[Allen Ginsberg's Rainbow Honor Walk plaque, recently unveiled in the Castro in San Francisco, 2014 - Photograph by Steven Bracco]
Two weeks sincethe last "Round-Up" so we'd better get down to it.
Last Tuesday in San Francisco, in the Castro, the official unveiling of the Ginsberg plaque (along with several others), part of the Rainbow Honor Walk (Some embarrassing launching problems, apparently, but they, mercifully, got it right with Allen)
And, while we're on the subject of plaques and San Francisco, there is, of course, this (commemorating the first public reading of Howl, at the fabled Six Gallery, at Union and Fillmore in the Mission)
and just across the bridge, over in Berkeley (at Lincoln and Milvia), the (sadly forgotten?) Allen Ginsberg Memorial Garden
Speaking of Memorials, here's a haunting little video of Allen's grave-site
Seventy-three issues! (that's got to count for something!) - Kevin Ring's fiercely devotional, long-running, extraordinary achievement Beat Scene is indeed, as one reviewer has it here"an essential publication for those with a Beat fascination". Issue 73 features (among other things) a 1978 interview with Allen (on (Jack) Kerouac). Issue 74 (out any day now) will focus on 'The Beats in England' - "or Britain", Ring writes - "I'm undecided. That's Kerouac in London and Liverpool, (William) Burroughs in London and Brighton, Ginsberg in London, Liverpool and Wales, (Richard) Brautigan in London, (Kenneth) Rexroth in England, (Michael) McClure… We examine the close-knit small press communities..who bonded and shared with the Beats, heck, even (Charles) Bukowski's in here." - Beat Scene is also responsible for a continuing and high quality chapbook series. Ring's tireless remarkable work should certainly be applauded and supported.
The American Reader has focused on a number of Allen's letters in the past, here's another one - from August 22, 1944 (to Kerouac) - "I'm reading Jane Austen and finishing (Charles) Dickens' Great Expectations. I also started (Emily) Bronte's Wuthering Heights for the second time for an English course, and, of course, I am also plowing through about 4 history books…mostly about revolution in Europe in the 19th century.."
The voice of the legendary Herbert Huncke - Here's audio from the collection of V.J.Eaton- "Herbert Huncke Goes Upstate To Dannemora - Phone Conversation" (a glimpse from his forthcoming Huncke chapbook)
Forthcoming from City Lights - The Poetry Deal by Diane di Prima (we can't wait!) - scheduled for early November
Out already - Cross Worlds - Transcultural Poetics (edited by Anne Waldman and Laura Wright). We'll have more on this title in the weeks to come.
Coming soon - Allen Ginsberg in Poland
and here's Harry Smith in Greek
Thank you City Lights blog for your informative note and "heads-up" on our recent post on "Kaddish".
