The decimation of public broadcasting – one of oh so many fundamental assaults that have been imposed on American’s civil liberties by the current US administration. PBS defunding (particularly the rescinding of funds from the soon-to-be-defunct Corporation For Public Broadcasting) has had, and is having, continuing devastating and alarming results.
Allen, during his lifetime was often a feature on public television. We’re reminded of his classic appearances on WNET’s 1966 USA Poetry, Firing Line, and later, Voices and Visions, United States of Poetry, the Charlie Rose Show, and many many others
In November 1997 he was the feature of the PBS series American Masters (following his death the previous April)
Death and dying is the focus of the recording/reading we’re featuring today (from April 2020) – a uniquely conceived program, The 11th Hour, one in a series, created by producer Samuel A. Safarian, which,”records living testaments from distinguished individuals delivering their lasting message to the world”
“In facing your own mortality what final message would you leave for future generations?”
The opening credits note:
Allen Ginsberg published his first volume of poetry Howl and Other Poems in 1956. Howl overcame censorship trials to become one of the most widely read poems of the century translated into more than 22 languages and a model for younger generations of poets. He became associated with the Beat movement and the San Francisco Renaissance in the 1950s.He was a member of the American Institute of Arts and Letters and a co-founder of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa Institute, the first accredited Buddhist college in the western world.
“Allen Ginsberg, hailed as one of the greatest influences on modern poetry, utilizes music to complement poetry readings from his sixth decade”
The program was recorded in July 16 1993 co-produced by PBS affiliate CPT12 and Denver Center Media, Denver Colorado, (a division of The Denver Center For The Performing Arts)
and broadcast over KBDI-TV, a television station (channel 12) licensed to Broomfield, Colorado
The program mat be watched – here
The program begins with a teaser from the program before Allen begins with readings/renditions of “poems from my sixth decade”:
Hum Bom!
Written In My Dream by William Carlos Williams
Cosmopolitan Greetings
American Sentences
After Lalon
Autumn Leaves
Now and Forever
Father Death Blues. (“on the occasion of the death of my father, Louis Ginsberg“)
Supplication For The Rebirth of the Vidyadhara Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche
“So… we seem to have some time left before death. Let me see if I’ve got anything else to read here that’s interesting enough to proffer to eternity.
Well, maybe I just better make something up on the spot that’s as good as anything that’s on paper.”
There follows the following spontaneous improvisation:
You can prepare all your life for the last words at the eleventh hour
You can prepare all your life and try to assemble all your power
But when you’re on your deathbed, spontaneous mind will glower
Whatever thought comes to mind, first thought best thought of all
Don’t worry about tomorrow or yesterday right now the present is all
So enjoy the space around you as your spontaneous mind before you talk a fall
You may be waiting for the curtain or you may be waiting for the curtain got go up
You may be waiting be certain or you may be waiting for the last time you ever sup>
But if you can’t seem to admit that it’s coming, well maybe you should take a nap
In any case, first thought best thought, whether it’s the beginning or the end
First thought best thought whether it’s to the President or to your best friend
And since the first thought was the best thought I just thought right now I’d better come to an end.
“Perhaps since I have one minute the ultimate declaration at the 11th Hour might be one minute of meditative silence doing samatha vipassana sitting practice of mediation.”
This was wonderful. Thank you for posting it.
Charlie Brice