This is a stamped emblem in the sidewalk at Filbert and Green in San Francisco - just a moments walk from the Cafe Trieste and City Lights Books (of Lawrence Ferlinghetti fame).
My sister lives on this block and I just visited. The whole time I lived in San Francisco, I didn't know this was there. It has no doubt been there since the Beatniks ruled The City. Trust me, I want to know more about this - how many more are there in San Francisco? - is this the only one? It seems to be made of something incredibly sturdy - metal stamped into concrete - saying, "Poets are here to stay!" Don't you love that?
I just got my copy of "Howl" by Allen Ginsberg down off the shelf and noticed a very similar logo for CityLights Publishers - so it was probably commissioned. But honestly, how fun is it to have found this right on the corner of the block where my sister lives?
It got me thinking - of these poets who have gone before us - the ones who first spoke to our hearts and awakened the sleeping poet within us - what is it about them that moved us so?
We have another meeting of the Women Bearing All group of female poets coming up this week - and I wonder if anyone else would like to share which poets have most inspired them and helped them find their writing voice?
There are several poets whom I admire deeply, and several poems which resonate in me, which I will probably remember far beyond when I start to forget my own name. Here are some of mine...
Billy Collins - current poet, a United States Poet Laureate - absolutely brilliant. I could live on an island with little more than a few of his books and be perfectly content for all time.
T.S. Elliot - and specifically the poem, "The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock."
Allen Ginsberg - and specifically the poem, "Howl."
One thing I notice when I consider who my rolemodels in the artworld are - is that they all tend to be long-winded. None of my favorite poets are the types that will put it all neatly into a thimble with 17 words and leave you dumbfounded. My favorites can go on for pages. These are my mentors, so it stands to reason I tend to do the same. I try all different types of formats - I want to continue to grow as an artist, so I definitely want to try new things and test my abilities in brevity. Which brings me to the second thought about our upcoming poetry gathering...
In addition to bringing some conversation about the things you have learned from your favorites, please be prepared to participate in a short, writing activity brought to us by Meta.
Some other suggestions from the first gathering - if you would like to bring some extra copies of the poems you intend to share, others can follow along as you read. Sometimes, this helps an audience to more fully immerse themselves in your thoughts.
So - to sum up:
1) Let's talk about our poet mentors and heros a little bit
2) Let's try something new - and challenge our writing with an activity
3) Please bring copies so we can more fully appreciate your work
See you on Thursday night, December 14th at 7:00 p.m. at El Tea.
RSVP if possible to Liesl Garner.
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