Page 25 - Litteratteur Redefining World December issue

Litterateur redefining world December 2020

"The light comes slowly"

"Let me know what you think of them," he said. I thought they
were wonderful. Here was an extraordinary, wildly visionary,
wildly funny work, full of pain yet full of comedy as well. I wrote
Ivan a long letter about his poetry. Later he told me the letter
came closer to what he felt his poetry was like than anything he'd
ever received before. He also said he was going to be reading at

the Larry Blake's series in Berkeley. "You mention that you write.
Why don't you read with me? If your poetry is even half as good
as your criticism, you'll be fine." I learned later that such
generosity was characteristic of this amazing man.

Jack, 1987. Photo by Robert
Schneck.

June 17, 1985. Photographer
unknown. Jack in Wonderland
immediately after his reading at
Larry Blake's in Berkeley.

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