Ten years ago today, the “New York School” poet Kenneth Koch died. We’ll direct you to our post on him, and on the delightful collaboration(s) between him and Allen, here.
& here is a version of Allen’s wonderful Kenneth Koch hommage poem, “Homework”.
Lew Welch celebrations at San Francisco Public Library next week (Thursday). Ring of Bone is re-released in an expanded edition by City Lights. Gary Snyder, Joanne Kyger, print-maker Tom Killion, and “surprise guests” will be reading from it – “a tribute to Lew, an introduction to his work, and a celebration of our poetic community over the years”.
Speaking of City Lights, Shig Murao, inexcusably passed over in the Rob Epstein-Jeffrey Friedman Howl film, is properly celebrated by his friend and biographer, Richard Reynolds, on a special web-site (as we have previously noted, here) – Michalis Limnios continues his extraordinary series of interviews with an in-depth interview with Reynolds. That can be found on his exemplary Blues & Gr(eece) site here.
A Beat Generation tarot-deck? Hmm, an interesting consideration. See if you agree with the choices made by “Practical Visionary Magic” here.
Mick Jagger and Allen Ginsberg sleeping together? – er.. we don’t think so! – not that Allen wouldn’t have loved for it to happen! – but we think allegations made in the new (Christopher Anderson) biography are hooey (pure wish-fulfillment/lazy journalism).
Michael Rothenberg & Terri Carrion’s remarkable 100 Thousand Poets For Change is girding up for a second global manifestation, we’re getting early word. So far, over 570 events in 105 countries are scheduled for this coming September 29th. More information about all of that here.