XOE_SC0016.xml Judith Azrael Publications and Papers1959-2023 Azrael (Judith) Publications and Papers Finding aid prepared by Michael Taylor and Judith Azrael. Western Washington University, Special Collections © 2019
Special Collections 516 High St. Bellingham, WA 98225-9103 Phone: (360) 650-3193 Email: speccoll@wwu.edu http://library.wwu.edu/special-collections
Finding aid encoded by Rozlind Koester 2019 Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard). Western Washington University, Special Collections
Special Collections 516 High St. Bellingham, WA 98225-9103 Phone: (360) 650-3193 Email: speccoll@wwu.edu http://library.wwu.edu/special-collections
XOE_SC0016 Azrael, Judith Anne Judith Azrael Publications and Papers 1959-2023 4 linear ft. Writings of Judith Azrael, Western Washington University faculty member (1977-1980), teacher of correspondence courses at WWU (1988-1993), and resident of San Juan Island. Also included are correspondence, journals, and biographical information documenting her career as a writer of poetry and prose. Collection materials are in English.

Judith Anne Azrael was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 28, 1938. “I began writing as a child in a diary that I could lock with a tiny key,” she recalls, “and have continued writing journals and poetry and stories through all the years. In times of pain or sadness, the writing seems to ease it. And the times of joy are enriched. And always writing feels to me like a gift.”

In 1959, Judith received a BA degree from the University of Wisconsin. She then married and had two children. In 1972, she received an MFA degree (with Honors) from the University of Oregon. Since then, she has remained on the West Coast and currently lives on San Juan Island. She previously lived in Bellingham, on Lummi Island, and in Mendocino, California.

Her stories and poetry have appeared in about 60 magazines and anthologies, including The Nation, Harvard Review, Yale Review, Shenandoah, The Christian Science Monitor, and the Sun. Four books of her poetry have been published: Fire in August, Fields of Light, Antelope are Running, and Apple Tree Poems. A collection of her stories entitled Wherever I Wander was published by Impassio Press.

Judith has been teaching writing workshops for many years. She held a three-year position of Visiting Writer at Western Washington University from 1977 to 1980. During that time she was invited to teach at a workshop for gifted high school writers at the Centrum Foundation in Port Townsend, Washington. She also taught correspondence courses for Western Washington University from 1988 to 1993. Other teaching positions that she held were at the University of Oregon (1971-1972) and College of the Redwoods (1974-1977 and 1986-1988). She taught at Whatcom Community College in Bellingham from 1981 to 1986 and won two teaching awards there. She has also taught writing workshops at libraries and art centers. One of the workshops that she taught was in the mountains of northern California at a minimum security prison. She wrote a very long story entitled “Thursdays” about that experience. The story was published in Shenandoah and in her book Wherever I Wander. Selections from the story appeared in Poets and Writers.

In 1978, she traveled for the first time to Greece. She was so captivated by its beauty that since then she has returned to stay for three months each year. Many of her stories and collections of poems have been written there. She smiles as she remembers how many friends have told her that her eyes sparkle whenever she speaks of Greece.

Her writing is also deeply influenced by Buddhism. She has had the privilege of stays at monasteries and retreats in northern California, England, and Thailand, and feels the teachings she has received from the monks and nuns have enriched her life. Some of her stories and poems have appeared in Buddhist magazines and monastery publications.

The Judith Azrael Publications and Papers document her career as a writer of poetry and prose. The manuscripts listed in Series III complement her numerous published works and include several works set in or inspired by the islands of Washington State. Some of the manuscripts of poetry include individual poems that have appeared in magazines. In addition, some manuscripts have been finalists in national competitions, and many letters from editors express admiration of the writing and their hopes that it will be resubmitted. The publications in Series V are arranged by literary genre, and, within each genre, alphabetically by publication title. Also included in the collection are 32 personal journals that provide insight into Judith’s life and writings.

The collection is open to the public.

Material in the collection may be subject to copyright restrictions.

Judith Azrael Publications and Papers, Special Collections, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103.

The collection was donated by Judith Azrael in 2019 with additions in 2023.

 About Harmful Language and Content

To learn more about problematic content in our collections, collection description and teaching tools (including how to provide feedback or request dialogue on this topic), see our Statement About Potentially Harmful Language and Content.

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Azrael, Judith Anne -- Archives. Azrael, Judith Anne -- Correspondence. American poetry -- Washington (State) -- Women authors. Poets, American -- Washington (State) -- History -- Sources. Prose literature -- Sources. Women authors, American -- Washington (State) -- History -- Sources. Records (Documents) Personal correspondence. Publications. Greenberg, Judith. Greenberg, Judith Anne. Literature Women Washington (State)

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series I Biographical 1959-2019 1/1 Résumé and publication list [2019] 1/2 Degrees and awards 1959-2000 1/3 Letters of recommendation 1971-1999 1/4 Photographs undated 1/5 Compact disc of Judith Azrael reading poems and lyrical stories written in Mendocino in the 1970s and early 1980s undated Series II Correspondence and professional activities 1969-2018 1/6 Letters from presses regarding Twelve Black Horses 1985-2011 1/7 Reviews and responses to Fire in August, Fields of Light and Antelope are Running 1970-1977 1/8 Letters from editors regarding A Simple Love Poem 1993-2018 1/9-1/11 Correspondence between Judith Azrael and Olivia Dresher, publisher and editor of Impassio Press, regarding publication of Wherever I Wander 2002-2004 1/12 Correspondence with magazines that first published the stories in Wherever I Wander 1998-2004 1/13 Reviews of Wherever I Wander 2004-2006 1/14 Announcements of public readings from Wherever I Wander 2004-2005 1/15 Announcements of other poetry readings undated 1/16 Reponses from magazine editors regarding stories and poems submitted for publication 1969-2001 1/17 Exchange of poems between Judith Azrael and Mary Azrael, co-editor of the magazine Passager and Passager Books 2017-2018 Series III Manuscripts of prose and poetry undated Stories 1/18 Cicadas are falling from the Trees undated 1/19 Chernobyl undated 1/20 Forgiveness undated 1/21 The Wildflower Man undated 1/22 Papa undated 1/23 Be with me when I lie down undated 1/24 Chrysalis undated Poetry, chapbook-length collections 1/25 Aegean Shards undated 1/26 Eternity undated 1/27 Awakening undated 1/28 The Luminous Mountain undated 1/29 All the Days of May undated 1/30 November Poems undated 1/31 Surrender undated 1/32 Ringing the Chapel Bells undated 1/33 The Singing of the Stars 2023 1/34 Songs of Joy and Sorrow 2023 Prose poems, chapbook-length collections 1/35 Wild Bird undated 1/36 Nature Notes, Lummi Island undated 1/37 Island Meditation undated Poetry, full-length collections 1/38 Moon Long Night (MFA Thesis, University of Oregon) 1972 1/39 Twelve Black Horses undated 1/40 A Simple Love Poem undated 1/41 The is the Song I Sing Today 2013 Prose poems, full-length collections 1/42 The Dancing Island, Lummi Island undated Prose manuscripts, full-length collections 1/43 Arrivals and Departures undated 1/44 Islands Beyond Islands undated Series IV Journals 1980-2016 Box 2 32 personal handwritten journals 1980-2016 Series V Publications 1969-2015 Books of poetry: Box 3 Antelope Are Running. Lewiston, ID: Confluence Press, 1978. 1978 Box 3 Apple Tree Poems. Lewiston, ID: Confluence Press, 1983. 1983 Box 3 Fields of Light. Oak Harbor, WA: Cassiopeia Press, 1974. Limited edition. 1974 Box 3 Fire in August. East Lansing, MI: Zeitgeist, 1969. 1969 Box 3 Fire in August. East Lansing, MI: Zeitgeist, 1969. Trade edition. 1969 Poetry in magazines: Box 3 Abraxas (1981): "Serendipity" 1981 Box 3 Bits 2 (July 1975): "The Foxes" 1975 Box 3 Black Bear Review (Winter 1975): "Arrival," "The Way," "The Foxes" 1975 Box 3 Carolina Quarterly (Winter 1971): "Agreement," "Beyond Love" 1971 Box 3 Christian Science Monitor (Sept. 30, 1982): "Silhouette" 1982 Box 3 Clover, A Literary Rag (no. 4, Winter 2012): “Evening,” “Sometimes,” “And Still” 2012 Box 3 Clover, A Literary Rag (Summer 2015): “Geraniums,” “Three Songs of Sifnos” 2015 Box 3 Clover, A Literary Rag (no. 3, Summer 2012): “It is All the Same,” “Driving To Town,” “Listening” 2012 Box 3 Clover, A Literary Rag (Winter 2015): “I ride over the curving road,” “I enter the tiny chapel,” “All I can do” 2015 Box 3 Clover, A Literary Rag (no. 5, Summer 2013): “Illumination” 2013 Box 3 Common Thread (Oct. 1993): “Brushes and Paints,” “Denial” 1993 Box 3 Common Thread (1993): “Mother,” “The Dream,” “Marathon” 1993 Box 3 Confrontation (1972): “The Sudden Mongoose” 1972 Box 3 Cutthroat (vol. 2, no. 1, 2007): “Whatever I Say,” “At Last,” “Noticing” 2007 Box 3 December (1970): “Kerouac,” “No” 1970 Box 3 Far Field (posted Nov. 28, 2012): “Alone” 2012 Box 3 Floating Island (1977): “Before Dawn,” “In This Hour,” “The Road,” “The Peacock,” “Looking for You,” “Another Land,” “Hands, Heart, Love,” “The Orchard” 1977 Box 3 Footprint Magazine (1978): “Departure” 1978 Box 3 Human Voice (vol. 8): “That Summer,” “Hero of Your Past” undated Box 3 Jeopardy (1990): “Whatever I Say,” “Alone” 1990 Box 3 Laurel Review (1970): “This Storm Has Been Gathering” 1970 Box 3 Lillabulero (Winter 1970): “I Call You” 1970 Box 3 Luckiamute (1972): “Three Letters,” “Moonrise,” “Bamboo” 1972 Box 3 Mendocino Review (1976): “28 for the Small Green Horse” 1976 Box 3 Mendocino Review (1975): “Poems of Instruction” 1975 Box 3 Mendocino Review (1972): “Tonight This Night,” “Knowing” 1972 Box 3 Mississippi Mud (1977): “Fasting,” “Clarissa” 1977 Box 3 Nation (1971): “Chainsaw” 1971 Box 3 Red Cedar Review (1968): “Childhood Shadows,” “Pansies and Other Confusions,” “Suspension,” “Interlude” 1968 Box 3 Rochester Peace and Justice (Jan./Feb. 1988): “Peace” 1988 Box 3 Rosebud (Spring 1997): “Alone” 1997 Box 3 Rosebud (issue 34, 2006): “Surrender,” “Peace” 2006 Box 3 Skywriting (No. 3, 1973): “Recollection,” “Of Water Of Rivers,” “Of What Remains” 1973 Box 3 Slackwater Review (1977): “Green Nights,” “Spaces,” “Harbour,” “Return” 1977 Box 3 Southern Poetry Review (1973): “Ancestors” 1973 Box 3 Stone Country (1982): “Song of Resolution,” “Miles,” “Song of Lost Numbers” 1982 Box 3 Sunstone Review (vol. 2, no. 2, 1973): “Night Poems” 1973 Box 3 Telescope (Spring 1983): Apple Tree Songs 1983 Box 3 Turning Wheel (Summer 1993): “Ghazal V” 1993 Box 3 Turning Wheel (Spring 1995): “Surrender” 1995 Box 3 Voices International (Fall 1969): “Shade” 1969 Box 3 Western Humanities Review (Autumn 1969): “Blueprint” 1969 Box 3 Works (vol. 4, no. 1, Summer 1973): “Hollows,” “In These Fields,” “Moon Poems,” “Fool’s Gold” 1973 Box 3 Works (vol. 111, no. 3/4, 1972-73): “Melinda,” “Melinda’s Song,” “Melinda in the Mountains,” “Melinda and the Birds” 1972-1973 Box 3 Wormwood Review (vol, 2, no. 3, 1971): “That Strange Singing,” “There Were,” “Purple House,” “The Man in the Blue Van,” “In This Land” 1971 Box 3 Zeitgeist (1969): “Walking Backwards” 1969 Poetry in anthologies: Box 4 Contemporary Women Poets (1977): “Falling,” “Entering,” “Creation” 1977 Box 4 Friday Harbor Poetry Gardens (2023): “Serenity” 2023 Box 4 In Pieces (2006): “Aegean Light” 2006 Box 4 Intro (no. 5, 1974): “Suicide” 1974 Box 4 Sequoia (1973): “Song of Seaweed,” “Ceremony” 1973 Book of short fiction: Box 4 Wherever I Wander. Seattle: Impassio Press, 2004 2004 Fiction in magazines: Box 4 Buddhism Now (Fall 1997): “Sleeping Like the Buddha” 1997 Box 4 Buddhism Now (Feb. 2000): “Walking the Footpath of the Buddha” 2000 Box 4 Calliope (vol. 7, no. 2, May 1984): “Death of Three” 1984 Box 4 Confrontation (1982): “The Fisherman” 1982 Box 4 Connections (Winter 1972-73): “And With Your Tambourines” 1972-1973 Box 4 Crab Creek Review (Winter/Spring 1999): “Leaving the Island” 1999 Box 4 Diarist’s Journal (no. 4, 2003): “Greek Island Sketchbook” 2003 Box 4 Fearless Mountain (Fall 1997): “Sleeping Like the Buddha” 1997 Box 4 Harvard Review (no. 24, 2003): “House in the Olive Grove” 2003 Box 4 Jeopardy (1978): “At The River” 1978 Box 4 Minnesota Review (vol. 10, no. 3/4, 1970: “Blue Jellyfish” 1970 Box 4 Minnesota Review (vol. 9, no. 1, 1969): “Color of a Gray Winter Day” 1969 Box 4 Poets and Writers (Mar./Apr. 1998): “Selections from Thursdays” 1998 Box 4 Puckerbrush Review (Summer/Fall 1999): “Ithaki” 1999 Box 4 Rosebud (no. 12, Winter 1997): “Bali Sketchbook” 1997 Box 4 Shenandoah (Mar./Apr. 1998): “Thursdays” 1998 Box 4 Sun (issue 293, May 2000): “Winning and Losing” 2000 Box 4 Western Humanities Review (vol. 47, no. 3, Fall 1993): “Counting Cats” 1993 Box 4 Yale Review (Jan. 1994): “Journey” 1994 Story in anthology: Box 4 An Inn near Kyoto: Writing by American Women Abroad (1998): “Sketchbook (S.E. Asia and Indonesia)” 1998