Two Letters From Alan Marlowe To His Father-In-Law About Getting A Loan To Purchase A House: We Lost The Only House That Gave Us A Sense Of Possibility Of Living Here. You Deserted Us

ALAN MARLOWE (?-1990). Marlowe was an actor and poet. He married Di Prima in 1962 although he was gay. Andy Warhol filmed di Prima and Marlowe in early 1964 in a provocative movie. The couple founded Poets Press that distributed works by Frank OHara and Herbert Huncke.DIANE DI PRIMA (1934-2020). Di Prima was a Beat Generation poet, writer and teacher. She married Marlowe in 1962 and had two children with him, divorcing him in 1969. She moved to California in 1967.An archive of two letters by Marlowe to his father-in-law, Francis Di Prima of Brooklyn. It concerns money for a house in California:a)TLS. 2pg. 8 x 10. July 15, 1965. New York. A typed letter signed Alan Marlowe to Francis Di Prima: Diane tells me there is some question about the house money. If you remember, on two occasions when we discussed the twenty-five hundred from the California house, you said that that would be held for us until we bought another house. Once at the time of the California sale, when I signed the papers placing the house in your name, and again when we discussed the purchase of this house and you said that the twenty five hundred would have to cover all the additional costs of closing, bank, etc. as well as the downpayment, and that there would be nothing above that twenty five hundred dollars forthcoming. Of course we plan to raise as much additional money as possible, from my family and any other sources that we can. We need space for the press [Poets Press], and equipment. Some of our former theater patrons will give us money for a copy camera and a place maker in the Fall. The press is billing over a hundred dollars a month on the first book. By next month, when the third book comes out, the press will be able to cover its expenses, rent $65.00 a month, press payment, electricity, etc. I am now doing outside printing for two customers who are publishing, and am earning two hundred a month on printing. We are in much better financial shape than we have ever been in before. We will continue building the press, and a year from now Diane will be able to give up working. The press is a sound business. We are concerned with finding a comfortable home, with sufficient space for the kids to grow up in. Jeanne needs a place to paint and make her pots, and keep her things in. Alex and Mini should each have a room in a short while. We figure to be able to carry about a hundred and fifty dollars a month in payments on a house. We are looking carefully at many places, trying to find something with a yard for the kids, etc. If you have changed your mind and plan to go back on your word, it will make it that much more difficult for all of us. Living is the process of raising children and trying to assure their needs. We work very hard at that. We are neither lazy or selfish. We try and live in a world based on love, kindness and mutual respect. We hope for a better world, and work also towards those ends. All that we have is our ability to help each other. The letter has mailing folds and is accompanied by the original mailing envelope.b)TLS. 1pg. 8 x 10. September 7, 1965. New York. A typed letter signed Alan Marlowe to his father-in-law: As Budhists [sic] we try not to be angry, but it is hard. We lost the only house that gave us a sense of possibility of living here. You deserted us, like Dianes memories of your wish to abort Jeanne. Things that cannot be forgiven. You see you dont really believe us, nor stand up for us. Like Birdoff. We will stay here until we are driven to the streets. Then we will live as best we can. Like the Hermses, and the animals. We will seek food and shelter and beg in the streets. You cannot help us. You cannot help the children. You give them meat and sugar. You have no faith, not any idea of who or where we are. You have joined with Mr. Birdoff to drive us to desperation. Perhaps in a few years we will be able to see you and not be angry, until then I expect no communication from you. I guess he didnt get the house loan.