I have a recently acquired interest, fascination maybe, with poetry. By recent, I mean the last couple of years. Not really just poetry, poets as well.
I read poetry the same way I look at paintings. At first, I just look and try to catch some vibe. Maybe later, I will try to analyze what/why it makes me feel.
I watched a documentary about Allen Ginsberg a couple of nights ago. Yesterday, I was talking to my Mom and I asked her about about Ginsberg and she said; “It seems I wasn’t too fond of him but, I don’t really recall why”. And then she went on to say that she needs to revisit some of that stuff…
Separating the art from the artist…mention Van Gogh and real soon somebody brings up the ear story.
Separating the art from the artist… I find it especially difficult with poets. Suicidals, besotted, children of wealth, prisoners, academics, family men, gentle souls, tortured souls, homosexuals, vagrant shooting stars…there always a story. Every poet has a story don’t it.
People talk about the rhythm of poets, of poetry and, as a student of musical rhythm, it eludes me. Until, I hear the poet read and the rhythm is in your face. The key is the pauses…the space. The space isn’t defined on the paper. And the voices…they just add to the story, make it harder to separate the art from the artist.
Ginsberg had great rhythm. Compelling rhythm. When I listen to him read then, I’m inside the poem. The art.
The rhythm man…that’s the stuff.
Da’ riddum…. yay — dat’s da’ JAZZZZ
Allus’ da’ new one — dat’s SMASH
Slipp’ry like ice
Crank’d like dice
Riddum… — jus’ don’ eat da’ CATZZZZZ…!
I’m reading wikki-pee, and I speculate Mrs Pribek’s reservations about old Ginnsie fall into his being labeled during his lifetime. He fought and got a black eye for mediating Vietnam Era protests.
Ginsberg, was considered a Communist sympathizer. Later he professed support for, and opened himself to homosexuality, Gay Rights Activisism. This is all happening before most of us were even born. Issues leading up to the popped and oozing blisters of Civil Rights in the USA — was moot for Ginsberg before 1965, — as his famous ‘Howl” title had been published in 1956.
(wkpda article on Ginsberg – 1926-97 – is very good… excerpt above sets the stage for G’s phrases “eyeball kick” and “hydrogen jukebox” both showing up in “Howl”)
One question: Aren’t we officially in an economic Depression?
As for style: poets are observers like all artists, and possibly listeners.. and that explains “ginsbergian lack-of-style, style.” He says in the article he is influenced by speech, and breath… not traditional “formalist considerations [that to Ginsberg] were archaic and didn’t apply to reality.” Leading up to his “style” he mentions he had to develop confidence in his new way of talking… using a call and respond sort of phrasing. I think Ginsberg basically was seeking truth.
…very cool and needs some serious study, if one is a poet, that is. Almost unbelievable…
I am a big lover of Ginsberg and Kerouac and The Beats. I have several books of poetry, biographies and such like. I think Jeff Goldblum needs to play Ginsberg before he gets too old (though he’s already too tall!)