Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

Literary rights of John Moffitt are held by the University of Virginia.

Preferred Citation

Papers of John Moffitt, 1981-1987, Accession #9806-x , Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

This collection of letters was given to the University of Virginia Library to add to the John Moffitt Papers by Blythe Brennan, Santa Fe, New Mexico, on August 8, 1996.

Scope and Content Information

This addition to the papers of John Moffitt (1908-1987), poetry editor of America, of Unionville, Virginia, consists of letters chiefly from Moffitt to Blythe Brennan ([1923?]- ), a retired editor, Santa Fe, New Mexico, ca. 75 items, 1981-1987, and some poems by both Moffitt and Brennan. Blythe Brennan has also written a two page explanation concerning the beginning of their correspondence in 1981 when she submitted a poem for publication in America. Moffitt often provides advice on individual poems by Brennan and thereby discusses his own ideas about poetry as well. Present in the collection are the following poems by Brennan: December Morning (see 1981 Nov 25); Ducks (see 1982 Sep 15); and poems by Moffitt: The Sufficient Want (see 1983 Jun 17); The Weather (see 1984 Apr 9); Poet and Paysan (see 1984 Oct 7); Meditation After Ranrahirca, with additional poems attached (see 1985 Apr 8); First Sun and Past the Sun (see 1985 Apr 25); Past the Sun, Version 2 (see 1985 Jul 12 for the poem and a discussion about the poem itself and additional version 1985 Aug 30; Oct 3); Past the Sun, Final Version (see 1985 Sep 24); The Cry and The Voices (see 1985 Oct 1); More As a Pilgrim (1985 Oct 7).

Topics in the correspondence include: the relationship of Christianity to Buddhism and Hinduism and a discussion of several of Moffitt's books, The Road to Now, Signal Message, The Living Seed, and Escape of the Leopard (1982 Mar 3 & 8); mysticism (1982 Apr 5, 25; Jun 22; 1983 Feb 24); iris cultivation (1983 Jul 10; Oct 18); Catholicism (1983 Aug 1 attached to Sep 26); Catholicism and women (1983 Oct 15); Cambodian independence in 1953 (1984 Apr 9); the poetry of Wallace Stevens (1984 Apr 9, Oct 7); a long series of letters concerning Moffitt's selection of his own poems for This One Instant, a new book of poetry (1984 Aug 7; 1985 Apr 3, Jul 29, Aug 15, 25, 28, 29, Sep 15, 18; Oct 1; 1986 Jan 5); photography (1984 Oct 7); the conservatism of Pope John Paul II (1985 Apr 3); the publication of poems not selected by John Moffitt as poetry editor in America (1985 Jul 29; Aug 12, 15, 22); volunteer work (1986 Mar 12); the concept of "revelation" (1986 Oct 17); analysis of Brennan's poem Night River Journey (1986 Oct 19); Moffitt's award for one of his poems from The Lyric (1986 Christmas card); and a notice of John Moffitt's death on July 10, 1987, from his brother, Henry Moffitt (1987 Jul 18) and in America (1987 Aug 8, Sep 19).