Eric Mottram and Philip Whalen 1985 Naropa Reading

December 30, 2017Simon Pettet

 

Eric Mottram]

A vintage Naropa reading from July 21 1985 in two parts for this weekend.

Today, the first part, features Eric Mottram and Philip Whalen. Anne Waldman gives the introductions.

Allen Ginsberg tomorrow.

AW: We’re pleased to have Eric Mottram, Philip Whalen and Allen Ginsberg reading – and Eric and Philip will be reading first and then we’ll have a short break and Allen will complete the evening

I have a couple of announcements to make. Please no smoking in this room and no flash photographs and also I’d like to announce there’ll be copies of this … Read More

“Just Old Chinese Philosophy”

August 28, 2017Simon Pettet

Chinese fishermen with cormorants – Photograph by Bobby Joshi

Student: I’ve got a couple of Chinese poems translated by (Kenneth) Rexroth that each have three sentences if you want an example (of tri-partite structure)

AG: Rexroth has a fuzzy brain. Do they fit?   I don’t want a example if it doesn’t fit!.

Student: Well…

AG; Let’s try one

Student: It’s got three sentences – “In The Evening I Walk By The River” – “The frozen river is drifted deep with snow”

AG: Okay

Student: “For days, only a few spots near the bank have stayed open/In the evening when … Read More

Syllabic Poems – 4 (Herrick)

July 18, 2017Simon Pettet

[“Water, water, I desire/Here’s a house of flesh on fire..”]

AG: (returning to an analysis of Robert Herrick)  – “The Scare-fire” (on page two seventy four) – That’s all seven syllables – “Water, water, I desire/Here’s a house of flesh on fire/Ope the fountains and the springs,/And come all to bucketings /What ye cannot quench pull down /Spoil a house to save a town /Better ’tis that one should fall,/Than by one to hazard all. ” – (da-da da-da da-da da, da-da da-da da-da da, da,-da da-da da-da da, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7,)

Now, the weird thing is, … Read More

Saturday May 20 (Robert Creeley)

May 20, 2017Simon Pettet

Robert Creeley would have been ninety-one tomorrow, May 21st (he died in 2005). In honor of the great man and his birthday, we present, this weekend, another transcription from the extraordinary Bay Area Writers series (from back in 1975-76) – (see also here and here) – Rudimentary recording equipment, so there are, understandably, a few technical problems (particularly at the beginning and the end of tape one (the main tape) but.. what a treasure! , what a remarkable record!

RC: I’m curious, like.. I gather some of you.. that this is a class for some of you and some … Read More

Six Gallery Reading Revisited (Rexroth-Snyder-Whalen-McClure)

October 8, 2015admin

 

Art deco relief on the exterior of the Berkeley Community Theater, housing the Florence Schwimley Little Theater, venue of the recreation of the October 1955 recreation of the legendary Six Gallery reading

The legendary Gallery Six reading took place on October 7 1955. The following March (March 18, to be precise), the event was recreated and presented (at the Little Theater, Berkeley) by the San Francisco Poetry Center. Here, courtesy San Francisco Poetry Center‘s  Digital Archive, is the audio from that night  Kenneth Rexroth introduces Gary Snyder, Philip Whalen and Michael McClure

 

Kenneth … Read More

October 7 – Anniversary of the Six Gallery Reading

October 7, 2015admin

So today is the day – the 60th Anniversary of the famous “Six Gallery reading”, the ground-breaking first public performance of “Howl” (tho’ we shouldn’t forget the importance of the other readers who read that night –  Gary Snyder, Michael McClure, Philip Lamantia (reading John Hoffman), Philip Whalen – and Kenneth Rexroth was master of ceremonies)

Hear Michael McClure give a first-hand account of the event and its significance, on Witness, for the BBC World Service Here’s McClure’s account of that extraordinary occasion (excerpted from his Scratching The Beat Surface)  ” (In 1955) I … Read More

Ginsberg – Scribble

December 21, 2014admin

[Kenneth Rexroth  & Edith Piaf]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here‘s the very first poem that opens “The Lion For Real”  (published in Reality Sandwiches) – Kenneth Rexroth and Edith Piaf – a brief but poignant lyric, Scribble     

Steve Swallow‘ s on piano, Michael Blair on guitar, Ralph Carney on clarinet. Allen’s sleeve note – “Casual note, a long melancholic affectionate 1956 thought about the late irascible Bay Area anarchist Poet, Kenneth Rexroth, might be 4 A.M. in the soul that Michael Blair’s music mirrors”

Scribble 
Rexroth’s face reflecting human            tired bliss … Read More

Ferlinghetti’s 94th Birthday

March 24, 2013admin

Lawrence Ferlinghetti turns 94 today – Happy Birthday, Lawrence!  – Chris Felver’s full-length documentary, Ferlinghetti – A Rebirth of Wonder is currently going the rounds and is undoubtedly a must-see. Last year’s landmark art-show – Cross-Pollination: The Art of Lawrence Ferlinghetti  (at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art) was a singular event, a major retrospective. Lawrence is interviewed about that (and about other matters) here.

Here’s previous birthday-posts on the Ginsberg blog – a links-rich posting from last year, and a salutation from 2011 (including a link to him speaking on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of … Read More

Dylan Thomas (1914-1953)

October 27, 2011admin
[Dylan Thomas 1914-1953]
Dylan Thomas via Kenneth Rexroth? Dylan Thomas via Allen? Dylan Thomas via Bob Dylan? Whichever way it went, Dylan Thomas influenced Beat. Here’s Allen’s account, “Late April 1952” (he was 26 years old!), from Journals, Early Fifties, Early Sixties:

“Left Dylan Thomas and someone else with a big bruise on right forehead – thin mediocre type – in cab on 6th Avenue, 15 minutes ago.

I was in San Remo sitting relaxed towards closing time when they walked in. I only half-recognized him when they came in door & stood next to my seat at
… Read More

David Schneider on Philip Whalen (early Whalen)

July 25, 2011admin

[“Philip Whalen, Sensei, in his peaceful chair, my apartment living room, East 12th Street New York March 1984. he was visiting East coast to give readings N.Y. and Buffalo, calm poet. ‘What are you reading?’ ‘I’m not reading I’m just turning the pages.’ ” – Allen Ginsberg. photo c. Allen Ginsberg Estate]

The current (summer) issue of Tricycle contains an excerpt from David Schneider’s forthcoming Phil Whalen biography – Crowded by Beauty: A Biography of Poet and Zen Teacher, Philip Whalen. Schneider, currently, (since 1995), based in Germany (Cologne), studied and practiced at the Zen Center in San Francisco from … Read More