audio Remembering Peter Orlovsky

Peter Orlovsky, Allen’s life-time partner, died on this day, May 30, 2010, in Williston, Vermont

from his obituary in the New York Times – “The cause was lung cancer, said Charles Lief,
Mr. Orlovsky’s guardian. Mr. Orlovsky had diabetes and had struggled with drugs and alcohol..”

He was 76

Poet Anne Waldman gives us this account:

“The Shellean farmer astride his Pegasusian tractor” as Gregory Corso once knighted him passed on today, May 30 2010 to the elysian fields, a bardo of becoming. First glance hour earlier Peter was resting with “trach” in throat in orange sheets at the kind Vt Respite Center in Williston, Vermont ( but no extra tubes/ heroic measures for this advanced cancer on his lung!), a copy of the Songs of Saraha by his pillow, photo of beloved Allen Ginsberg companion of many years on the wall, other Buddhist images, iPod of music he loved including chants by Buddhist nuns, cards from friends and out the window a bird feeder with finch and red-winged blackbirds landing/taking off. Chuck and Judith Lief, faithful guardians and friends at his side. He had been moved less than 48 hours earlier from intensive care at a hospital in Boston, finally to hospice. His body we were touching we noticed suddenly turned cold like death was in the room. We got the nurse. Judy and I stepped out when suddenly Chuck called us back. Peter had opened his eyes. Chuck said “It might be the last time”. By his side now, looking into his eyes told our love, I thanked him for his presence in our lives, his poetry his care and love for Allen,  his work at Naropa. Ah,  I thought a flash of recognition shivering through! slight movement of mouth,  light coming in on his handsome face through the window now, and  Judy singing om a hum vajra guua padma siddhi hum in crystal voice said “don’t be afraid”. Joined in. Last breaths, one coming late, staggered: his heart/breath stopt.  Poet Christina Lovin  in  room with nurse gave gentle witness who checked the clock 11:39 I think or so a.m. Earlier we’d played recording of Peter singing his Raspberry Song with great heart-soaring yodel and  “how sweet you are”. “Make my grave shape of heart so like a flower be free aired and handsome felt” ( “The Snail”). Tibetan Book of the Dead readings, in full final repose arranged with blue shirt, hands folded, consciousness a joyful gardener sprite? no fear, no fear working its way out…

Here’s the post we made the morning after 

Here’s an account of the Memorial Reading for him at the St Mark’s Poetry Project later that year

Here’s four poems (including the aforementioned “Snail” poem)
Here’s him (with Anne and Allen), singing his Raspberry Song during a protest at Rocky Flats Nuclear facility in the summer of 1978 

Here’s the studio version of this trademark song, which borrows the melody and rhyme scheme from The Bentley Boys’ 1929 song “Down On Penny’s Farm“ (included on Harry Smith‘s legendary 1952 folk song compendium “Anthology of American Folk Music“).

Steven Taylor plays guitar and sings backing vocals, and Allen plays the claves (a pair of short, wooden percussive sticks) and also adds backing vocals

& here’s another Orlovsky folk classic cover – a rarity, “This Aint No Place For Me” (a cover of an old blues tune by Mississipi Bluesman, Jim Jackson)

and here’s another song  (from Jimmie Rodgers, “the yodeling cowboy”) that Peter used to cover – (he absolutely loved Jimmie Rodgers!) –  “In the Jailhouse Now” – ( but Peter’s not in the jailhouse now, he’s gone, long gone, free now of all the craziness and demons that used to haunt him).

Remembering him fondly, Remembering  Allen’s beloved,  Peter

See the many Orlovsky postings on The Allen Ginsberg Project, including this one – here