Springtime has arrived. We begin with a fugitive shot of Allen and William Burroughs (taken back in 1983, in Madison, Wisconsin, by Terry Talbot)
Talbot recalls: “I was on the Lake Shore Path taking photos when they walked into the frame of my camera.I reflexively snapped this photograph then stood dumbstruck as they passed me by.. I stood there with my mouth wide open and said nothing. But I got a great photo!”
This week’s big news – the discovery of a hitherto-unknown Bob Dylan typescript/song draft in Sally Grossman‘s gifted copy of Allen’s Ankor Wat.
“I’m Not There” – Dylan can be heard singing that song – here
Allen can be heard reading that poem – here
Eleanor Burnard reports on the serendipitous find “set to go under the hammer” later this month – here. Estimate selling price $26,400- $52,800
Allen Ginsberg in Southeast Asia – David S Wills provided perhaps the most detailed account of his 1963 travels back in December of 2024 – see here
David S Wills, editor of Beatdom. We’re always most grateful to David for his deep-dives into Allen and the Beats. We strongly recommend you sign up to his Beatdom Substack (a perfect forum for these long extended pieces). The most recent was just last week,”Honest Advice Wanted“- a remarkable in-depth look at the relationship between Allen and Kenneth Rexroth
The next up-coming print issue will be a special issue, published on his birthday, focused on Allen.
Here’s a sneak preview of its cover:
one of a number of Centennial publications to be devoted singularly to his work. We have previously noted this:
There’s also this:
There’ll doubtless be many others.
Simon Warner reviews AH!MERICA (the recent contemporary publication of gleanings from Allen’s Naropa Blake lectures) – see here
Frank O’Hara Centennial celebrations continue. Our good friend, Nathan Gelgud gives a cartoon homage to O’Hara – here, Susie Goldsbrough extols the poems – here, and the Johns Hopkins Newsletter (Published by the Students at Johns Hopkins) on the poet and his poems – here