on fri I made my way to a nearby streetcar stop. since I don't get to San Francisco often I wantd to double check what I was doing. so I pickd someone out of the crowd to confirm. the face I chose turnd out to belong to a writer -- Love Maia. she not only told me what to do but actually got off at my stop to make sure I was going the right way. we had a delightful chat on the way. & I was grateful for her generous spirit.
I visitd with a legend from the old Cleveland scene -- Kent Taylor. I filmd him reading a poem & if that footage comes out will use it as the center piece of a little film abt him. so more on that later.
then it was off to City Lights where I met Richard Lopez. I first wrote to him in 2004 after reading Tom Beckett's interview with him. but this was our first face-to-face.
he was with his father who makes a habit of falling out of planes. we walkd down some streets & ended up at Francis Ford Coppola's restaurant in the magnificent Sentinel Building. there was so much to talk abt from movie lore to poet gossip. it was really heavenly.
next stop Canessa Park Gallery. turnd out that the space was over the notorious Black Cat Cafe. it was a Beat hangout -- mentiond in On the Road. but it became even more famous as a gay bar where Jose Sarria performd his drag act. & it was involvd in some important early gay lawsuits.
these days Avery Burns has a reading series in the upstairs gallery. Richard was reading & I was thrilld that this was part of my initial meeting with him. Richard is a rowdy reader. what he lacks in polish he makes up in spirit. he has such a good time that it's impossible for his audience not to join him. & I was honord that he chose to read the Bettie Page poem he dedicatd to me.
also reading was someone new to me -- Steffi Drewes. I liked her & her work.
among those who showd up for the reading was Richard's pal & collaborator Jonathan Hayes.
we all walkd to Robert Louis Stevenson park together. & then Richard took me back to Willows Inn.
for his version of these events check his blog.
I visitd with a legend from the old Cleveland scene -- Kent Taylor. I filmd him reading a poem & if that footage comes out will use it as the center piece of a little film abt him. so more on that later.
then it was off to City Lights where I met Richard Lopez. I first wrote to him in 2004 after reading Tom Beckett's interview with him. but this was our first face-to-face.
he was with his father who makes a habit of falling out of planes. we walkd down some streets & ended up at Francis Ford Coppola's restaurant in the magnificent Sentinel Building. there was so much to talk abt from movie lore to poet gossip. it was really heavenly.
next stop Canessa Park Gallery. turnd out that the space was over the notorious Black Cat Cafe. it was a Beat hangout -- mentiond in On the Road. but it became even more famous as a gay bar where Jose Sarria performd his drag act. & it was involvd in some important early gay lawsuits.
these days Avery Burns has a reading series in the upstairs gallery. Richard was reading & I was thrilld that this was part of my initial meeting with him. Richard is a rowdy reader. what he lacks in polish he makes up in spirit. he has such a good time that it's impossible for his audience not to join him. & I was honord that he chose to read the Bettie Page poem he dedicatd to me.
also reading was someone new to me -- Steffi Drewes. I liked her & her work.
among those who showd up for the reading was Richard's pal & collaborator Jonathan Hayes.
we all walkd to Robert Louis Stevenson park together. & then Richard took me back to Willows Inn.
for his version of these events check his blog.
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