American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 2 (1981) Winner
Helen Adam
ヘレン・アダム
Helen Adam
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1909-12-02 （Glasgow, Scotland）
- Died
- 1993-09-19 （New York City, U.S.） age 83
- Nationality
- Scottish
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Glasgow (birth) → Edinburgh (student period) → London (worked as a journalist) → San Francisco (1950s–1960s, part of the San Francisco Renaissance) → New York (later life)
Career
- Occupations
- poet, collagist, photographer, playwright
- Active Years
- 1923-1993
- Influenced By
- Scottish ballad tradition, Victorian light verse, folk ballads and popular balladry
- Influenced
- Poets of the San Francisco Renaissance (e.g. Robert Duncan), Beat poets (influenced and encouraged younger Beat writers), Allen Ginsberg (provided encouragement and stimulus), Contemporaries such as Jack Spicer
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Edinburgh (non-matriculated student, two years) | — | — | — | 約2年間 | United Kingdom |
University of Edinburgh (non-matriculated student, two years)
Period:
約2年間
Country:
United Kingdom
Attended as a non-matriculated student for approximately two years; did not earn a regular degree.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | American Book Award | — | — | Before Columbus Foundation | 受賞 |
American Book Award
1981
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Elfin Pedlar and Tales Told by the Pixie Pool
1924 children's verse, light verse, pastoralA collection of poems written in her youth focusing on fairies and pastoral themes, characterized by a Victorian light-verse tone.
fairiespastoralchildlike imagination
The Queen O' Crow Castle
1958 narrative poetry, balladsWorks centered on the ballad form, reworking traditional narrative poetry with a modern sensibility.
balladmythic elementsenchantment
Selected Poems and Ballads
1974 poetry collection, selected worksA selected collection of poems spanning many years, including ballads and shorter pieces, with works from her San Francisco period.
enchantmentdesire and femininitycity and loneliness
San Francisco's Burning
1963 ballad opera (play with music)A ballad opera created with her sister, combining music and poetry in an experimental theatre piece; involved collaboration with San Francisco artists.
dramatic versesong and narrativeurban allegory
Adaptations
- [stage] San Francisco's Burning (stage production) (1963)
Bibliography
- The Elfin Pedlar and Tales Told by the Pixie Pool (1924)
- Charms and Dreams from the Elfin Pedlar's Pack (1924)
- Shadow of the Moon (1929)
- The Queen O' Crow Castle (1958)
- Ballads (1964)
- Counting Out Rhyme (1972)
- Selected Poems and Ballads (1974)
- Ghosts and Grinning Shadows (short stories, 1977)
- Turn Again to Me and Other Poems (1977)
- Gone Sailing (1980)
- Songs with Music (1982)
- The Bells of Dis (1984)
- Stone Cold Gothic (with Auste Adam, 1984)
- San Francisco's Burning (1963; reissued 1985)
- A Helen Adam Reader (edited edition, 2007)
Adaptations
- Stage production of 'San Francisco's Burning'
- Film appearances/poetry films (e.g. Flotsum, Poetry in Motion)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- favoring ballad and narrative formsretains elements of Victorian light verse in toneperformance-oriented poetry with theatrical and musical qualities
- Recurring Motifs
- fairies and enchantmentbells and auditory imagerydesire and feminine longingurban loneliness and allegory
Legacy
Helen Adam is regarded as an important precursor of the San Francisco Renaissance, contributing to the revival of ballad forms and the development of poetic performance. She influenced younger Beat poets and is valued for her integration of poetry and visual art.
Archives
- Helen Adam Papers, University at Buffalo (The State University of New York)
- Helen Adam Papers, Kent State University
In Popular Culture
- Her poems and collages have been reappraised in contemporary poetry exhibitions and anthologies.
Quotes
-
In Amsterdam, that old city, Church bells tremble and cry; ... I hear the bells in the sky crying, 'Every being is blest.'
Source: Poem 'Margaretta's Rime' (1924)
Trivia
- Published her first poetry book at age 14.
- Played an important role in the San Francisco poet community and encouraged Beat poets.
- Known not only for poetry but also for collages, photography, and theatrical works.