Abstract
Copyright
Scope and Content, and Arrangement of the Collection

Collection Number

2009.01

Contact Information

The University Library, Special Collections
Cal Poly Humboldt
One Harpst Street
Arcata, California 95521

Processed by

Edith Butler, MA, CA

Date Collection Processed

2009

Language

English

Collection Creator

Morris (Morry) Herman (1934-1993)

Dates Covered by Collection

Ca 1960-1993

Size of Collection

.25 cu ft.

Abstract

Morris (Morry) Herman continually produced poetry and frequently shared his poetry at readings in Arcata, CA, and in several small self-published booklets during the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. This collection of about 150 type written pages was preserved by his friend, Jenna Magneson Anderson, from 1993-2009.

Access

The collection is open for use by appointment.

Copyright

Copyright has not been assigned to Cal Poly Humboldt.

Acquisition Information

Patsy Givens delivered the small box of poems to the Cal Poly Humboldt Library after having received them from Jenna Magneson Anderson who had held them since shortly after Herman's death in 1993. Patsy donated four copies of Morry's poetry books: two copies of Something Inside Us Which Flys, one copy each of What Makes the Plum Tree Blossom, and The Swimmer Kicks Free. One copy of Something Inside Us Which Flys will be cataloged and placed in the Library's Humboldt County Collection. The other copies remain with the collection of poems.

Biographical Information

The obituary for Morris Herman, printed in The Union on November 18, 1993, summarizes his life. Long time friend, Patsy Givens wrote the obituary. On October 31, 1993, Morry had been walking home and was struck by a car as he crossed Highway 101 at Indianola Cutoff. For the last several years of his life Morry had stayed at the Old Arcata Rd-Myrtle Ave. home of his friend Truman Rocke Warlick.

Morry continually worked at writing poetry. For many years he supported himself as a bartender in several Arcata Plaza establishments. Frequently he shared his poems at local readings. Often he submitted poems to publications and nearly as often he received rejection notices. He kept on writing. The Jambalaya hosted a memorial poetry reading for Morry.

His publications include: What Makes the Plum Tree Blossom, Grandmother's Print Dresses. With Jim Linn he published Something Inside Us Which Flys; a copy of this is in the Cal Poly Humboldt Library's Humboldt County Collection.

Scope and Content, and Arrangement

The collection is about 150 loose sheets of type written poems. Several contain Morry's handwritten edits. Friends, lovers, and favorite local places are frequent topics for the poems. The poems have been left in the order in which they arrived. The only change was to clip together the pages for the several poems that are more than one page.

One copy each of: Something Inside Us Which Flys, What Makes the Plum Tree Blossom, The Swimmer Kicks Free.

Bibliography

The Union, Arcata, CA; November 4, 1993; November 18, 1993.
Edith Butler; personal recollections

Subject Headings

Poetry
Arcata, CA