying we should forget the debts, (so B. says we were rather pledged to do so) & then he calmly repudiates Baldwin's negotiations over here as going beyond his powers, & also Lord Balfour's statement because Balfour was getting old. Then his feeling that the Allies were fighting our war! & were {just} * attending to our job until we got there. I do not think we ought to fight over there, then or now, as a nation. Individuals who feel strongly, yes, although I'd hate to let Donnan enlist as he wants to. And everyone sums it up differently. Noël, for instance, in ambulance & intelligence service in the last war feels this way: he says the Allies would have been whipped if we hadn't entered last time & that we had no business to interfere, but — having changed the outcome last time it is our duty to go in this time. Now I think thats involved reasoning.
Tonight is Langston's birthday & we are going to dinner. Just heard we must each write a poem for him & read it. I cant write poetry or even verse so Robin just did mine for me. It is so comical & true to my feeling I will copy it for you! You remember Langston Hughes is a communist & yet dear to my heart. Also, he has made some * excellent translations of the Spanish Loyalist Lorca's poems, — the best of which Langston entitled "Green as I would have you green." So this title:
"Red as I wouldn't have you red." Una to Langston.
"Red is a lovely color
Most pleasing to the eyes,
But politically obnoxious
To me & Martin Dies.
Browder is red like a boil,
Stalin like red fire glows,
But I am white like a lily
And Langston red like a rose.
Therefore as flower to flower,
In spite of prejudices
I give him my affection
And birthday kisses."
I am filled with bitter envy toward you hearing the exquisite chamber music Sundays at the Frick & can't you feel the excitement [begin strikethrough]I would have trembled with[end strikethrough] {that would have shaken me} if I'd heard the Irish one? — Pagan & Christian Art I do know a little about that.
Dearest love to you two.
Devotedly Una.
Would that I had time to revise my letters! My haste betrays me into such awkwardness.
Please give {this letter} to Blanche, [begin strikethrough]&[end strikethrough] I will try to write her tomorrow — & tell her what "Sally" said at the séance. You will see her letter —
Not going to Reno — we cant endure it, but I am not absolutely sure in my heart whether the experience wouldn't have been in some respects beneficial
UJ to Albert Bender
Tor House. Carmel
Feb 1. 1940
Dearest Albert:
Yes, Robin will send you the foreword, he says, "in a few days." ... I think you must not look for it before a week's time. He has it practically finished but wishes to revise & so on.
I hoped to see you Tues. morn but could not make it. We went up to Hamlet.Superb wasn't it? We arrived in S. F. just in time to dine & get to early theatre {Mon.}. Then Tues morn. Donnan & I arose early & got to Warfield at opening of the doors 9.15 for Gone with the Wind. That amazing affair went on from 10. to 2:00. Dont be put off it by all the tiresome ballyhoo — its an experience. I would not have missed. {We had to rush home after that for rehearsal of "Julius Caesar." Donnan is in it.}
More soon I am in great haste
Much love from Una.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The Collected Letters of Robinson Jeffers, with Selected Letters of Una Jeffers by James Karman. Copyright © 2015 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Excerpted by permission of STANFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Illustrations,Preface,
Editorial Devices,
Abbreviations,
LETTERS 1940–1962,
Appendix A: Miscellaneous Prose,
Appendix B: Additions and Corrections,
Index,