I dreamed I called you on the telephone 
to say: Be kinder to yourself 
but you were sick and would not answer

The waste of my love goes on this way
trying to save you from yourself

I have always wondered about the left-over
energy, the way water goes rushing down a hill
long after the rains have stopped

or the fire you want to go to bed from
but cannot ( Read more... )

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The cause was lung cancer, said Charles Lief, Mr. Orlovsky’s guardian. Mr. Orlovsky had diabetes and had struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for much of his life, Mr. Lief said.

Mr. Orlovsky was just 21, recently discharged from the Army and working as an artist’s model when he met Ginsberg in the San Francisco studio of the painter ( Read more... )

I have a great fondness for Eric Rohmer's films whose verbosity and intellectuality I count as pluses in addition to their psychological and erotic tension. Here are his obits in The Guardian and NYTimes:


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I disagreed with his support of the previous president and his policies, but he was a fine actor. His narration of the audiobook of Phillip Roth's "American Pastoral" is a star performance.

Yesterday morning I went to my friend Lois' funeral, had lunch with my friend Estha after the funeral, worked out at the gym in the afternoon, and saw the "Suitcase Paintings" exhibit at the Baruch College Gallery with Shoshana in the evening after which we had Indian food at Pongal.

Lois Hershkowitz was a gifted poet and a caring friend. About ( Read more... )

When I posted a link to Andrew Hill's Trinity Church concert a couple of weeks ago little did I know it would turn out to be his last public performance. He was a brilliant and prolific composer with a lyrical and distinct style. I believe his posthumous reputation will grow as other musicians interpret and perform his work.

NY Times obit

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In a post here a year or so ago I described jazz saxophonist Michael Brecker''s battle with bone disease and leukemia and his search for a bone marrow donor. No match was found, and he died yesterday.

His solo on Cabin Fever is a fine example of his style.

NYTimes Obit

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