A n n e W a l d m a n : K e e p i n g T h e W o r l d S a f e F o r P o e t r y

N a p a l m H e a l t h S p a : R e p o r t 2 0 1 5 : S p e c i a l E d i t i o n

THOUGHTS ON ANNE WALDMAN

Energy, ikon

literate on the page

dynamic on stage

Good dresser, swashbuckler

traveled the world

in a manner

Most women haven’t

the opportunity

Anne made her own

opportunity

It’s hard to eulogize the living

especially when they keep producing

She’s been and is a teacher

who has also done the hard work of organizing

& administrating, educating and encouraging

But I surmise she’s even been more productive

as a door opener

a path blazer

Anne has been & is a voice not afraid

to confront the detriments of modern society

the samsaric attachments to delusions of the past

She has railed against sexism & violence

hip musicians want to work with her

travels as a representative of the varied

schools of Merican poetry

And the Beats

Mahayana Buddhism

common sense political consciousness

She was Allen Ginsberg’s cohort & colleague

when it was a benefit to Allen

to have close female perspective

Anne has kept Allen’s intentions foremost

a guardian of the spirit

a success story

When one can make a living

even in some cases meager

without selling out

One’s political stance

one’s humanity without

commercially modifying one’s art

I call that success

the practice of the Boddhisattva

gaining recognition the clean way

It’s harder than it seems

you try it, Merica is

a rough cut throat place

The Home of The Blues

rough and cut throat

even in the world of poetry

Where the remittance

is modest, even paltry

it’s hard to do

Anne Waldman can go to any big or little city

if they get the word out

they will come to hear her read

May the wheels of karma keep rolling

and may the Poet Anne Waldman

live & gestate many more years