Allen Ginsberg’s Meditation and Poetics class continues from here
AG: Yes?
Student: I just wanted to speak to the connection, the connection between the type of poetry you’re talking about and sitting, which to me seems that the poem is there and if you’re sitting properly you’ll be able to be aware of it, and it’ll go through you and you write it down, great, otherwise you’re there.
AG: Well, okay.We haven’t figured out … a poem is words, I guess Well, there’s the conception and then there’s the words for the conception.There may be some extra little art in putting it to words.
Student: Yeah, doesn’t it depend on your own mind that it goes through?
AG: Yeah..
Student: Sure. So it’s not just sitting there. It’s got to go through something.
AG: Yeah, but it’s not your mind, anyway. It’s just whoever’s sitting there.
I don’t know. This question about you and yours and mine and all that, I don’t think we have to worry about all that.I think those are sort of, like, metaphysical questions that will be solved in the actual process, or resolved in the process. Hopefully.
Student: The oneness?
AG: No, not the oneness, honey, please.You’re bringing self in again.
Student: No, you were saying that everything is not…
AG: Don’t bring self in again, please. Let’s keep our selves out of this. We’ve got so much of our selves here there’s no need to bring any more. We’re all here already.
Student: We’re not in accord…
AG: So, actually, it’s really a proper attitude toward self, really, is what’s interesting. Because we won’t be able to evade all that fat self. We’ll have to be stuck with it. So how do we relate to it?
[Audio for the above can be heard here, beginning at fifty-two-and-a-half minutes in and concluding at approximately fifty-four-and-a-quarter minutes in]