Reading at Six Gallery Re-Creation: March 11, 1956

The Poetry Center presents the March 1956 Berkeley re-creation of the famed October 1955 Six Gallery reading, introduced by Kenneth Rexroth, and featuring Gary Snyder, Philip Whalen, and Michael McClure.

Originally Recorded By
The Poetry Center
Location
The Little Theatre, Berkeley, CA
Date
03/11/1956
Total Run Time
00:48:12
Contributor
Kenneth Rexroth
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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GROUP READING (00:48:12)

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Kenneth Rexroth introduces the re-creation of the Six Gallery reading, featuring Gary Snyder, Philip Whalen and Michael McClure. Note: Allen Ginsberg also read his poem Howl the same evening, among other pieces; that March 1956 recording of Ginsberg's reading is widely available elsewhere.

  • Kenneth Rexroth introduces the work of Gary Snyder as "unconsummated forma" (00:52)
  • Introductory remarks by Gary Snyder (02:40)
  • "For a Far-out Friend" {Snyder} (02:44)
  • "Song and Dance for a Lecherous Muse" (04:21)
  • Introductory comments for the 3-part poem "Myths and Texts" , Part 1 covering trees & logging, Part 2: animals, and Part 3: people (03:50)
  • "Myths and Texts" (Part 1) (06:48)
  • Static (19:05)
  • Closing remarks on Snyder by Rexroth, introductory remarks on Philip Whalen: "the best cigarette-in-the-mouth reading poet this evening” (19:12)
  • "For K.W." {Whalen} (22:10)
  • "Martyrdom of Two Pagans" (23:20)
  • "'Plus ça Change'" (24:53)
  • "Sourdough Mountain Lookout" (31:05)
  • Static (31:40)
  • "Sourdough Mountain Lookout" resumes (31:48)
  • "The Slop Barrel: Slices of the Paideuma for All Sentient Beings" (33:43)
  • Static (41:30)
  • Rexroth introduces Michael McClure (41:46)
  • McClure reads a letter from Jack Spicer to John Ryan (43:20)
  • Banters with the audience requesting they be in touch if they have a job for Spicer, who wants to move back to San Francisco (46:00)
  • "Laid part to part, toe to knee..." {McClure} (46:54)
  • "The Mystery of the Hunt" (47:52)
  • Recording breaks off and ends (48:12)

Gary Snyder (00:19:05)

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Gary Snyder reads his poetry at the Reading at Six Gallery Re-Creation in Berkeley.

  • Kenneth Rexroth introduces the work of Gary Snyder as "unconsummated forma" (00:52)
  • Introductory remarks by Gary Snyder (02:40)
  • "For a Far-out Friend" {Snyder} (02:44)
  • "Song and Dance for a Lecherous Muse" (04:21)
  • Introductory comments for the 3-part poem "Myths and Texts" , Part 1 covering trees & logging, Part 2: animals, and Part 3: people (03:50)
  • "Myths and Texts" (Part 1) (06:48)

Philip Whalen (00:22:18)

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Philip Whalen reads from his poetry at the Reading at Six Gallery Re-Creation in Berkeley.

  • Closing remarks on Gary Snyder by Kenneth Rexroth, introductory remarks on Philip Whalen: "the best cigarette-in-the-mouth reading poet this evening” (00:00)
  • "For K.W." (00:00)
  • "Martyrdom of Two Pagans" (00:00)
  • "'Plus ça Change'" (00:00)
  • "Sourdough Mountain Lookout" (01:53)
  • Static (02:28)
  • "Sourdough Mountain Lookout" resumes (02:36)
  • "The Slop Barrel: Slices of the Paideuma for All Sentient Beings" (04:31)

Michael McClure (00:06:26)

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Michael McClure reads his poetry, and a letter from Jack Spicer, at the Reading at Six Gallery Re-Creation in Berkeley. Note: The recording breaks off midway in McClure's reading.

  • Rexroth introduces Michael McClure (00:00)
  • McClure reads a letter from Jack Spicer to John Ryan (01:34)
  • Banters with the audience requesting they be in touch if they have a job for Spicer, who wants to move back to San Francisco (04:14)
  • "Laid part to part, toe to knee..." {McClure} (05:08)
  • "The Mystery of the Hunt" (06:06)
  • Recording breaks off and ends (06:26)

Related Items

Philip Whalen: December 12, 1956 Jack Spicer's Poetry as Magic Workshop: June 10, 1957 Philip Levine: November 24, 1958 Philip Whalen: September 14, 1965 Gary Snyder: November 24, 1958 Lew Welch: November 9, 1959 Philip Whalen: March 11, 1968 Kenneth Patchen: December 6, 1957 Michael McClure, Personal Universe Deck: June 19, 1973 "Poetry Center" from the "1962 Franciscan" yearbook (page 48) Lawrence Ferlinghetti: December 12, 1956 Kenneth Rexroth: October 5, 1959 Jack Spicer's Poetry as Magic Workshop: June 9, 1957 George Stanley: October 25, 1967 Kenneth Rexroth: February 23, 1965 Lawrence Ferlinghetti: October 4, 1961 Robin Blaser: March 9, 1967 Kenneth Rexroth: July 13, 1955 "A regular Monday event: Poetry Readings" from the "1963 Franciscan" yearbook (pages 24-25) Allen Ginsberg: April 27, 1959