WRIGHT JAMES: (1927-1980) Lot n° 1381

WRIGHT JAMES: (1927-1980) American poet, awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1972. A scarce, small group of three T.Ls., two signed, James Wright, four pages (total), 8vo, New York, November 1974 - January 1975, all to Stephen Brook. The letters concern the proposed publication of some of Wright´s poems in a chapbook and state, in part, ´....it would make me very happy to have some of my work appear in your series. However, you may not wish to publish what I have in mind. If so, I will understand. In a chapbook I wish to publish 19 prose poems......Most of them will appear in magazines in the coming Spring......Also, I can easily find someone to write an appropriate introduction or afterword, should you so desire. My regular publisher, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, advises me to ask that you publish any chapbook of my work on a non-exclusive basis and only in the chapbook edition; that is, I wish to reserve to myself the right to include these prose poems in any future book of my own´ (unsigned; 15th November 1974), ´It´s true that the nineteen prose poems I sent you were in no particular order, and that a principle of organization is needed. May I propose an idea? What would you think of printing a chapbook in two sections? The first would include those prose poems which you mentioned as dealing with "art and culture" and the second with those which you call "autobiographical recollections". (These terms don´t quite satisfy me, but I see what you mean)´, continuing to list the twenty-one poems in his proposed order over the two parts and remarking ´You´ll notice that I´ve added two very short prose poems to the second group.......I think your ideas about organizing the prose poems which I sent you is a good one, and I´m curious to hear what you think of what I´ve done in response. In any case, dear Mr. Brook, please accept my gratitude for the thoughtfulness and care with which you´ve read the manuscript´ (8th December 1974), ´Although I´m of course disappointed that you´ve decided not to print my little manuscript of prose poems, I do quite well understand the reasons for your decision. Perhaps, according to your kind invitation, I will have another manuscript to submit to you one of these days. Meanwhile, please be assured of my admiration for your beautiful series´ (30th January 1975). Some creasing to two of the letters and one with three file holes to the left edge, G to VG, 3 Stephen Brook (1947- ) English author and wine journalist, a former editor of The Atlantic Monthly Magazine and publisher at Routledge, Kegan & Paul from 1976-80.