Joseph Cherwinski Collection

Description:

Joseph Cherwinski knew by the time he was a sophomore in high school that he wanted to be a poet. A newspaper clipping from 21 May 1931(2,3) states that Joseph Cherwinski, the Sophomore Poet, won honorable mention in the National High School Quill and Scroll Contest for three poems and that he "declares that his life's ambition is to be a renowned poet". He also stated that he wanted to travel. The poems which won him honorable were "Choice", "The Miner" and "The Country Road." (2) Two junior high school teachers in Muskegon, Vivian LaJeunesse Parsons and Louise Elliott, encouraged Joe to write poetry. During these years, Joe often visited the home of a physically handicapped painter named Freda Carlson. Freda taught Joe about art and Joe did become a hobby painter. (4) Later in his life, Joe did travel, especially to Boston, where he could enjoy art, music, bookstores and libraries. (5,6) Vivian Parson insisted that Joe write every day until, as he later wrote, Writing daily became a habit with me." (3,4) Margaret Drake Elliott, sister-in-law of Louise, wrote a memorial to Joe after his death in which she states that Joe always remembered his two teachers and his artist friend from Muskegon. (4) After twenty-four years in the shipping department at the Michigan State Library, Mr. Cherwinski was moved to the reference department where he served for fifteen years until he retired in 1980. (4) Joe had graduated from Eastern High School in Lansing, Michigan in 1933. (7) At that time, he carried his share of unhappy baggage. Adopted as an infant, his birth date is given as December 3, 1915. (7) and as December 4, 1914. (8) His age at death on December 16, 1985 (8) is listed as 70 years (9) and as 71 years. (10) He himself may not have known the correct date of his birth but he was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin (7) and soon moved to Muskegon, Mi. When he was fourteen, his parents divorced and the judge left it up to Joe to decide which parent he wanted to live with. Joe felt his chance for an education would be better if he stayed with his mother but the division caused him much pain. Soon after the divorce he and his mother moved to Lansing, Michigan. (3) Mr. Cherwinski never married and lived most of his adult life with his mother in a house at 1207 Walsh Street in Lansing. The house has a charming exterior and an open stairway. The upstairs had a room which contained Joe's extensive collection of books and papers. (5,6,11,) He corresponded with many poets. He was a legend to his many friends, almost all of whom were poets and almost none of whom were children. (56) A poem written when Joe was in high school, but published later, is called "The Freak" and probably describes the feelings of a literary high school boy who doesn't fit in and who isn't sure he can count on the adults in his life.(4) When he was contemplating retirement, he told Karen Douglas of the Lansing State Journal that he thought that poets, like pearls, generally have some "grit" in the form of unhappiness in their formative years. One of Joe's most noted poems is "Of the Golden Thing", which was named winner of the Reynold 's Lyric Prize and was first published in "The Lyric" magazine in 1957.(4) The poem has much in common with the Wizard of Oz-Dorothy and Joe seem to have searched for happiness and eventually found that happiness was always there. Joe's poetry was usually in the lyric form, which he preferred. (4) However, he was versatile writer who could write prose well. While young, he realized that he could not make a living as a poet and wrote a few short stories of quality. (13) But his life became one of a state library worker for income and poetry in all his off work time. (14) Probably Joseph Cherwinski wrote over 600 poems. (3,9) The Library of Michigan has copies of ten books which he wrote and two which he edited. Many of his poems were published more than once. Books, major magazines, poetry journals, newspapers and the 1972 Michigan State Highway Map all published Joe's poetry. Lansing Poetry Club was a strong organization with many devoted members and members of the group were often also strong leaders in the Poetry Society of Michigan. (5,6). Joe was editor of the state poetry journal, "Peninsula ''''poets", for twenty-two years-from 1953-1975-and was editor emeritus for ten more years. He changed the journal from a mime0graphed newsletter which came out sporadically to a quality quarterly poetry magazine with beautiful pictures which came out regularly. Peninsula Poets" published many poems each year, including quite a few of Joe's. The news aspect of the journal was definitely secondary to the poetry but the news does often document Joe's devotion to the Poetry Society of Michigan. State-wide meetings often included poetry readings conducted by J.C. and he was always ready to help with the poetry contests. (12) Joe's collection of books was large and personal. About half of his large collection of poetry and poetry related books contain notes, letters, dedications or at least autog raphs.(13) Bookstores and libraries, especially in Boston, drew him on vacations. Also, he loved art museums; concerts, and poetry readings.(5) Joe entered many poetry contests and often won prizes. Listing all Joe published or all the prizes he won is beyond the scope of this biography and some of the information is available elsewhere. His prize for "Of the Golden Thing" might have been his most important. (4) An award from the Emperor of Japan would be his most unusual.(4) He also received a Minuteman award from Michigan. Income from publishing and prizes might not have covered his expenses. (4) After he retired he was writing and attempting to publish poetry. He told friends he had poetry out all over. (5,6) But a heart attack in 1982 left him with physical impairments that made writing and typing difficult. His intelligence intact, his limitations frustrated him. Had his health lasted longer, he might have become a very famous poet. (5,6) Writing poetry, promoting poetry, and being friends with poets was the basis of Joe's life.(5,6) He was a popular librarian, an excellent researcher, and took his employment seriously.(14) He lived with his mother, and when she was ill he cared for her and later provided for her care in a nursing home.(11) But the great excitement in his life came from his poetry. Joseph Cherwinski stated that he had written over 600 poems. (4) His ten books, copies of "Peninsula Poets" and some of the journals in which he published are available at the local history room at the Capital Area District Library and at the Library of Michigan. Scrapbooks of his work, collected from his home, are available at the Library of Michigan and the Clark Historical Library at Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Much of Joe's personal poetry collection is in the local history room at the Capital Area District Library and is catalogued. After Mr. Cherwinski died, the attorney for his estate, Thomas Walsh, asked Barbara Brower, President of the Lansing Poetry Club, and Vonnie Thomas, President of the Poetry Society of Michigan, to enter his home and remove any materials they would like to have donated to libraries. (11) Scrapbooks were made by Barbara and Vonnie and given to the Library of Michigan Rare Book Room and to the Clark Historical Library. (The Poetry Society of Michigan has its archives in the Clark Historical Library. (5,6) Then Mr. Walsh asked Ken Broward, Head Librarian at the Lansing Public Library, to take whatever he would like to have for the Lansing Public Library and the Michigan State Library. (former names of libraries) Most of the items he took are in the local history room of the now Capital Area District Library. This short biography does not cover everything that is known about Joe. But he would agree with his friends that friendship and poetry, often combined, gave him a wonderful life. References 1. Personal conversation with Geneva Wiskemann. 2. Newspaper clipping, May 21, l931, in scrapbook at Library of Michigan. 3. Karen Douglas, Lansing State Journal, December 23, 1984. 4. Scrapbooks at the Library of Michigan Rare Book Room. 5. Personal conversation with Barbara Brower. 6. Personal conversation with Vonnie Thomas. 7. Contemporary Authors, Vol. 15 and 16, Detroit, Gale Research Co., The Book Tower, 1966; Page 85, Biography of Joseph Cherwinski. 8. Funeral Program, Library of Michigan, Clipping file on Joseph Cherwinski. 9. Lansing State Journal Obituary, 12-18-1985. 10. Obituary, 12-19-85, Lansing Library Clipping File. 11. Personal conversation with Thomas Walsh. 12. "Peninsula Poets", Journals, Capital Area District Library 13. Capital Area District Library local history room, Joseph Cherwinski Personal Collection. 14. Lansing State Journal by Carol Haskin. Joyce Laing 2225 Montego Drive Lansing, Michigan 48912

Data Provider:

Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives

Collection:

Joseph Cherwinski Collection

URL:

http://cadl.pastperfectonline.com/archive/A6879DC1-2FF9-4C37-B073-618820509248