The collection consists primarily of over 250 letters and postcards (1952-1979) written by Bishop to her English friends Ilse and Kit Barker. In them she describes her years in Brazil, a move to San Francisco in 1968, and her years of teaching at Harvard, and comments on her own work and that of fellow poets, such as Robert ("Cal") Lowell. In addition, there are a number of small, black/white photographs of Bishop's house in Brazil taken during renovations, some scenes in Brazil, a 1969 color photograph of Bishop with filmmaker Maryette Charlton, three larger views (1970) of her house interior, and two 6" x 9" exterior views. Almost all of these bear Bishop's handwritten captions on the verso. Also included are a softcover edition (1975) of The Complete Poemsinscribed to Ilse and Kit Barker by Bishop, who also made holograph corrections to three poems (pp. 121, 155, 177), and several miscellaneous items, such as a letter (1954) from an English dog breeder about Bishop's interest in exporting a dog to Brazil; a map of Maine with Bishop's typed note about her place there; and a brochure about a park in Rio de Janeiro, with Bishop's holograph note.