Finding Aid for the May 4 Poetry collection

May 4 Collection - Box 83

Finding Aid

Prepared by Nancy Birk, 6 May 1994; Updated April 2015; Last Updated: October 2024  

Inclusive Dates: 1970-2020; undated
Extent: .33 cubic foot (1 document case)
Physical Location: 12th floor

Scope and Content: The May 4 Poetry collection contains poetry related to the Kent State shootings of May 4, 1970. A significant number of folders include correspondence and other supporting documents related to the authors and their poetry.

Arrangement: Poems are arranged alphabetically by author's last name.

Sponsor: Digitization of a portion of this collection was funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Box 83
Folder -- Contents

1. Arcangelini, M. J.: "Remember This," May 4, 1994
   Scope and Content: Originally published in the 1994 combined edition of SplitCrimes and ArtCrimes, titled, "Four Play With Heads," and published again in 2002 in Michael J. Arcangelini's book, "With Fingers at the Tips of my Words." This copy was reproduced as an insert in the 2001 poetry magazine titled, EVERYMAN.
2. Arthrell, Bill: "Guilt Trip," undated
3. Arthrell, Bill: "Springtime," July 10, 2006
4. Assad, William H.: "A Higher Education," 1970
5. Barnett, Robert R.: "The Other Side of Blanket Hill," May 9, 2000; May 4, 2006
6. Birmingham, Thomas Harlan: "Up the Constitution," 1996
7. Bresky, James J.: Student Poetry, 1980-1989
8. Brockwell Simcox, Judy: "May Fourth Nineteen Seventy," 1970
9. Card, Hermon R.: "Memorials, May 4, 1994," 1994
10. Carson, Beverly: "Untitled," 1977
11. Collected Poems: From the Center for Peaceful Change and the May 4 Task Force, 1974-1978
12. Collected Poems: Songs for May 4th, poems by Alan Paton, George H. Kotok, Alex Gildzen, Donald M. Hassler, Denise Levertov, and Marilyn Heck Headley; music by Daniel Jahn, 1974
13. Cormany, Stephen: "I Came to Poetry Late: Collected Poems," 1993-2004
14. Culp, Wayne A.: "Kent," 1970
15. Davidson, Richard: "Elegy for Four," undated
16. Davis, Marilyn: "May 4th - The Poem," 1984
17. Eisenhauer, Michael: "Outrage: A Four Hour Walk - A Forty Year Journey," July 6, 2009
18. Fithian Guruswamy, Rosemary: Three Poems, undated
    Scope and Content: Includes three poems: "Spring Comes to the Hill," "Falling at Kent," and "Faces."
19. Gallagher, Diane: "Town of Ohio," 1990; October 15, 2000
20. Gildzen, Alex: "Allison," undated
21. Gorden, William I.: "May 4 Before and After," 1970
22. Greenberg, Gail: "Lesson," 2000
23. Haines, John: "Kent State, May 1970," 1995
24. Hassler, Donald M.: "May 4, 1970," 1970
25. Collected Poems: The Poems, 1970-1973
    Scope and Content: Handbound booklet of poems by various authors, with an introduction by Donald M. Hassler. Also includes Hassler's poem, "May 4, 1970."
26. Headley, Marilyn Heck: "Kent State - May 4, 1970," 1973
27. Helwig, David: "After the Deaths at Kent State," 1971
28. Hickson, Jed: "On the Fourth of May," 2009-2010
29. Johnson, Wendy L.: "Spectator Sport, May 4th, 1970," May 5, 1970; April 18, 2000
30. Kauhl, Beverly Gorsica: "Early Writings," 1971
31. Keith, Marsha J.: "The Block, The Evening, The May Spring, The Town," May 4, 2001
32. Kotok, George H.: "State of the Union," undated
33. Kyle, Howard: Poems About May 4, undated
34. Lawless, Jim: "They Didn't Cry," May 1971
35. Levertov, Denise: "The Day the Audience Walked Out on Me and Why," 1971
36. Levine, Barry: "Bullet," undated
37. Levine, Barry: "Who Killed Allison? Why? What has she done?," 2000
38. Lifshin, Lyn: "They," undated
39. Lingner, Vicki (Instructor): "Nine Reflections: A Collection by Creative Connections Institute, Kent State University, Creativities Class," July 20, 1994
40. Lourie, Dick: "Triumphal," undated
41. Lund-Goldstein, Bailey: "May 4th," undated
42. Lunine, M. J.: "Untitled," November 12, 1971
43. Madden, Ned: "School Out - Kent May 4," March 1995; 2001
44. Mahoney, Anne Rankin: "Do We Have Enough Springs Left?," May 1970
45. Marker, Karen: "The Final Yearbook Fifty Years Later: A Eulogy to Kent State University High School 1914-1972," 2022
46. McDonald, Marian: "Lessons," June 2, 1976
47. McGrath, Tom: "Anniversary - May 1970," 1970s
48. Miller, Jeffrey Glenn: "The War Without End," undated
49. Mills, Lloyd: "5 4 1970," 1970
50. Mothersbaugh, Mark: "May 4th," May 4, 1975
    Note: This poem has been removed from the collection at the request of the author.
51. No Author: "Untitled," undated
52. Olds, Glenn A.: "Never Again!," May 1972
53. Paton, Alan: "Flowers for the Departed," with music by Daniel Jahn, 1971
54. Pittser, Darlene: "The Cemetery on the Hill," 2005
55. Prosen, Rose Mary: "Rites of Spring," undated
56. Provost, Terrence: "Bullet Proof," undated
    Scope and Content: Includes one copy of the poem from the poetry publication, Jawbone, published in 2022. The second copy of the poem was reimagined by poet, Christopher Franke, whom refers to it as the "reading version" of Terry Provost's original poem.
57. Sadler, Norma J.: "Montage," 1978
58. Sanders, Ed: "1970," 2001-2002
    Note: Poems are from America, a History in Verse, Volume 3, 1962-1970, Black Sparrow 2004. Used by permission of author.
59. Sarton, May: "We'll to the Woods No More, the Laurels Are Cut Down," 1978
60. Schorb, E. M.: "Dirge for the Dead Students," 1970
61. Schreiber, Ron: "Death of an American Bum," undated
62. Sedacca, Sandra: "50th Reunion (Kent State)," 2020
63. Thompson, Daniel: "My Alma Mater," May 4, 1980
64. Yevtushenko, Yevgeny: "Flowers and Bullets," 1970
65. Zempter, Michael: "The Wind at Kent State," November 5, 2001
66. Ziavras, Charles E.: "Kent State*," May 5, 1970; 1995