Hi Jim (aka Raven King),
Knew you'd come thru! It's just too cool a gig for you/and/or/Wilber to miss : )
Good thing I read today's email before this one, or I'd still be wondering if you/Wilber/both were planning on plarticpating in this tribute to Milt & PP, & even in a roundabout way, to good ol' CLM (never thought I'd say that! - it's so far in our pasts now that we can let the good memories surface & the bad ones fade).
Since I emailed your invite (haven't re-read it, so don't know exactly WTF I wrote), I believe our FELLOWSHIP OF THE ACORN has broadened our perspective on the gig at The Imperial Pub. We have a whole evening to fill, rather than organizing an event with the limitations of 1 1/2 hours in library meeting rooms, which have been our previous venues. So we're starting to expand our scope, & perhaps the evening will evolve in sections - a 'warmup' - a 'feature' - and then the fun 'participatory freeform' part (which is where I envision Wilber holding forth from a barstool or under a students' table).
I'm also anticipating a round robin for Milt in the third part of the evening, like we held for Ted Plantos at "PlantosFest" a couple of years ago. Sharing anecdotes, poems by or about Milt, that kinda thing. This is perhaps where Wilber & his insider history of Milt & Big Al & the A-frame could be dissected for posterity! : ) : ) Even icons need to have their foibles shared ...
I like your suggestion to drive into TO with Morley & me (and Chase). I'm used to driving into TO - not so good at driving AROUND TO - and it'll save on gas & stuff. And thanks to Joyce & Sandy for offering to put up you & Wilber on their couches!
Interesting to learn about your play DAVID AND THE ANGEL. Would love to see it performed somewhere. How many acts? How many actors required? I've been hanging around with novelist/poet/raconteur/PLAYWRIGHT Jim Christy, & he's done some interesting plays as well (so he claims). Don't know if you guys connected at AcornFest this summer?
coffee's sounding perked - Chase needs poopifying - gotta call Tai & deal with 'final' proof of EEL PIE ISLAND DHARMA, which, the Gods willing, will be printed in time for the gig as well - getting down to the wire on this ...
peace & poetry power!
this'll be one fun tribute to Milt - know he'll be there in spirit
Chris ... and Chase ... Wrfffffffffffffffffffff! (why aren't dogs allowed in effing bars!!???)
On 2012-10-13, at 2:16 AM, Jim Larwill wrote:
Hey Chris,
Sorry I have been quiet... been distracted and busy. Shift of seasons... still have running water for now, but lots of other stuff to get ready for winter, but headway being made. Youngest son Kent has had a week off work and has been up helping, got a tree down today that was threatening to fall on the tee-pee at the top of the hill where I park my van in the winter. (Yes, believe it or not, I park in a big tee-pee at the top of the hill in the winter and walk down to the lake.)
I am not sure how a Wilber performance would work in with the Milt thing.... time for a long enough Wilber performance is one consideration, but also given Wilber is a "take" upon a Milt generation of poets.. and earlier, and present... in some ways keeping Wilber at arms length and not too closely associated with Milt is also a consideration. (They only did meet that once when Wilber stayed over at the A-frame with Milt and Purdy.... and Wilber's grumpy opinion of the two of them is maybe best not aired at a Milt commemoration.) And Wilber is always using the excuse of being over 100 in one way or an other.
For myself if I feel up to making it I would love to... but haven't been to Toronto in years. Hate to play the poor, old, drunken poet card.... but just where is Toronto???? Is that still part of Quebec???
One thought I had is maybe I could drive to Marmora and go with you and Morley. I really don't feel like driving in TO. And I could take the train but I would still need a couch to crash on... I don't really like the underpasses in big city's for sleeping any more... well not in November anyway.
Funny as I am writing this I realize how old I am getting, remembering in other ways it seems like yesterday when the CLM was tearing its self apart and as the Ottawa Chairman I didn't know what the heck was going on with the movement down in Toronto, and wanting a clear picture I just drove down to Spadia and Collage from Ottawa and looked up Milt at the Waverly. "The Doctor is in," is what the desk said and Milt was in his cigar butt ashtray of a room. After a few hours at the Crest grill apart from Milt's assessment that sectarianism was rampant in the movement, I don't know if I had too much of a clearer picture, even if I knew Milt was the only one in TO who would give me a straight opinion. And I was right, Milt suborned himself to my superior position of being a "Club" chairman in the way he treated me. Gave me the goods as he saw them, but then I also saw at that time as the Movement poet outsider he couldn't really give me the insider picture I needed. But in a tangent he also told me I was a poet... and when he did I thought he was totally nuts.... he spoke of Zulu... I spoke of my possible mixed Montreal Polynesian heritage... Jim.... Jim... Jim... as the interview was ending.. as if he needed to go off and write a poem... we parted... crossed paths a few other times... last time was near his death when he showed up at my play about Riel and Dumont.... "David and the Angel"... the whole show I was worried he might cause a disturbance... Marty Flowman who was looking after him told me he was astounded that Milt was quiet though out the play and in the end Milt gave me the best review I received.... "Larwill has shown us the Riel and Dumont we have wanted to see." I heard him declare with vigor as he left the theater. He was old. He was dieing. It was the last words I hear Milt speak.
but this too is an Acornesque ramble....
for now let me give you a firm I don't know... but will try and let you know...
RK
aka
Jim
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Ed Baker has left a new comment on your post "Wilber Walnut/Jim Larwill at Imperial Public Libra...":
just got my copy of In A Springtime Instant
& I'm a tellin you had I discovered his work in the 60's I just maybe might have taken a short-cut to her(e)
been dealing all day with daughter's blood patch so my
VERY FIRTST Acorn piece e v e r is was just a moment ago his Ashaye Dancing
When Ashaye with the nerve-devouring fire
in her eyes, Ashaye
with her body's secret places,
when Ashaye dances;
(etc)
sounds like he (also) knew Stone Girl and a few of my other cute muses and I did a piece called ASHERA a few years ago... I think I got it as a pdf in this computer somewhere
I am guessing that Ashaye and Ashera are the same
goddess ?
etc
Posted by Ed Baker to Riffs & Ripples from ZenRiver Gardens at 18 October 2012 19:39
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1 comment:
just got my copy of In A Springtime Instant
& I'm a tellin you had I discovered his work in the 60's I just maybe might have taken a short-cut to her(e)
been dealing all day with daughter's blood patch so my
VERY FIRTST Acorn piece e v e r is was just a moment ago his Ashaye Dancing
When Ashaye with the nerve-devouring fire
in her eyes, Ashaye
with her body's secret places,
when Ashaye dances;
(etc)
sounds like he (also) knew Stone Girl and a few of my other cute muses and I did a piece called ASHERA a few years ago... I think I got it as a pdf in this computer somewhere
I am guessing that Ashaye and Ashera are the same
goddess ?
etc
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