John Woods Poetry Collection
John Woods (1926-1995), born in Indiana, was an English professor at Western
Michigan University from1956 to1992. His first collection of poems The Deaths
at Paragon, Indiana , was published in 1955, at the age of 29, and his last volume
of poetry, entitled Black Marigolds was published in 1994.
His family donated a collection of his papers and working library. The archive
of his papers contain: reviews of his books, magazine and newspaper articles,
advertisements for his readings, interviews with him, and photographs both of
him and by him. The archive also contains manuscripts by Woods, a video recording
from 1979 called, Turning to Look Back , and a 33 rpm record of Woods reading Deaths
of Paragon, Indiana .
Woods wrote with a style that "echoed Whitman." He drew his poetry
from his childhood experiences as well as from his time in the Army. In addition
to books of his own work, his private collection contains books that have been
inscribed by their authors as well.
The John Woods Collection is not only significant
because Woods was an American poet living in Kalamazoo, but also because of his
extensive library of poetry books he gave to the University which gives us a
window on the world of contemporary poetry.
Finding Aid John Woods Collection
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