Will Petersen was such a good man — one could sense this not even knowing Will personally via his sweeping and full-hearted letters. A close friend during the "Japan years" with Cid Corman and Gary Snyder and others. That era of American poets & artists in Japan after WW2, either as students of zen, or living and working there, or visiting, awaits in the wings for some scholar to take up and showcase an historical record, with photographs, book length. It'll be a rich telling.
In the meantime, when in Illinois over the five weeks of Will's tribute, why not stop in and be nourished. Will and Cynthia's Plucked Chicken was unlike any other small press journal — most definitely inspired by Corman's Origin in all the right ways (poets published etc) but also with the flair and freewheelin' of the artist's own brush. It's said so often but still not enough:
they don't make 'em like this any more.
[ BA ]
