Where they wrote "Jack, go home" above the urinals

Add to your list of upcoming beat travel destinations the White Horse Tavern, a bar in NYC's Greenwich Village where patrons used to write the following message to Kerouac above the urinals: "Jack, go home."

Read about it here.

Ultimately, Jack did (as will we all).
Gravestone rubbing by Charlie and Chris of Michigan
("Say yah to da U.P., eh?")

Poetry book announcement

I wanted to let readers know that I'm editing and producing a book of poetry for a friend of mine and it is nearing completion. I anticipate seeing it available on Amazon in about a month. The book is titled Life Lines and includes 203 poems by acclaimed upstate New York poet Charles (Charlie) James, famous for being the successful plaintiff in a free speech case that went all the way to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (the defendants petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear an appeal and got turned down - twice).

Charlie is a true poet, certainly the most accomplished one I have ever had the privilege of knowing. He lives a writer’s life, or at least what I would call a writer’s life; that is, he lives to write. He writes every day, and he reads poetry every day. I think without poetry, there would be no Charlie.

Charlie’s inspirations are many, from the Black Mountain style – especially Robert Creeley and Denise Levertov – to Chinese culture, to Tillie Olson, to A.R. Ammons. He once told me boldly that “if poetry isn’t for the people then it’s not poetry.” I don’t think he said that as part of his Marxist leanings (he is a self-admitted Marxist). Rather, he eschews the academic obtusity of many poets, whose works require a dictionary, thesaurus, and literary encyclopedia at one’s side in order to bring meaning to a passage. If explanation is necessary, Charlie provides it, as in his occasional footnote explaining a Chinese term. Otherwise, he uses ordinary language to explore ordinary experiences in a most extraordinary way.

I wouldn't classify Charlie's poetry as beat poetry, but it's certainly got beat influences and he is about as beat a character as you'll ever find. When the book becomes available, I'll let you know. It would be a stellar addition to any beat library.

My beat poet friend Charlie

Crystal and I just got back from a weekend in Pennsylvania. While there I got to hang out with my beat poet friend, Charlie, one of the people to whom I dedicated The Beat Handbook. The above is a picture of him arriving at Night & Day Coffee Cafe in Mansfield, PA. Inside the window you can see Crystal. Charlie was excited to see the book for the first time, and, of course, he got a signed copy gratis.