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Letters Between Poets

Hall to McNair: March 30, 1977

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 30th March 77

Dear Wes – Good map. We’re looking forward to
Saturday. // You know, I’m happy to do a visit
with creative writers, if we can find a time.
I want to do my bit! See if you can’t find a
time. (It doesn’t have to have to be printed on the
program; we can just do it.) Be delighted to
talk anecdotes or anything and Am. Writer class. Party
after reading is fine. I taught yesterday for
the first time in 2 years. Very strange! (Dartmouth
started.)

Best,

Don

McNair to Hall: March 28, 1977

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 March 28, 1977

Don –

I called the printer immediately after you
called me and got the program revised.
The second-to-last sentence has been changed,
and one of the class visits has been
cancelled – ie, the visit to Creative Writing
on Tuesday. (Carl hoped you could share
some of your anecdotes of 19th century
American literary figures with the
Major American Writers class … but if
you have other plans, I’m sure he
wouldn’t mind.) After the reading,
you may be asked to the home of
someone in the English Dep’t for drinks
and conversation. I hope that’s OK.

2/

Many thanks for calling right back –
If there are still more questions, please
let me know. And if you have further
thoughts about program revisions,
you have until Wednesday to notify
me. Feel free.

Map for April 2 is enclosed.
Good luck! We are anxious to
see you both –

Wes

Editorial note about this letter: Don was then working on his forthcoming volume, The Oxford Book of Literary Anecdotes….

McNair to Hall: March 24, 1977

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 March 24, 1977

Dear Don,

April 2 is now firm. Please
come –- you and Jane –- at 7:00.

I’m sending you — somewhat mangled —
copy for the brochure which our PI
office is having printed re: your visit at
CSC. Please note time of reading
and times of classroom appearances.
One of us in the English Dep’t will
no doubt be available to steer you
toward the right places.

Am looking forward to both
events. If you have questions –- well,
the 2nd comes before the 11th. Or
call me –-

Wes

 

McNair to Hall: March 16, 1977

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 Dear Jane & Don –

Many apologies for shifting
the date, but it turns out
that this weekend is
impossible for a dinner.

I am working hard for
April 2 at this point, so
if that’s out, please let me
know soon.

Thanks, Don, for the picture
& materials. Oh, Jane:
Guess what ? Tom Wayman’s
“Kitchen Poem” has turned up
in the Fall ’76 Paris Review –
Did you see it? I thought your
last issue of Green House was
strong. Thanks for sending it.

Wes

Editorial note about this letter: Green House was the literary magazine of poetry Jane co-edited during the 1970s.

McNair to Hall: March 11, 1977

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 March 11, 1977

Don –

Thanks for your letter.
Enclosed are two programs done for
Sladen Lectureships of the past. Can you
furnish us with a picture & bio information
suitable for this kind of format ?

April 11 seems right to all. The
reading will take place in the evening.
Further details later (re: classes, etc.).

Wes

P.S. News of dinner to follow!

Hall to McNair: March 4, 1977

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 4 March 1977

Wes McNair
Colby-Sawyer College
New London, N.H. 03257

Dear Wes,

I’m writing you back to the address on the stationery, because the
first part of it anyway is Colby-Sawyer business.

I’ll be delighted to read on April 11th. I think the 5th would have
been OK too, but if Carl prefers the 11th, let’s just make it the 11th.
Any and all class visitations will be just fine. also. [sic] Sometimes it seems
best to have class visitations after the lecture rather than before, so
that kids may have some questions to ask. I’d be happy to come up Tuesday
morning the 12th. (Tuesday afternoon I’ll be going up to Dartmouth to give
a lecture.) For that matter, I could come back on Wednesday if it were
better.

The pay is excellent. Thank you for all this.

Two weeks from now sounds fine for dinner. My daughter will be with
us until the morning of March 16th, so maybe it will be better to have it
a St.Patrick’s Day dinner or shortly thereafter – which would be actually
two weeks from when you wrote the letter, I guess. But you will telephone
anyway. [Handwritten in margin: Actually not the 17th/ 18? 19?]

I look forward to hearing about Marietta. I’m delighted that it
went extraordinarily well. Delighted; I’m not surprised! I’ve been reading
the manuscript over, by the way – the new or retyped manuscript which you
sent me. And there’s no question: things hold up. Have you heard anything
from New Rivers?

Jane is going through the struggle of finishing a manuscript right now,
to send out to people. Publishers, that is. Lots of revisions going on
all over this house.

Best as ever, and many thanks,

Don

A note from McNair about this letter: In the closing paragraph, the book manuscript Jane was assembling was From Room to Room, eventually published by Alice Janes Books. Don, in the meantime, was preparing the manuscript for Kicking the Leaves.

McNair to Hall: March 2, 1977

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 [postmarked Mar 2, 1977]

Don-

Am using this awful stationary
to tell you that (1) everything
at Marietta C. went extraordinarily
well (about which, more later) and that
(2) I have talked folks here into
a Donald Hall reading for either
April 5 or April 11 –
depending on your druthers.
Payment for the reading is
$800 – some class visitations –
two, perhaps- would be involved.
Can you let me know

if this last seems OK.

yrs,

Wes

P.S. – Our dinner for you &
Jane (& others) seems right
for two weeks from now. I’ll
give you a date soon – Hope
all is well with you both.

PPS – Just talked to Carl,
who says April 11 would be
the best date for the reading,
but suit yourself.

A note from McNair about this letter: The “Carl” of this letter is Carl Cochran, chair of the Colby-Sawyer College English department.

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