The current exhibition at SMU’s DeGolyer Library, “Working with Words: Poets and Poems throughout the Centuries,” consists of various literary collections donated to the library throughout the years. The exhibition is nearing the end of its two-month run, with the final day being Oct. 28.
Dr. Russell Martin, director of DeGolyer Library and Special Collections, as well as a SMU graduate, came up with the concept of the exhibition last spring and planned it over many months.
“The DeGolyer library has wonderful things in every field; poetry is no exception,” Martin said.
The exhibit strives to draw attention to collections that are less well-known. Martin hopes the exhibit will stir up in its viewers a love of poetry and books and that students will be inspired to read poetry, enroll in a poetry class or start collecting poetry themselves.
Martin stresses the importance of donors and how the university relies on them. In addition to drawing attention to the library’s holdings, the exhibit is also a way of thanking and honoring past donors.
A large part of the exhibition is made up of Stanley Marcus’ collection. Marcus is known for Neiman Marcus, his store that originated in Dallas. In addition to being a legend in retail, Marcus was also a fine book collector. SMU received his personal collection in 2003.
Marcus’ collection is still being catalogued, but the collection is massive and strong in British and American literature. The current number of works totals around 8,000 and Martin said there could be as many as 2,000 more works not yet counted.
Specific treasures from Marcus’ collection shown in the exhibit are the illustrated edition of Thomas Gray’s poems and an early Chaucer work from 1554, which is the oldest English book in the exhibit.
Varun Madan, a sophomore at SMU, said he is mainly impressed by the fact that the exhibit contains works from as far back as the 16th century. In fact, the oldest book in the exhibit is a Renaissance scholar’s translation of Aristotle’s poetics from 1501.
While Marcus was a part of the SMU Board of Trustees, many of the donors to the DeGolyer Library were formerly SMU professors or students.
James Early was a donor and a teacher of Martin’s. His collection has a certain sentimental value to Martin and some of it is included in the exhibit, such as T.S. Eliot’s “Little Gidding,” with notes written in it by Early.
Jim Philips, a SMU graduate from the 1930s, became interested in the Irish book trade while attending the University College in Dublin and worked for the DeGolyer family before the library came to SMU. Parts of his collection are included in the exhibit.
“I consider myself a steward of their legacy,” Martin said of the donors.
The exhibit is organized both chronologically and geographically and consists of works displayed by case. Every case has a theme. The center of the exhibition is a case of classic, traditional works such as Homer’s “Illiad” and “Odyssey.” Marcus’ collection includes a French translation of the “Odyssey.”
The exhibition is large and contains a variety of poetry Martin hopes people will enjoy.
“In the classroom we see one-tenth of what’s been published, but there really is an enormous body of poetry out there,” Martin said.
One case contains early editions of ballads and traditional folk songs, while others contain the work of early Texas poets. Another case includes the second edition of Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” from 1860 and other works with a “vegetation theme,” also regarded as “floral poems.”
A case is dedicated to 19th century anthologies from southern states such as North Carolina, Alabama and Louisiana. One case contains early African-American poetry. Another case has satires and includes a Dublin edition of “The Dunciad” from 1729, of which there are only two in the world, one here and one at UCLA.
Other themes present in the exhibit include funeral poetry and working-class poetry such as Robert Bloomfield’s “The Farmer’s Boy.” Another case is devoted to early Romantics such as Wordsworth, Bryant, Shelley and Keats. One unique component of the exhibit is the first book of poems ever written by a Cherokee Indian.
The exhibition also highlights Shakespeare and includes a pocket paperback of “King Lear” with a happy ending.
The DeGolyer library is located at 6404 Hilltop Lane. The library is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
