James Wright: April 17, 1968

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The Poetry Center presents James Wright, reading poems from his collections The Branch Will Not Break and Shall We Gather at the River.

Originally Recorded By: APA
Location: San Francisco State University
Date: 04/17/1968
Total Run Time: 00:55:31
Contributor: Linenthal, Mark
Rights: ©© American Poetry Archives. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. For all other uses please email poetry@sfsu.edu
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James Wright is introduced by Mark Linenthal. Linenthal reads "The Second Of Two Hangovers" a poem by Wright. (0:05)
Wright explains that the upcoming poem is a formal sonnet. (4:52)
"To a Fugitive" (6:43)
Wright talks about the influence of Arthur Waley and the long titles of his poetry. Particularly the works of Po Chu-i, the Chinese poet, who was a public official. He compares a poem by Po Chu-i to how he himself feels about America. (8:10)
"As I Step Over A Puddle At The End Of Winter, I Think Of An Ancient Chinese Governor" (16:28)
Wright talks about "Autumn Begins In Martin's Ferry, Ohio" and how the children of European immigrant workers played football, trying to escape their current lives. He then sings a football fight song. (17:50)
"Autumn Begins In Martin's Ferry, Ohio" (21:25)
Wright mentions that the next poem has infuriated British critics. He also explains that he endeavored to write it as a description. (22:25)
"Lying In A Hammock At William Duffy's Farm in Pine Island Minnesota" (24:19)
Wright explains that the next piece is split up into four parts and that he will mention each new part. ()
"Stages On A Journey Westward" (26:50)
Wright talks about President Warren G. Harding, whom he wrote several poems about, and how President Harding wrote poetry, albeit poorly. The first poem Wright reads is an elegy and the second a song. (29:50)
"His Death" (34:05)
Wright reads an epigraph by H. L. Mencken to his next poem. Wright also explains the strange way Calvin Coolidge held a tribute to Harding. (35:50)
"His Tomb in Ohio" (37:55)
"A Blessing" (39:40)
Wright introduces his new book Shall We Gather At The River. He talks about the upcoming poem being a curse or malediction inspired by the tearing down of a skid row. (41:23)
"The Minneapolis Poem" (44:27)
Wright refers to the next poem as his "pokey poem" from the time he spent in jail. (48:10)
"Inscription For The Tank" (50:10)
Wright explains the situation that inspired his next piece. (52:05)
"Before A Cashier's Window In A Department Store" (53:15)

WrightJames19680417DIG.mp3 (50.50 MB – MP3 audio)

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