[Poetry reading at the University at Buffalo, April 9, 1969] / Ron Loewinsohn.

Recorded at the University at Buffalo in Buffalo, N.Y. on April 9, 1969 on a 7 inch Scotch reel-to-reel tape.

Poetry reading by Ron Loewinsohn contains frequent commentary and anecdotes. Loewinsohn read poems that had been or would later be published in the books L'autre (1963), The step (1968), Book of Ayres (1970), and Goat dances (1976). Loewinsohn said that the title of the poem "The burden of loveliness" was taken from a short story by William Carlos Williams, and added, "If you know that story, this poem places 'The burden of loveliness' someplace else." Loewinsohn discussed the psychologist Frieda Fromme-Reichman, to whom the poem "L'autre" is dedicated. Loewinsohn also said that "3 backyard dramas, with mamas" is "a series I sort of stole, sort of--did steal from Joanne Kyger." The series is dedicated to Kyger. Of Book of Ayres Loewinsohn said, "It comes out of an Emily Dickinson poem which I ran into in a final exam, so that final exams are good for something..." He mentioned that the poem "K. 282" refers to Mozart's piano sonata in E flat major. Loewinsohn also said that the penultimate poem of the reading ("There, of course") was a month old, and that the last poem ("Goat dance 'In the middle of the park'") was a few days old. Both poems would be printed in Goat dances.

Ron Loewinsohn.

The Poetry Collection of the University Libraries. Digital conversion was made possible through a 2009 National Endowment for the Humanities grant.

1969

Sound recording

PCR194

The clouds --It is very distinct at the ballpark --The rain, the rain --The burden of loveliness (2) --L'autre --Another state --An actual song --Lots of lakes --The sea, around us --from 3 backyard drams, with mamas:[The old woman moves her bulk] --[Kora grown old] --[We found her in the Valley of Fire] --A parson's prologue --At the spring --A word made flesh is seldom (by Emily Dickinson) --These worlds have always moved in harmony --Paean --Goat dance -- Settling --Song ("Hear the crickets build") --Waking up in Massachusetts --Carpenter Center --Air --K. 282 --Meat air --There, of course --Goat dance "In the middle of the park."

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