Jonathan Williams is a poet, publisher, designer, photographer and essayist, born in Asheville, North Carolina. After studies at Princeton and painting at the Phillips Memorial Gallery, he returned to Asheville to study photography at Black Mountain College. After his return to North Carolina, he became associated with the Black Mountain group of poets and began a publishing venture, the Jargon Society Books. Williams visited Gethsemani Abbey in January of 1967 with Guy Davenport and Ralph Eugene Meatyard. (Source: The Courage for Truth, p. 284.)
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.
This Record Sub-Group is not divided into Series and is arranged chronologically.
Click icons for links: ✓="Published | Library Record", ✉="Scanned" | 🗷="Scanned, Viewable Only at Merton Center"
| # | Date | From/To | First Lines | Pub ✓ | Notes |
| | y/m/d | Merton | | Scan ✉ | |
| 1. |
1965/06/02 |
other |
GREEN CORN THRU A COW or Where Were You When The Cultural Explosion Hit the Fan? |
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[pamphlet of "Observations by Jonathan Williams" and a Curriculum Vitae from 1962-1965]
«detailed view» |
| 2. |
1966/11/09 |
TLS to Merton |
I was in Norfolk on a visit recently and told J. Laughlin that I would soon be visiting the campus |
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«detailed view» |
| 3. |
1966/11/11 (#01) |
TL[c] from Merton |
Good to get your letter. Bring the snake oil over this way. Afternoons are the best time, that is |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 4. |
1966/11/11 (#02) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
Good to get your letter. Bring the snake oil over this way. Afternoons are the best time, that is |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 5. |
1966/11/23 |
TPCS to Merton |
I've had to postpone that visit to Lexington because of illness in Guy Davenport's family down |
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[verso: color print of "Eagles Home No. 1009, Knoxville, Tenn."]
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| 6. |
1966/11/29 (#01) |
TL[c] from Merton |
I got your card. It is cold and mean anyway. Perhaps the weather in January may be milder. |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 7. |
1966/11/29 (#02) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
I got your card. It is cold and mean anyway. Perhaps the weather in January may be milder. |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 8. |
1966/12/18 |
TPCS to Merton |
Just back from two weeks of hawking the orphic snake-oil in the Mid-Atlantic, which needs it. |
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[verso: color print of "Eight Street Viaduct, Cincinnati, Ohio."]
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| 9. |
1967/01/10 |
TPCS to Merton |
So, I am beginning to pack the car for the next Parson Weems tour. Davenport and I hope to come |
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[verso: color print of "North Entrance and Bridge, Cincinnati, O."]
«detailed view» |
| 10. |
1967/04/24 |
TPCS to Merton |
I hope Ron Johnson's book turned up, from G. Davenport some months back??? If not, I'll chide our |
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[verso: color print of "No. 257. Lake at Chilhowee Park, Near Knoxville, Tenn."]
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| 11. |
1967/04/28 |
TLS to Merton |
INVITATION TO A FESTSCHRIFT IN HONOR OF EDWARD DAHLBERG'S ACHIEVEMENT |
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«detailed view» |
| 12. |
1967/05/04 (#01) |
TL[c] from Merton |
I am terribly sorry for the delay in writing. Doctors again, operation again, nonsense again, tests |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 13. |
1967/05/04 (#02) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
I am terribly sorry for the delay in writing. Doctors again, operation again, nonsense again, tests |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 14. |
1967/05/08 |
TLS to Merton |
It doesn't sound very anchoritic, that invaded life you've been forced to live lately. |
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«detailed view» |
| 15. |
1967/05/19 (#01) |
TL[c] from Merton |
Thanks for your of May 8th. No, I haven't been anchoritic enough these last weeks, and it |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 16. |
1967/05/19 (#02) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
Thanks for your of May 8th. No, I haven't been anchoritic enough these last weeks, and it |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 17. |
1967/05/19 (#03) |
other[c] from Merton |
Curriculum vitae Merton May 1967 [-] Born 1915 in Southern France a few miles from Catalonia |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 18. |
1967/06/09 (#01) |
TL[c] from Merton |
You know, Ron Johnson's book never arrived. I tried to inquire about it, but got nowhere. |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 19. |
1967/06/09 (#02) |
TALS[x] from Merton |
You know, Ron Johnson's book never arrived. I tried to inquire about it, but got nowhere. |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 20. |
1967/10/31 (#01) |
TAL[c] from Merton |
I'm off to a start. Here is a concrete poem I am working on. Right away I am up against the new |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 21. |
1967/10/31 (#02) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
I'm off to a start. Here is a concrete poem I am working on. Right away I am up against the new |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 22. |
1967/10/31 (#03) |
other[c] from Merton |
Concrete racegram of Pluto king of hell as he meets white foe in Gaol while one or both is/are set |
✓ |
[typed carbon copy of concrete poem by Merton with Merton's signature (through carbon) and drawings of an "o" and "รด" - sent to Williams]
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| 23. |
1967/11/18 |
TLS to Merton |
Your letter was delayed a little in reaching me from North Carolina, but I have it and thank you |
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«detailed view» |
| 24. |
1967/12/13 (#01) |
TL[c] from Merton |
Many, many thanks for the Concrete Poets. Magnificent. Great to have and soak in. I see what you |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 25. |
1967/12/13 (#02) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
Many, many thanks for the Concrete Poets. Magnificent. Great to have and soak in. I see what you |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 26. |
1967/12/20 (#01) |
TLS to Merton |
Enclosed are a few rustic bits from my forthcoming book on the Appalachians, Blues |
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«detailed view» |
| 27. |
1967/12/20 (#02) |
other to Merton |
Poets for Tom Merton's Magazine: [-] RJ McClure [-] Paul Carroll [-] Geof Hewitt [-] Alfred Starr |
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[list of poets recommended by Williams for Monks Pond - sent with Williams' letter to Merton of the same dated - red check marks by some names]
«detailed view» |
| 28. |
1968/04/12 |
TLS[x] from Merton |
I think I will use picture of you as harvest spirit with beer and thyrsis (Gene Meatyard) in next |
✓ |
«detailed view» |
| 29. |
1968/12/17 |
TLS[x] to Laughlin, James |
It was a real jolt to pick up TIME this afternoon in Westfield, Massachusetts while waiting for my |
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contains a poem written by Williams while at Gethsemani with Guy Davenport, Ralph Eugene Meatyard and Merton, "Tom Merton's Neighbor, Andy Boone, Look Up"
«detailed view» |
| 30. |
1971/03/02 |
TLS[x] to Center from Williams, Jonathan |
I am enclosing xerox copies of all of Tom Merton's correspondence that a quick look unearthed |
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«detailed view» |
| 31. |
1971/04/15 |
TL[x] from Center to Williams, Jonathan |
Forgive me for being so long in answering your letter, but Fr. Pooler asked me to write you since |
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«detailed view» |
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