Ferlinghetti will be turning 90!
It is hard to believe that Ferlinghetti is about to turn 90. I first saw him in the mid-80s with Jacqui at a poetry reading to benefit the United Farm Workers at the Museum of Natural History in Santa Barbara. When spent some time running around the streets of Santa Barbara, got two "bullfighter" sandwiches to go and hung out in the park across from the museum till the poetry reading began - he read with an ancient sax player from Monterey - seminal musician in bop and the beat generation but his name escapes me. The reading was incredible. There were folk harpists from Mexico there too and members of Teatro Campesino. This night lead to a long love affair with J and Ferlinghetti's poetry. I read him before and loved his poetry, but seeing him perform his poetry (that is what he really does) is a whole other thing.
Years later I went to the American Library Association Convention to hear him read. There was not a lot of room in the audience so a handful of us were asked to come up and sit with him on stage. That was hella funny.
From City Lights:
HELP US WISH LAWRENCE FERLINGHETTI
A HAPPY 90TH BIRTHDAY
On March 24th, 2009, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, the co-founder and co-owner of City Lights Booksellers and Publishers, and one of this country's most beloved poets and truly great humanitarians, will celebrate his 90th birthday. Though no public celebration is planned, we'd like to help you share your birthday greetings and wishes-send emails to lfbirthday@citylights.com. We'll pass these on to Lawrence, and share some of them with all of you down the road. Meanwhile, hear Lawrence read from his recent book Poetry As Insurgent Art as part of City Lights' new podcast, "Live From City Lights." Subscribe by RSS, or search iTunes' podcast directory for "Live from City Lights."