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 >>

JUNE JORDAN ~

 

Roman Poem Number Thirteen

                                             For Eddie

Only our hearts will argue hard

against the small lights letting in the news

and who can choose between the worst possibility

and the last

between the winners of the wars against the breathing

and the last

war everyone will lose

and who can choose between the dry gas

domination of the future

and the past

between the consequences of the killers

and the past

of all the killing? There

is no choice in these.

Your voice

breaks very close to me my love.

____________________

June Jordan

Directed By Desire

Collected Poems

Copper Canyon Press

2007