The Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University

MERTON'S CORRESPONDENCE WITH:
Parra, Nicanor, 1914-2018

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Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence

Dates of materials: 1965-1967, 1969

Volume: 32 item(s); 47 pg(s)

Scope and Content

Biography

Nicanor Parra distinguished himself as the most prominent Chilean poet, or antipoet, of the Generation of 1938. In 1935, he and friends started Revista Nueva. The surrealism of Pablo Neruda and the writing of Garcia Lorca among others influenced his first book of poetry, published in 1937. Parra became a professor of mathematics and theoretical physics Universidad de Chile in Santiago from 1951-1991 after his graduate studies at Brown University in Rhode Island and Oxford in England. The direction of his poetry changed in the 1960's, inventing a new poetic form called antipoetry. He published a number of volumes of poetry and influenced many other poets, including Merton, who translated a number of his poems. Parra along with James Laughlin visited Merton at Gethsemani Abbey in May of 1966. (Source: "Parra, Nicanor." Spanish American Authors. 1992. Wilson Biographies Plus. Online. H.W. Wilson. Bellarmine University Library, Louisville, KY. 26 Jan. 2006. ‹http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com›.)

Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

Related Information and Links

See also published letters from Merton to Parra in The Courage for Truth, pp. 212-214.

Other Finding Aids

If the person in correspondence with Merton has full text records in the Merton Center Digital Collections, there will be a numeric link to them below.
   

Series List

Series NumberSeries NameTotal Records
1 Thomas Merton and Nicanor Parra Correspondence 7
2 James Laughlin and Nicanor Parra Correspondence 25

Container List

SeriesDateTypeTo/FromFirst LinesPubFull TextNotes
11965/03/20 TL[c]from MertonThanks very much for the two books of poems, which you sent me some time ago. You seemedYes  
11965/06/08? HLSto Mertonsus traducciones me parecen optimas. Muchas, pero muchísimas gracias. Solo hay una que otra   
11965/06/12 TAL[c]from MertonAcabo de recibir tu carta y estoy muy contento. Estaba en el punto de escribirte porque una revistaYes  
11965/07/26 HLSto Mertonlos estudios de Relatividad me teman prácticamente fuera del mundo. Busco un método más sencillo   
11966/06/no? HPCS[x]to MertonTenemos que volver vernos. Alguin vez. Nicanor. Father Louis we have been speaking of the Upanishads  [(original postcard in Laughlin file) notes on postcard from James Laughlin, Nicanor Parra, Marianne Moore, and an unknown signatory - Merton acknowledges the postcard in his letter to Laughlin of 1966/06/23 - postcard of Patchin Place in Greenwich Village, New York]
11967/04/28 TL[c]from MertonIt is almost exactly a year since your historic visit here. The weather is now once again as it wasYes  
11967/09/22 other Computation of Payments to Translators in POEMS & ANTI-POEMS [-] By Nicanor Parra   
21964/12/28 transcriptfrom Laughlin, JamesFather Thomas Merton liked very much the poem which we translated together, and he too is eager   
21965/01/16 HLS[x]to Laughlin, JamesDentro de algunas horas tomo el avión a México, desde donde volaré a Cuba.  [mentions Merton]
21965/03/04 transcriptfrom Laughlin, JamesI am so glad that you have sent books to Father Merton and to Miss Levertov. I hope very much   
21965/04/18 HLS[x]to Laughlin, Jamesa mi regreso de Cuba (vía México), desde pasé casi tres meses, me encuentro con tu generosísima   
21965/05/07 transcriptfrom Laughlin, JamesI was pleased to receive your fine letter of April 18th with all its interesting news.   
21965/07/08 HLS[x]to Laughlin, James1) te encuentro toda la razón. Creo que Miller terminará también encuentrándotela.  [handwritten letter by Parra on a typescript of Allen Ginsberg's English translation of Parra's poem "Pido que se levante la sesión" ("I move the meeting be adjourned") / mentions Merton]
21965/07/13 transcriptfrom Laughlin, JamesI'm so glad you are in touch with Padre Tom. He is a wonderful person. Did you send him suggestions   
21966/02/26 HLS[x]to Laughlin, Jamespor fin estoy nuevamente en los E.E.U.U. El viaje fué largo pero sin contratiempos.  [mentions Merton]
21966/03/07 transcriptfrom Laughlin, JamesI wrote to Father Merton that you were now in this country, and he is eager to meet you,   
21966/04/15 transcriptfrom Laughlin, JamesI am leaving tomorrow for a little trip out west,… On my return east I hope to stop off in Kentucky   
21966/04/25 HLS[x]to Laughlin, JamesPor fin hemos puesto término a la tradución y ordenación de los poemas de nuestro libro.  [mentions Merton]
21966/10/20 transcriptfrom Laughlin, JamesWhen are you coming north again? Everybody missed you very much. Our friend in Kentucky is   
21967/04/17 transcriptfrom Laughlin, JamesTom Merton has not been too well. He has had trouble with bursitis, and had an operation for it,   
21967/08/07 transcriptfrom Laughlin, JamesI hear from Tom Merton about every week and he seems to be in good form, busy as ever.   
21967/11/20 HLS[x]to Laughlin, JamesUn saludo cordial antes de tomar el avión a Caracas, al IV Congreso de la Interamerican Foundation  [see "Laughlin, James" file - letter originally dated 1967/November/03 and signed "Nick" (Nicanor Parra) to Laughlin - photocopy sent to Merton]
21967/12/no transcriptto Laughlin, JamesIf Tom wants me, I will certainly stop at Kentucky and stay a weekend there or something.   
21967/no/no HLS[x]to Laughlin, JamesMuy bien la solapa de nuestro libro. Me gusta muchísimo. No había escrito antes por razones que tú   
21968/02/21 transcriptfrom Laughlin, JamesLast weekend I had a very nice visit with Tom Merton down in Kentucky. He looks well and seems   
21968/03/06 transcriptfrom Laughlin, JamesI enclose a couple of little pictures, ones that Tom took, and I have been meaning to send them   
21968/03/24 transcriptto Laughlin, JamesQué sera Tom?   
21969/02/04 TL[x]from Laughlin, JamesI have been a bit worried because I haven't heard from you for such a long time.  [mentions Merton]
21969/02/20 HLS[x]to Laughlin, JamesGracias por tu última carta y por la reseña de Northern Review: aquí está todo casi normal -   
21969/04/07 TL[x]from Laughlin, JamesPlease forgive my delay in thanking you for your letter of February 20, which was most welcome.  [mentions Merton]
21969/10/14 TL[x]from Laughlin, JamesCongratulations on your big prize! We were all so thrilled to hear about it. I had the news first  [mentions Merton]
2undated/no/no other[x] Verses on the Death of Merton [-] Ernesto Cardenal [-] Our lives are rivers  [contains handwritten annotations]
        

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