David Meltzer Papers, 1956-1977

This collection is made up of a variety of different materials, mostly correspondence, from the San Francisco beat poet David Meltzer. The bulk of the collection consists of letters between David Meltzer and his friend and publisher, Robert Hawley. These letters illustrate the relationship between Meltzer and Hawley from the mid 1960s up to the publishing of Meltzer’s book, Two-Way Mirror,in 1977.

The collection also contains retention letters that Meltzer sent to his mother as a young college student. These letters reveal Meltzer’s strained relationship with both his mother and his father. The correspondence with fellow poet Doug Palmer also shows the working relationship between the two poets, specifically Palmer's attempt to book Meltzer for a poetry reading.

The remainder of the collection includes several documents associated with the publishing of Two-way Mirror, including two edited gallery proofs of the book. There are also several pieces that relate to Meltzer’s career as a poet, several original illustrations by Meltzer, and a working draft of Meltzer’s poem Oyez!

This collection relates to the San Francisco Renaissance, a poetry movement that was born in post-World War II San Francisco. Meltzer was part of a group of poets that wanted to break free of the literary traditions and social norms of the time. This collection shows the relationship between poet and publisher, fellow poets, and also some works of Meltzer that are contemporary to this time period.