JOYCE MANSOUR ~

 

Under the Central Tower

For Matta

Hands wandered on the keys

And strange words came from Her

Floating to the surface of the creek

I listened to the dialect of undressed sexes

Hands were writing on valves

Twenty-four seven

And assassinations would follow

In the same bluish twilight where steel snakes whistle

Where gulls shriek and mature women blossom

With swollen pistils and cheap wounds

I was a bit intimidated

It would have been so delicious

To piss in the street

___________________

Joyce Mansour

translated by Emilie Moorhouse

EMERALD WOUNDS

City Lights, 2023

JACK HIRSCHMAN ~

 

August 2021 MERCHANDISE  |  PUBLICATIONS  |  EVENTS Photo of Jack Hirschman by Dennis Letbetter. Jack Hirschman 1933 - 2021 Our friend, poet Jack Hirschman, passed away on August 22nd at age 87. His presence in North Beach will be missed, especially here at City Lights, where he was a frequent visitor. Jack touched the lives of so many, especially young poets. He was a fixture in the poetry scene right up until his passing, reading at virtual events, relentlessly writing and translating. We are the proud publisher of his poetry books Lyripol (1976, now out of print), Front Lines (2002), and All That's Left (2008), his translations of Antonin Artaud, Artaud Anthology, (1965) and In Danger: A Pasolini Anthology (2010), which he edited, as well. On our blog we’ve posted a poem by Diane di Prima, written on the occasion of his 80th birthday in 2013. We think it's the perfect tribute to the poet's poet. We send our love to Jack's wife Agneta Falk, to his family, and to all who will miss our comrade. Read Diane di Prima's Poem to Jack >>

WALKS w/PAUL CELAN & JEAN DAVIE ~

 

R E A D       M E

FORGOTTEN JOURNEY ~

S I L V I N A      O C A M P O

City Lights

2019

PABLO NERUDA ~

R E A D     M E

City Lights

2017

BUKOWSKI ON WRITERS AND WRITING ~

As usual, Bukowski touts Fante, Jeffers, Celine

and he has his reasons. His name today would

land on his own list —not fooling with the fools

and dealing with the straight shooters, legends,

madmen and survivors.

A couple of interviews with Bukowski

come with the reading, 

plus a great R. Crumb cover.

Treat yourself.

City Lights

2018

INAUGURATION & ANGEL ~

____________________________________________________________


I N A U G U R A T I O N       D A Y      2 0 1 6


"Abandon all hope, you who enter here."

D  A  N  T  E

_____________________________________________________________

C I T Y      L I G H T S
1999

JOANNE KYGER ~

Joanne Kyger & Arthur Okamura

POST EXTINCTION

                     How could you forget me so quickly —

But the way you are reached, touched, awakened

             by the world continues

                                           the same way you yourself

                          pass along a freely given

              lineage of  existence

                         Each one, every thing, perfect  "as is"

                Like the moon

            going down

        never really leaves the sky

                                             So "existence" never quits,

                                  never began,     never ended

                      You see in the moment

                                                 So sorry it will never be

               like this again —

      But when has the present ever been singular?

Everything with a language of distinction

                                      with sorrow, with melancholy

                              with sweet appreciation

                    of an extinguished future

        when water becomes

  a state of being

                                                                                  September 2014

________________

Joanne Kyger

On Time

City Lights 2015