Benn Posset, “Soyo” Benn, was a legendary Amsterdam-based poetry and cultural worker, much loved, much respected (and much missed), the organizational force behind the groundbreaking European international poetry festivals of the late ’70’s and early 80’s –
the chief honcho and miracle-worker of One World Poetry
“Benn Posset was a heavily-built Dutchman, who looked more like a night club bouncer in the red light district than the director of a poetry festival. A man of great energy and organisational ability, you could imagine him, in other circumstances, as the CEO of some large IT corporation. But Benn was not the kind of man who would ever end up working for The Man. This was a time when counter-culture still meant counter-culture. Benn had cut his teeth as a leader of the very effective anarchist and squatter movements in Amsterdam, before settling into a career as what he called a “poetry impresario”.
Allen, in an unsolicited obituary notice, back in 1994, writes:
“Ben (sic) Posset was a cultural hero to me and many friends – encourager, confidente, manager of Poetry Festivals, Producer, tender caretaker – a big guy with a big heart and mind who made the world more intimate and heart-felt for me and many others – host in Netherlands, guest in my N.Y. apartment and at Naropa Institute in Boulder. Many poets, Corso, Waldman, Burroughs, Orlovsky, among others, enjoyed his paternal care and attention and were glad to come to (the) Netherlands more often than any country in Europe.
He is good luck and good karma for all, he made life easier for Art.”
Here‘s Timothy Leary‘s loving memory of him
Here’s Eddie Woods poem
Lawrence Ferlinghetti writes:
“Good Ben Posset from the Amsterdam One World Poetry Festival shows up. Wherever Benn shows up you know poetry is being traded, on the floor of the Exchange. International dealers take note”.
Remembering Benn, old friend, friend of poetry.
Here’s another of Allen’s photos!
Glad for this remember of Benn. He was a very good friend, I miss him so much.
Beppe Ramina – Bologna Italy
I wonder about Benn’s family background. I am, Charles Posset, grandson of Tjalling Posset of Friesland, NL. Anyone know of Benn’s family tree?