Roger Weaver Papers, 1978-2014

Title: Roger Weaver Papers, 1978-2014

ID: MSS Weaver

Primary Creator: Weaver, Roger.

Extent: 0.45 cubic feet. More info below.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

The Roger Weaver Papers reflect the poetry and teaching career of Weaver and include biographical materials, books of Weaver's poems, a journal, and a sound recording. The collection includes three books of Weaver's poetry: Traveling on the Great Wheel (1990), Reading the Stones (2003), and The Ladder of Desire (2006). Five Songs for Voice, Piano and Cello (2012) consists of poems by Weaver set to music composed by Judith Walls Freeman. The journal that is included with the collection was created in June and July 1994 and includes poems, drawings, and narrative entries. It documents Weaver's daily ruminations during the summer of 1994 in Greece. The biographical materials include a curriculum vita as well as an introduction of Weaver written and delivered by Tracy Daugherty at a poetry reading in 2006.

Traveling on the Great Wheel - Poetry by Roger Weaver is a 1989 audio cassette recording of Weaver reading his poems that were published in the book with the same title.

An addition to the collection (Accession 2014:102) is made up of books, journals, and a cd featuring poetry by the English Professor Weaver. The five published volumes of poetry are: "Twenty One Waking Dreams," "The Orange and Other Poems," "Reading the Stones," "Traveling On the Great Wheel," and "The Ladder of Desire." Containing poems, narrative reflections on various topics, and drawings, the five journals document Weaver's daily thoughts during different periods of his life in Corvallis and in Greece from 1987 to 1998. The cd, "The Afternoon of the Song," is a sound recording of a June 2013 concert that featured 14 of Weaver's poems set to music composed by Judith Walls Freeman. Sheet music written for these recorded poems, as well as for the poem "Sky Flier," is included in this transfer.

Roger Weaver was a faculty member in the Oregon State University English Department from 1962 until his retirement in 1996. Weaver studied English literature and poetry at the University of Oregon and the University of Washington and earned a BA (1957) and MFA (1967) from the University of Oregon and MA (1962) from the University of Washington. Weaver's poems have been published in journals, anthologies, and poetry books. Weaver promoted poetry at Oregon State by establishing the Poetry Interest Group and the Weaver Undergraduate Poetry Award. In 2012, Weaver collaborated with Oregon State alumna Judith Walls Freeman on Five Songs for Voice, Piano, and Cello, featuring five of Weaver's poems set to original musical compositions by Freeman.

Roger Keys Weaver was born in Portland, Oregon on February 2, 1935 and graduated from Salem High School in 1953. In addition to his University teaching, Weaver has taught children, youth, and adults in school settings as well as through workshops and summer programs.

More Extent Information: 1 audio cassette and 1 compact disc; 2 boxes

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: The Papers were donated to the Special Collections & Archives Research Center by Weaver in 2013.

Related Materials: The Special Collections and Archives Research Center houses the papers of several Oregon State English faculty including the Peter Copek Papers (MSS Copek); Elizabeth Henley Collection (MSS Henley), also a poet; Ray S. Hewitt Collection (MSS Hewitt); Bernard Malamud Papers (MSS Malamud); Sigurd Peterson Collection (MSS PetersonS); M. Ellwood Smith Papers (MSS SmithME), and the Richard Dankleff Sound Recording (MSS Dankleff) of poetry reading. The English Department Records are part of the College of Liberal Arts Records (RG 143); the English Department Photographs (P 222) consist of photographs of Bernard Malamud during his years as a faculty member at Oregon State. The Edwin T. Reed Papers (MSS Reed) include poetry written by Reed.

Preferred Citation: Roger Weaver Papers (MSS Weaver), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Weaver, Roger.
Daugherty, Tracy

American poetry--Oregon.
Oral interpretation of poetry.
University History
Weaver, Roger.

Audiocassettes.