With Gen'l Intro by The Benedikt Team & also an
Intro to Miniweb, a print media Bibliography,
& In-Depth Descriptions of all 12 Websites &
7 Mini-Sites in Benedikt Miniweb
Body/Sky Xmas Site & Virtual Fireside Z-Lovepoems Desnos 2 Thesaurus & Other New Verse Bertrand
New Arts Advocacy Feature in 7/01--with further
notes added in '02: Benedikt on his Alma Mater,
Columbia U.as--of all things!
--a Writer-Evicting Landlord. With
perspectives at close of site on artists as citizens of City, State, &
Nation.
Includes a NYC Arts agency perspective on the
economic role which artists play in NYC Municipal life
& Links to
Volunteer Law Orgs for artists in NYC & Chicago.
Includes a concerned citizen's perspective on 'Goliath
vs. David' landlord-tenant suits in NYC & elsewhere
& some basic
housing-related links, Fed. & Other
--incl.links to 3 of NYC's leading
Online Tenant Resources:
tenant.net (classic); cwtfhc (info sheets); &
rentwars.com (recently established).
Benedikt in l980--Photo by Mary Payack
Brief Benedikt Bio & Bibliography in Print Media
By The Benedikt Team
For those of you who may have experienced difficulty simply keeping track of all the Benedikt Websites & Mini-Sites, and in keeping up with new sites and modifications of existing sites by this wide-ranging Author--a leading contemporary US poet, and also editor, educator, and occasional translator too--presented here is this comprehensive Guide To Sites in Michael Benedikt Mini-Web. This Benedikt-related Portal Page begins with a Print Media Bibliography summing up his numerous publications in print media--ranging from books of poems in both verse and prose issued by 2 major University Press publishers, to anthologies of modern poetry & plays issued by several well-known NYC "commercial" houses. A Print Media Bibliography is given at this page. It's followed by start of Website Guide and links to key online resources about Benedikt. Nearly all Benedikt books are now represented--albeit briefly--at one or more of the numerous websites in what he's termed his Miniweb. Poetry books are represented via several selected poems--Anthologies mostly via tables of contents or other listings of what they contain, and occasionally brief excerpts. More to come, forecast. Most of the writing appears in updated, revised versions available only on The Web. Even beyond readings of the counters at the individual sites, Benedikt's efforts have not gone unnoticed. In celebration of Benedikt's birthday in 2000, on Writer's Almanac program broadcast on National Public Radio and also at the online Writer's Almanac, Garrison Keilor said: "Benedikt is... one of the first poets to publish extensively on the Internet." Indeed, in terms of poets who published extensively in very reputable places prior to the Web, and who then also went on to publish extensively on the Net, Benedikt may be the very first in literary history, to do both. (Benedikt's poetry, too, has changed a lot over the years. Briefly, we might say that he's moved from a personal, playfully high-spirited brand of Surrealism to a lively, yet sympathetic Realism. Playfulness and humor are features of much of his poetry in all periods of his work. (Heart's located approximately where it's supposed to be & not on sleeve--powerful emotions are present, but presented with poise). He's also one of the few poets of his generation whose work has changed radically enough to qualify as both 'Modernist' in its root concerns yet "Post-Modernist" in its flourishings. Benedikt's poetry is also relatively unusual among that of living contemporary poets in that regard. Starting with his lst collection--a small-press chapbook entitled Changes (1961), the work changes from book to book. (Recent developments in Benedikt's interests, continue to reflect changes of many kinds...).
There are so far 19 WebSites & Mini-sites in Benedikt's Miniweb. A few of the sites are multi-paged, or are linked to spin-off pages established after their parent sites/pages were posted. Multi-Media plays a major role in all of them--since of course all websites--even the most rudimentary--require graphics & design skills; & since after all Benedikt has among other things worked as a Professional Art Critic. A few sites have sound-files. So far the sound files at Benedikt's URLS are music sound-files & not poetry sound-files. Obviously, enhancements in the latter area may be fotrthcoming. Particularly since Benedikt's personal Archive contains many tapes of his literary readings before live audiences, starting with reel-to-reel, pre-casette-era recordings from the early l960's! (NB: Benedikt's Archives contain unreleased tapes of other US poets of distinction reading too. Benedikt's Arts Archives are sizeable--containing irreplaceable material of historical US Cultural sigificance).
Most but not all of the 19 sites described at this Miniweb Site-Guide are interconnected. At end of each site is a clickable link-list. Most of the link-lists cite only selected Benedikt URLs. The individual links are briefly annotated with a short description of what's to be found at each URL. The annotations in this Guide are given in much greater detail than those at the individual Websites. (The latter is already a courtesy which--as you may have noticed--not all websites extend. (Benedikt likes site-visitors--of which so far there have been about 300,000 ( ! )--up from only ( ? ) just above 150,000 around this time last year--to know what they've getting into beforehand). Since the listings at Benedikt's Sites are "selected" (as the sites themselves sometimes state), those listings are therefore only partial. But this Guide cites, in one place, all of Benedikt's Websites to date. Benedikt bothers to update the link-lists at the individual websites to take account of changes at other websites only when the individual sites themselves are modified. But since the founding of this site, we've brought descriptions of website-contents up-to-date fairly promptly--that is, relatively soon after new presentations were posted. In short, we're a unified, comprehensive source of info--including overview perspectives--re an important contemporary poet.
As with Benedikt's books, a remarkably wide range of subject-matter & concerns is reflected from URL to URL. Expect almost anything! Note: There are facets of Benedikt's work and life-&-times generally which aren't reflected in his dozen or so books publlished in print media--or even in the brief bio.sketches at his sites--although they are mentioned in various biographical reference works in print media, such as Who's Who in America, Who's Who in Entertainment, Who's Who In The East, Who's Who in American Art & Gale's Contemporary American Authors). Eventually, those facets will probably be reflected at the sites--and of course will be reflected here as well. For example, besides new postings of verse, prose poems and other prose at Benedikt's sites, starting in Y2K photos from Benedikt's Literary and Arts Archive started to appear at some of his sites. Benedikt's long-standing interest in the visual arts-- which starting with his early verse appears to have deeply influenced his poetry--includes photography. He's written on Visual Arts-related subjects for Art News and Art International; and over the years also for Arts Magazine; Art & Artists; Andy Warhol's Inter/View; and in the UK, for Ambit, & The London Magazine. Articles in the later are illustrated with--you guessed it!--his own photos). As we've said, it's only relatively recently that music sound files have been making their way into some of his websites. Sidelight: Benedikt's an afficionado of 20th Century Classical Music. He also likes Rock--particularly "Classic Rock" of 1960's--& "on the side" has written lyrics, he says, for "songs you've never heard of, a few of which have been recorded by groups most people have never heard of." As lyricist he was--& still is--affiliated with B.M.I. (Broadcast Music, Inc). He still pens lyrics now & then, or fine-tunes old ones. He's also written plays. Some of which, he says may eventually be posted on the Web. The plays, he says, are "short, Surrealistic comedies--with Realistic concerns moving around somewhere in them.".
Announcements of forthcoming website enhancements &/or expansions have, historically appeared here well before being announced at the individual sites. As Benedikt's websites have proliferated, the job has become more difficult. But we'll also continue to attempt to present reasonably timely announcements of any new Benedikt websites--including any changes of URLs which may occur. Notes: Benedikt's literary sites are now located on three different host servers. If a site's ever down--as briefly and unprecedentedly occured for a few days in 3/00 re his sites at Tripod, and in later 10/00 for few days re his sites at both Tripod & Angefire--you might try checking here re what's what. Due to site-expansion, bandwith restrictions, etc., moves to new servers are eventually possible. Suggestion: If you've run print-outs of some of/any of Benedikt's sites, or saved them onto disk, hang onto them. He's also considering other servers--and other kinds of sites as well (seasoned Benedikt fans may be surprised, for example, by the presence of other kinds of content in the general public interest, appended by Benedikt to this website). Here's a link to Search Results at Yahoo/Google, which is perhaps chief among those multitudes of U.S. and International Search Engines which have indexed references to Benediktiana far too diverse for listing at this site--Benediktiana such as letters to other writers & other such documents, literary manuscripts in collections, past periodical appearances, quotes he's written for other writers, & other such diverse yet still reasonably well-preserved "ephemera." (Observation: it's characteristic of many a reasonably well-regarded artist's "ephemera," that they sometimes turn out to be far less ephemeral than inscriptions carved into the tombstones of others). In any event, the indexing of Benedikt at Search Engine both national & International, is growing all the time. Useful Search Terms: "Michael Benedikt poetry"-- or, "Michael Benedikt poetry" (& then something about what you remember of the name of the site or hint of whatever aspect of Benedikt's work you're looking for).
Continued updates of contents of nearly all the websites cited/this Guide & annotated here in some detail, are in progress. Happy travels with your literary web-surfing in this unique, one-of-a-kind literary Mini-Web--and throughout The Web itself! Also, wishing you a New Year '03! If post-'02 editions of this site are less frequent, we'd suggest occasionally checking the individual websites--using of course this Benedikt-related Portal Page as a springboard!
--The Benedikt Team '02
Top of Introduction Bio & Print Biblio.
Contemporary US poet Michael Benedikt has published five collections of poetry, most recently The Badminton at Great Barrington; or, Gustave Mahler & The Chattanooga Choo-Choo, a book of verse about the joys and sorrows of love (University of Pittsburgh Press, l980). His first four poetry collections were issued by Wesleyan University Press: Night Cries (prose poems, l976); Mole Notes (prose poems--with various author-chosen illustrations , l971); Sky (verse, l970); and The Body (verse, l968), .
Anthologies of poetry under his editorship are The Prose Poem: An International Anthology (Dell/Laurel, l976); and The Poetry of Surrealism (Little Brown, l974). He's also edited four anthologies of plays, including three volumes co-edited with theater critic George E. Wellwarth: Modern French Theater: The Avant-Garde, Dada, & Surrealism (E.P. Dutton, l964; Faber & Faber Ltd., l965); Post-War German Theater (Dutton, l967; Macmillan Ltd., l968); & Modern Spanish Theater (Dutton, l969). He's the editor of Theater Experiment: American Plays (Doubleday, l967). (Latter's illustrated with photos).
Benedikt's a former Associate Editor of Art News and Art International. Selections from his art criticism appear in The Grand Eccentrics: 19th-Century French Symbolist Painters, ed. John Ashbery and Thomas Hess (Collier Books, 1971); and in Minimalist Art, ed. Gregory Battcock (E.P. Dutton, l968). Film criticism appears in Jean-Luc Godard, ed. Toby Mussman (Dutton, 1968). A former Poetry Ed. of The Paris Review (l974-1978), his editorial selections are represented in The Paris Review Anthology, ed. George A. Plimpton (Norton, l990). New Info in '02: In l968, he guest-edited an issue of Chelsea magazine; in l971, an issue of Modern Poetry Studies. Benedikt's first play, "The Vaseline Photographer" was performed off-off-Broadway at Cafe Cino in the mid-1960's.A Benedikt play appeared in the mid-1960's in Art & Literature (edited by, among others, John Ashbery); another play in Chelsea in '68.
His own work appears in 65+ anthologies of US poetry. His relatively recent, l990's & later poetry appeared in such literary magazines as New York Quarterly, Agni, Iowa Review, Jerusalem Review, Lips, Michigan Quarterly Review, New Republic, Partisan Review; Paris Review & Washington Square. During Benedikt's print media years, grants and awards for his poetry included an NEA Fellowship, a NY State Council On The Arts C.A.P.S. Grant, and a Guggenheim Grant. Benedikt's poems have been praised by writers as diverse as James Dickey and Erica Jong. His literary criticism has appeared in Poetry, The American Book Review and elsewhere. He's a Contributing Editor for The American Poetry Review (APR).
From the later l960's to l980, Benedikt taught English/Creative Writing as Guest Poet/Visiting Professor at Bennington, Sarah Lawrence, Hampshire and Vassar College/s; & at Boston University. He's given over 100 readings around the USA, including a videotaped/audiotaped "Mini-Retrospective" for Library of Congress Literature Division at invitation in l986 of US Poet-Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks. In recent years, he's read from his work at numerous Barnes & Noble bookstores in the NY Metro area. Benedikt's a Graduate of NYU's Washington Square College (B.A., English & Journalism,1956). Post-Graduate studies (Master's Thesis on Wallace Stevens & The French Symbolist Poets) at Columbia U. (M.A., Comparative Lit., l961). A lifetime New Yorker so far, he's a long-time resident of Upper West Side Manhattan, NYC.
BENEDIKT MINI-WEB
ABOUT BENEDIKT
MINI-WEB
The sites in Benedikt's Miniweb were established later 1997 to 2002. Tthey focus on his 5 published books of poetry--but much else may be found in them. For example, they also take some account of his 6 anthologies. Three anthos. are of 20th-Century European drama (French, German & Spanish). The fourth is a collection of Anti-Naturalistic, experimental US plays. There are also 2 anthologies of 20th Century Poetry (French Surrealist; & Prose Poetry--the latter, an area in which Benedikt is, arguably, undisputed & leading international expert). The translations in those anthos. are, in all, about 1/2 by Benedikt & about 1/2 by Other Hands. Nearly all the anthos. include critical prose by Benedikt offering insights on texts included in them: Prefaces, Introductions, & notes including. bio notes on authors). Two sites have selections from 2 collections of poetry-in-progress, and in work for more than twenty (count 'em, 20) years--with Benedikt publishing poems from them in various literary magazines scattered across the USA. (For the past several years however, Benedikt hasn't sent out work to litmags by snailmail at all, as he routinely did in pre-Internet years--& has expressed disenchantment with the cumbersomeness of non-electronic publishing, & particularly with the "hurry up & wait" aspects of the print media editorial process. "I 'd like to put as much distance as I can between myself and the purely paper-based, stamp-licking era in literature," he's commented). Most of the writings at his websites so far have already been published elsewhere--and all have been updated since their original publication--many, considerably. Besides the 2 websites with recent work, Poems from Boston & Cambridge & The Thesaurus & Other New Work, poems from the works-in-progress are exclusively the subject-matter of his several single-poem 'Mini-Sites" (many of Benedikt's recent poems are of a length suffcient to sustain such presentation). Benedikt terms his revisions 'Webversions' ). Benedikt's creation of 'Webversions' of works mostly already published in book or magazine form or for both, and for presentation in websites which he himself takes pleasure in both designing & writing the html code for, is as far as we know , an innovative literary combination. (There are other innovations at the sites--both large & small & in terms of both form & content; & in some future year, we'll cite a few of those innovations here. But for now, we'll content ourselves with saying that his site-design seems to us to strive to bridge the gap between printed page & Webpage; & that some of the sites are more formal in focus than others. (Incidentally, a note at one of his sites says that one of his manuscripts-in-progress, Family Blessings, Family Curses (represented at the Poems from Boston & Cambridge site), was originally conceived of as an illustrated book of poetry....
In general, Benedikt's sites constitute mini-anthologies-in-progress of his work published in book form--retrospectives created by a poet-anthologist with after all, considerable experience in editing work by others--enhanced here & there with more recent work. In the annotated link-list given below, listed first are links to URLs with selections from published books--cited according to the order of publication. Works-In-Progress (which broaden Benedikt's earlier brand of personal Surrealism & add to it by taking a recent, more 'Realistic' tack), are listed after those. Cited near close of links are Benedikt's ubiquitous "Mini-Sites." Each Mini-Site features a relatively recent, single poem of some length--usually a page or 2 in print or in typescript), from the two Manuscripts-In-Progress. The 18 sites have had to date a total of more than a Quarter of a Million visits (a.k.a., "page hits"). Their counters revolve regularly--more, of course, at some sites than at others. Notes: ( 1 ) All sites were updated in 2000, most in '01, & several in '02. ( 2 ) Among other updates, including revisions to & touch-ups to texts, his sites receive reflect routine maintenance work, design updates, enhancement of navigational aids, etc. Technical fine-tunings go on continuously, "as time allows" ( 3 ) It perhaps goes without saying that Benedikt is fond of computers & forward-looking technology in general--"particularly electronic technology, amd particularly when connected to forward-looking ways of thinking."
MORE ON THE WEB ABOUT BENEDIKT
OTHER KEY BACKGROUND INFO
ONLINE
Info. at About.com re Background of Benedikt
Websites via article,
'The Compleat Michael Benedikt: Poet Laureate of the
Net.'
(posted by About.com 4/99).
Academy of
American Poets: Michael Benedikt.
Includes bio. & a poem from each of Benedikt's 5 published poetry
books except for
Mole Notes, 2 poems from which can be found at URL given below for
Theatre, Film & TV
Poems
(posted by Academy 5/99).
Info new in '02, marked new in bold red font. Same, re forecasts for '03
SURREALISM AND PROSE POEM-RELATED
Early
Poetry--The Body (l968) & Sky (l970).
A multi-paged site re Benedikt's 1st two books of poetry. 5-page site focusses
mainly on The Body so far. Like nearly all the poems
at all Benedikt's sites, poems appear in Y2K-era updates. Pages include
a few poems from his more romantic, lyrical 2nd book, Sky (l970)--which
book, starting with its title & title poem, expresses throughout a yearning
for virtuality & freedom from physical earthly bonds decades before The
Web. Updates are perhaps for a new edition of The Body--or perhaps
of both books combined.
New in '02: Entire Site enhanced by numerous
design-changes including color-coding of links among pages--so that Navigation
of this 5-page cornucopia is now a snap. At
Home Page: Bio + Benedikt 'Then &
Now': 1968 photo + l998 photo.
Selected Poems page has verse (+
1 prose poem) from author's first, haunting & Surrealism-influenced poetry
book. Latest at "Selected Poems" page: 3 Love
Lyrics & an unusual, Sci-fi oriented narrative poem re love &
romance. A 1967 portrait of poet by contemporary painter Alice Neel was
recently added to the iconography.
Dark Love Poems has verse about
'What A Little Moonlight Can Do'--the romantic & erotic subject-matter
enhanced by design that's exquisitely color-suffused & stimulating to
both mind & eye. Just the thing to inspire (or scare?) your sweetie with.
Spooky Poems for Halloween & All Year
'Round is an award-winning Body-based page
of poetry in horror-&-fright genre. Page has a playfully
eerie 1990's pic of Benedikt & a spooky music clip. And, for college
teachers and writers of college classroom mid-term papers, end-term papers,
theses etc.--last page of site is a handy modern poetry teaching resource
(we almost wrote: 'handy modem poetry teaching resource').
Thematic Index is a
Benedikt-Team-prepared guide to 2 early books
by a leading post-modern poet. With semi-copious, informally scholarly
Notes & Commentary. Notes so far focus on the philosophy behind both
books & on innovative techniques used in them. Benedikt was active part-time
as a professional Art Critic for both Art News AND Art
International--two leading world-class art magazines--during the later
60's. So focus is also on the Visual Arts & multi-media background of
the early verse. (The latter's a factor which also comes into play quite
obviously, in Benedikt's recent Website-Designing). Educational page
includes unusual 1960's photos from Benedikt's Archive, including pic of
his Poetry-&-Theatre Event 'Tears.' 'Tears.' based on a Benedikt poem
with same title, was lst staged in l969. In memory of WTC tragedy in
NYC, where Benedikt lives, the poem also re-appears. Some pages of
site are illustrated with related prints & other decorations by graphic
artist June Hildebrand Abrams. New in '02:
A look 'way back at Benedikt's pre-Body poetry.
Includes a l958 letter from leading 20th century US poet William
Carlos Williams congratulating Benedikt on his early verse. Also, a
look back at Benedikt's l961 small press chapbook, Changes.
Forthcoming in '03:
A few poems from Changes.
New Page in '02: unusual for a
poet, no doubt: a virtually textless page--a
'Dark Love Poems' spin-off page:
Valentine Hearts &
Hearth. A colorful,
Surreal scroll, with alluring background music
Forthcoming to Site in '03: At
long last--poems from Sky, Benedikt's soaringly lyrical 2nd book of
poetry. Visionary verse. Plans are to start with a poem reflecting
signs of the times: verses re Jane Fonda as star of the l968 fim
Barbarella. Then again, many poems in Sky--including that one
we think--somehow transcend the times. Postings of Webversions of some other
Sky-poems also envisaged for '03.
1960's cultural history come
alive.
Brief Prose
Poems & Critical Prose, Prose Poems from Benedikt's 4th poetry
book, Night Cries (l976), in Y2K-era revisions. All so far
from a darkly witty section of book called "Household Hallucinations." Site
also has an unbrief & bountiful interview on prose poetry from The
Poetry Society of America Newsletter; & an essay on "The Future of
The American Prose Poem."
This site more or less definitively answers the question: "Just What
Is A Prose Poem, anyway."
Lots about prose poetry--its history & esthetics, & theory &
criticism.
New In '02: 1 poem added + inserts
to critical prose text. Additions of other poems, possibly, in
'03.
Prose Poems
& Microfictions, Prose Poems & Short
Fictions from other sections of Night Cries in Y2K-era revisions.
Site also includes a review of Night Cries from The London
Times Literary Supplement. Review emphasizes link of dark book by US
poet Benedikt to traditions of 19th-Cent. English Romantic poetry & to
Visionary literature generally. With info on Benedikt's landmark 600-page
1976 antho. of global prose poetry The Prose Poem: An International Anthology.
Also has an Editor's Note on its publication history & possible
future. Opening poem at site, 'The Doorway of Perception,' is annotated with
brief essay which orig. appeared in 1998 in The Prose Poem: An International
Journal--a lively lit. mag.named after Benedikt's antho).
New in '02:
Revisions to poems here & there. (What's
really new, compared to prior years since site was first posted, is
that recently, revisions of poems have been so relatively rare).
Additional poems in work for
'03. Announced as
forthcoming
--to either this prose poem site or to a
linked, related URL: translations of key poems by some of the French poets
in The Prose Poem.
Theater, Film & TV Poems, a wide-ranging miscellany featuring poems in both verse & prose about Entertainment World & 'Showbiz.' Site also has info on 4 anthologies of 20th-Cent. Avant-Garde, Surrealist & Surrealist-influenced plays edited by Benedikt. 'Showbiz'-related poems include 3 shorter poems & 2 prose poems from B's 3rd poetry book, Mole Notes. Of which critic Louis Gallo wrote in Modern Poetry Studies: "As far as I can tell, the volume has no precedent in U.S. Literature, although certainly it belongs to the tradition of our modern epics beginning with Whitman's Leaves of Grass." Antho. info includes thumbnail descriptions (& contents-tables) of 4 anthologies of 20th-Century plays edited by Benedikt. Including, 3 anthos. of European plays from 'The Theatre of The Absurd': Modern French Theater--The Avant Garde, Dada, & Surrealism; Post-War German Theater; & Modern Spanish Theater. Most plays in 3 European drama volumes are Surrealistic, or Surrealism-influenced, with plenty of 'Black Humor.' Cites Benedikt's Agent Contact for French play performance-rights. Also here: info on Theater Experiment--the latter, containing scripts of anti-naturalistic US plays & l960's 'Happenings.' Latest at Site: Scenarios of 3 Microfictions-in-progress--tributes in memory of Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini. Fantasies about struggling 'Showbiz'-people. Like Fellini's films, plots are playful, unusual, & on the erotic side. New in '02: Opening sections of all 3 Fellini homages. (Note: Many authors in all 4 drama anthologies are poet-playwrights. Among other positive things, Benedikt takes the idea of poetry as a form of entertainment very seriously). This highly diverse 'showbiz'-related site is the parent site of 3 of the 7 'Benedikt Mini-Sites' whose URLs are cited towards the end of this Guide.
Robert Desnos:
A Unique French Surrealist Poet, with Intro. & Translations. Includes
Intro to apostate Surrealist poet/playwright Desnos (l900-1945). And, from
Desnos' early work, 6 classic 20th century French love poems : 'The
Voice of Robert Desnos,' 'If You Only Knew,' 'No, Love Is Not Dead,' 'Spaces
Inside Sleep,' 'I've Dreamed of You So Much' & 'From The Marble Rose
To The Rose of Iron.' Also description of Benedikt's 375-page 1975 anthology
for Little, Brown & Co. The Poetry of Surrealism, with names of
all the major Surrealist poets & titles of 18 Desnos poems presented
in The Poetry of Surrealism. (Also, titles of 5 other translations
included in an earlier, small-press Desnos collection issued by Kayak Press
in '71 & not included in the Little, Brown & Co. volume).
Updated in '02: Site 's core Desnos
bibliography. Site-in-Progress in '02:
Desnos 2, a spin-off
of the original, currently jam-packed site. It's been announced that the
additional Desnos to be posted at
Desnos 2 will
include ( 1 ) later works & (
2 ) writings in both verse and
prose. (Site-in-progress hasn't been registered with Search Engines, although
recently it's been picked up by a few). So far, D2 mostly reprises D1 &
besides that, has translations of poems 'Identity of Imagery' & 'Despair
of The Sun.' In '01 Benedikt began work on a translation of Desnos'
strictly-rhymed, 26-stanza poem 'Complainte de Fantomas'--for, perhaps,
completion in '03. Opening of Fantomas went
online 8/02 at Desnos
2. 6 amusing & somewhat spine-chilling stanzas.
Forthcoming in '03: At Desnos 2:
'Mid-Way'--verses in which Desnos bravely attempts to sum up his earlier
work.
Aloysius
Bertrand: First French Prose Poet. Intro to, & Translations of, fantasies
by highly original 19th-Century writer Bertrand (l807-1841). A Belgian-born
Parisian, he was an elegantly Gothic-Romantic writer and a forerunnner of
Surrealism--& the modern Prose Poem as well. Includes Bertrand's brief'
Preface to his dark classic Gaspard de la Nuit and 10 prose
poems--including the 3 poems on which composer Maurice Ravel based his sensuous
piano suite Gaspard de la Nuit.
(Earlier versions of many of the Bertrand prose poems appeared in Benedikt's
The Prose Poem: An International Anthology).
New In '02: Ravel's haunting music. Click
mini-console just above each of the 3 Gaspard poems.
OTHER
The Badminton At Great Barrington; or, Gustave Mahler & The Chattanooga Choo-Choo, selections from the opening & middle sections of Benedikt's 5th & most recent poetry 'collection' in book form. Actually, it's a structured sequence of verse which tells a story--about a tragi-comical 'Game of Love' played by lovers crossed not so much by their stars, as by their pyschologies. About love's joys & sorrows-- including embattled love, romantic frustration & various other funny or infuriating factors which can come with the territory. A Romantic swain & a beloved afflicted with quirk which psychologists term "An Intimacy Problem." A humorous book in all. (In general, it may be said that humor--sometimes a Surreal 'Black Humor'--is a feature of much of Benedikt's poetry from his earlier poems to the more 'Realistic,' relatively recent work. Badminton is perhaps the turning-point in Benedikt's move towards Realism, & his fusions of the so-called 'Surreal' with the 'Real'--with emphasis, most recently, on the latter. Please see 'Works-In-Progress, just below).
WORKS-IN-PROGRESS
Poems from
Boston and Cambridge, with narrative verse, mainly. Poems drafted
in Boston. From manuscripts called Transitions and Family Blessings,
Family Curses. Site has selections from both. Verses in work for a couple
of decades. Benedikt: "Looks like longer poems take longer to complete."
Most, highly autobiographical, descriptive, literal poems with 'Realistic'
settings. Nearly all , published in literary magazines of note. Site includes
a spending-Xmas-alone cat-poem called
' Xmas on Bay State
Road'; a poem about devotion to
poetry called 'Up Late Writing'; & most of a moving long poem re Donald
Hall and Jane Kenyon, & celebration of a 100-year-old neighbor's birthday.
Also, most of a section of Transitions called Teenage Passions.
Including about 1/2 of centerpiece poem of Passions, 'The
Midsummer Conference'--a wittily ironical, coolly erotic narrative re a very
unusual, darker side of academia. A couple of pages added to the Hall/Kenyon
poem in '01; + 1 page to 'Midsummer Conf.' Balance of both still announced
as forthcoming. Site has several later l970's
Boston-period photos from Benedikt's Archive. Other pix also
forthcoming in '03--perhaps at a Boston photo-album
page. Album preview at site includes pictures of love interest, blonde lady
nicknamed 'Zekie." Forecast are other poems related to the subjects of album
photos. A note at site says that the poems were orig. meant to be part of
an illustrated book of poetry.
Other innovations afoot at
Poems from Boston
and Cambridge: New in later '02:
A Test Page, with 2 poems about love interest,
lady 'Zekie'. One's
a relatively rare, purely lyical poem by Benedikt. Lyric's long & powerful.
(As far as we know, sustained Lyric poems of narrative-poem length are relatively
unusual). Be that as it may: Benedikt's a literary risk-taker, & a creature
of esthetic extremes. But he seldom pulls out quite this many stops in quite
this way.
Reminder for Holiday Season '02:
A linked,
Xmas Edition
called
' Xmas on Bay State
Road' & Other
Poems includes, in addition to its title poem,
3 holiday season prose poems for the 12 Days Of
Xmas--'Christmas Angel,' 'New Toys,' &
'New Year's Resolutions.'
Also present: a little Xmas music from Pop to Classical. Music may be played
with the poems.
New Page 12/01, updated later '02:
A
mini-Yule
Log--replete with crackling hearth & fireplace.
If you'd like to, an atmospheric & mysterious place--whoops, we meant
page--for you & yours to keep warm by/at/in, on cold wintry nights.
A little holiday music available there, too. Virtual fireplace page converts
to 'Happy New Year' Page for '03.
Note: Many non-verbal &
Multi-Media goings on at thse 2 Xmas sites. Above 2 Holiday sites are unusual
poetry Webmastering. Virtual Headline re Virtual Fireplace might read: 'Poet
Creates Site With Bare Minimum of Text!'
(*)
The Thesaurus
& Other New Verse. Selections from a 2nd ongoing
work-in-progress, this one entitled OF: As with poems
at the abovementioned Boston-related site, most OF: poems were
published in earlier versions in the 80's & '90's in various litmags
of note. Texts now appear in 'Webversions.'
(Note: The Boston poems are
mainly narrative poetry. OF: includes poems in several genres.
Some OF: poems were originally conceived of as what Bertolt
Brecht & other German poets whom US poet Benedikt came to admire in recent
decades, call Lehrstucke--"teaching pieces." Besides Entertaining,
Benedikt's said that he believes that poetry can be useful in that
particular way, too. Although playful, OF: poems
echo with philosophical overtones). New 8/02:
A long poem with a science setting / legal setting: 'Prof.
Albert Einstein Allegedly Commits A Crime; & Of The Difficulty Of Finding
A Jury of His Peers.' (Closing sections of latter, written early 90's;
forthcoming in '03). Aso new: a shorer
poem, 'Of Sexual Style.'
'02 saw revisions & touch-ups to
many poems at site. Others from OF:
forthcoming in
'03.
Thesaurus is linked to spin-off page with 3 of the 1st poems written
for OF:. All 3, drafted early 80's. Page title:
3 Poems Praising
Peace
Poem-in-progress
from OF: on a sci-fi theme. Re national furor surrounding an
unprecedented & still unparalleled broadcast:
'Of Orson Welles' Remarkable l938 Radio Program 'The War Of The
Worlds'
Stanzas were added one by one in '00 to this
thought-provoking long poem about a near National Disaster.
Online in early '01: notes on the poem's conclusion. Final stanzas of poem
still to come.
Poem from
OF: re a daring, free-spirited dance/theater co. which survived
for a while in--of all unlikely
places--repressive Communist Russia: 'Of The Colorful Taganka Troupe in
Soviet Russia, l957'
Poem's also about artistic (& other) courage; & above all
eternal human yearning for more bliss in life!--a key theme in OF:
.
Note for Russophiles & Others: Despite censorship under repressive
Soviet regime, Taganka Theater Co. survived Stalin Years & their aftermath,
& flourishes afresh at Taganka Theater in Moscow today. Other background
info re Taganka: (1) Taganka's
a district in Moscow.
(2) Under its original Director, Yuri
Luybimov, T.Troupe appeared in USA in 6/01 at Yale University's 5th Annual
'Arts & Ideas Festival.'
(3) Additional links to 1960's-to-1990's
Taganka lore added in 01. And poem redesigned, & site revised. (Or,
the reverse).
Transitions poem re some of l9th-Cent.
USA's female erotic pioneers thus far overlooked by official history-books,
'American Vibrations.'
OF: poem about growing up siblingless on a siblingless planet: 'Of An Only Child's World'
(Welles-related poem refers to news censorship. Protest against
State & other censorship of free flow of info & ideas--
&, in passing, of Arts & Free Speech--would appear to be a subtext
of the Welles, 'Taganka' & 'Kapos' Mini-Sites.
And, a sub-subtext in others. Reading further 'between-the-lines' of these
poem: 1st Amendment Concerns, Civil
Liberties themes, & Human Rights issues, are in various ways touched
upon at all the above Mini-Sites)
COLLECTIVE SITES
Besides Academy of American Poets--as noted above in Also Online About Benedikt --sites include:
Thermopylae, E-Zine with Transitions poem 'American
Vibrations' & OF: poem 'Of
Debauchery'
(Extended page with Benedikt poetry posted by Thermopylae 5/99)
E-Zine also has a provocative interview in the
'Writers Talk
About 2000' series in which Benedikt speaks
about later 20th century in literature, & 2lst cent. in Lit., from
perspective of
Literature, Technology & The Web. (Interview posted by
Thermopylae 4/00)
Interview page has a link to 'Of Debauchery' & an earlier version of
'American Vibrations' at bottom--& return-link to this Guide,
at top. Confused? Here's a link to
Thermopylae's Home
Page which has links to both Benedikt poetry & the
Interview.
NCTE-related
educational site. With Two Poems On Poetry, verse/prose
'Of Poetry My Friend' & 'The Toymaker Gloomy But Then Again Sometimes
Happy.'
(Typography of middle stanzas of 'Of Poetry My Friend' is 'off
')
Jocundity, E-Zine
(a young & aspiring one) for which Benedikt wrote 'Reading
Suggestions'--
tributes to two friends & fellow poets: the late David Ignatow &
the late William Matthews, both d. l997
(Benedikt's Reading Suggestions posted by Jocundity 6/00 are Archived at
above link)
Poetry Bay,
E-Zine with two brief Benedikt prose poems posted in issue #2, Autumn '00.
One of them--
together with a couple of letters to Editor by Benedikt--posted by E-Zine
on 'Pay-Per-View' section of site.
Archive links to lst 4 issues, non-working as we post this. Link is candidate
for removal from our site in a future edition
MISC. RE OF:
In The Paris Review, submitted in '96 & published
in Summer '99 (after 3 years!--in issue #151), a long poem from
OF:
about Time Magazine's 'Man Of The Century':
'Professor Albert Einstein Allegedly Commits
A Crime; & Of The Difficulty of Finding A Jury Of His
Peers'
In Lips, submitted in '98 & published at turn-of-the-year
'00/'01 (after 2 years!--in issue #22/23), not a long poem
from OF:
'Your Life Is Your Own Life (Variations On A Theme
by James Wright)'
New in '02: In Washington Square
Review, subm. fall '01 & publ. turn-of-year '01/'02 (check
mark), 2 brief poems from OF:
'Of The Difficulty Of Turning Over a New Leaf In The
Book Of Life'
& 'Dear Ideas & Cherished
Philosophies'
11/01 update to a Note which appeared here in '00: "Note: The latter will be the last appearances of Benedikt's poetry in print media of any kind--except for reprints of poems in anthologies edited by other hands--for foreseeable future. Additional Website info only to appear here." Benedikt tells us that he recently broke down & responded to an invitation to e-mail work to Washington Square , a print media litmag sponsored by Washington Sq. College at Benedikt's 'good' Alma Mater, NYU. (Unlike Columbia U., NYU hasn't--as far as we know--been attempting to evict a fellow writer lately). One of the 2 Poems in WS, 'Of The Difficulty Of Turning Over a New Leaf In The Book Of Life,' was drafted in 1997--perhaps significantly, just prior to start of Benedikt's work on The Web.
Notes 8/01 (later parts, updated in '02): Info re Columbia U., Benedikt's Alma Mater as Landlord. In so many words, and in the interest of Arts Advocacy & to some extent Tenant Advocacy in general as well, Benedikt brings this to our attention. Adding, this caveat: 'Notes thus far are by a writer who's a concerned citizen but a legal non-Professional': Given just below are links to a site re an Upper West Side NYC anti-Tenant & also general Human Disgrace being perpetrated 8/01 in name of Trustees of Columbia University we gather, against a younger Writer. Please take note Columbia University Students & Parents of CU Students & Parents of Would-Be CU Students. And, Columbia University Alumni too! There are in effect, apparently some figurative Snakes Beneath That Ivy!Site by writer Vicki Richman has info which may come as a revelation to many. Background: As many New Yorkers may know, Columbia U. owns apartment-houses on NYC's Upper West Side, where it acts as both Educational Institution & Landlord. Persons Columbia's currently trying to evict from what they regard as their home--throwing against them the weight of its vast, accumulated-from-many-sources financial resources as it deems fit (Alumni Funds possibly included)--are brave, articulate & resourceful writer Vicki Richman & her life-partner, Eileen Casey. In addition to being a writer, Richman is also a delegate to the 2001 Delegates Assembly of the National Writers Union--representing its New York local. Writers! Writing Students! (Journalism students + 'Creative Writers' too): For link to National Writer's Union (NWU) and info on latest developments in Columbia University's eviction-suit, successfully launched by Columbia in Manhattan's lower Manhattan Housing Court, not too far from location of offices of Columbia's Attorneys: Vicki Richman. Columbians! Former Columbians!--Complain to Columbia... Don't disrupt but lodge oerderly complaints! Otherwise--particularly if you're current Columbians & pay tuition--this eviction-suit disgrace-in-progress looks like a moral injustice which you might just have to live with. Here's a link to full text thus far of V.R.'s Eviction-Suit Story. Observation: Notice how, in this howlingly unequal battle from the get-go, a financially well-funded corporate-level entity (Columbia U.) has accessed its considerable funds to hire one of NYC's most experienced, and for all we know more expensive Landlord-representing firms to support of its position--a firm for which eviction-prosecution is routine--while Tenant is (1) relying on destined-to-dwindle personal resources; & (2) is enduring an experience which far from being routine, has in terms of drain on time & energy been so all-consuming as to cause havoc in her life, personally as well as probably professionally. The disparities seem to us prima facie proposterous, & likely to outrage any fair-minded person who can remember that they were not brought up in an acquarium populated in part by barracudas. Be that as it may, as concerned citizen we wonder: is it fair, in a Court of Equity (& in USA we customarily regard all Courts as Courts of Equity), to even inadvertently afford a such a transparently obvious head-start to such a case-initiating litigant without attempting, for openers, to vigorously facilitate amelioration of such disparity? So that, at virtually every step in the progress of such proceedings, a Goliath-vs-David-like disparity of resources & a keen sense of mounting expenses does not cloud the proceedings both for Defendant David and as a whole? With time spent re suit dearly costing Defendant--while every moment of it generates amelioratingly soothing tax deductions for suit's initiator. (Since as far as we know the concept of 'Home' is sacrosanct in every civilized nation including ours, we're dismissing the idea here, that--duh--tenant has the right simply not to fight the case, & find some other place to live and then move out). Even assuming equal merits on both sides of case: Which side has in effect & as the saying goes, has in terms of possessing the resources to participate in it, the case 'in its pocket'? Or to use sublimely detached legal terminology--which as an experienced art critic, we can authoritatively remark is more off-the-wall & abstract than any piece of abstract art we've ever seen--who is ultimately likely to "prevail"? Or "prove victorious" --as if the glorious term "Victory," which for Americans living long enough to remember World War II has a particularly distinguished history--were a term that could be applied to an eviction-crusade so lopsidedly grotesque, and so patently disagreeable in humanistic terms... Due to disparity of means, which side can begin to win, merely by being quick to look for a fight, & 'starting up'--& which side is financially equipped to start up also, with Attorneys at the starting gate & awaiting beck & call? As a concerned New Yorker, we wonder: is there any dignity which can accrue to the concept of equal access to Justice, from such a situation? (Beneath this local Gotham drama, lurks a much larger phenomenon: the locally long-widely-deplored "squeeze' on the middle-class in NYC. Which--due to the ever-increasingly assault on rent regulation in NY State on the one hand, and the increasingly high-cost NYC 'free market' apartments on the other--is as many outsiders may not yet know, slowly but surely rendering NYC a city of the affluent on the one hand, and of those with incomparably smaller means on the other. The latter, represented by New Yorkers for whom access to Public Housing seems increasingly the best answer (or last resort?) when it come to finding & living in "Affordable Housing." Nor can we make much sense of the insensitive--& some conservative thinkers might even say déclassée--latter-day legalese which substitutes the term "Housing" for Home. For, as we see it, the term "Housing" is most aptly applied to sheltering dogs in suburban kennels; or in really rural areas, to sheltering chickens, cows, horses & other farm animals. Historically, human beings are said to live in "Homes," after all--which well-established terminology, as well as well-established ethical & moral codes adhered to by people with reasonably civilized mind-sets, regard as sacrosanct as "Castles." (Happily, the concept of a tenant's right to "Quiet Enjoyment" of the place he or she may live in--i.e., the formal, legal Covenant of Quiet Enjoyment--exists; and given legal turf respectful of the idea that the concept is not the product of legislative whimsy, can be respected and perpetuated.
Back to Columbia, and to writer Vicki Richman : Alas, after some months of litigation in Housing Court, the reasonably predictable if not virtually inevitable, has--duh--indeed occurred: drain on Tenant's funds due to legal expenditutes has, we gather, forced her to conduct her own case on a self-represented, Pro Se basis. And has led to her devoting many days (& almost certainly many nights, too) to researching NYC's (probably necessarily) super-complex Housing Regulations. Which some might say--for anyone seeking to attain knowledge of a legal situation in which he or she has become involved--and for a self-representing legal amateur in particular--is in & of itself an experience constituting punishment prior to any determination of wrong-doing.And although Richman's a Writer, & therefore can be assumed to have Professional writing deadlines to attend to, defendant tenant has clearly had to-organize her life around Plaintiff-driven scheduling demands; & consequently, Court calendar over which she is the last to have control. The latter, obviously a situation perilous for a writer who happens--like millions & millions of other Americans, artists or not--also to be a free-lancer. Which is to say, the type of worker for whom control of schedule--both inside and outside 9-to-5 business hours--is Of An Essence. And, whose freelancer's income will in effect be automatically 'docked' in relation to time spent on multitudinous legal phonecalls, poring over mountains of legal papers, elaborate legal preps & numerous Court appearances--as wages of 9-to-5ers in the same situation and given employers sensitive to their imperiled situation, might not be. (Note: Although 9-to-5-ers sometimes express jealousy of those with free-lance schedules, most hard-working free-lancers cannot routinely confine their working hours to mere 8 hour shifts, as most 9-to-5-ers . Richman 's site also reflects her time-consuming, crash-course basis researching of NY State's often mind-bogglingly intricate 'Civil Practice Law & Rule's (a.k.a. CPLR's ); & to unearthing of relevant Caselaw-Precedents in support of her type of case which--since most Attorneys often charge hefty fees for time & energies spent on such efforts--is obviously no simple task either, right? Moreover, those 'crash course' legal studies (proceeding at a pace which Columbia Law School itself, would probably not require of its students lest concerned parents cry 'foul' & transfer them to another Academy for fear of imperiled health of offspring), are proceeding like clockwork with threat of dread default looming, should tenant Richman take time to crack yet another brace of books and try to learn ins & outs of law which (1) opposition lawyers have probably known about for years, or at least since graduation from Law School; and which (2) opposition law firm has known for decades. Or, should Richman even require time to attempt to live a normal life for brief periods in the midst of an enforced wall-to-wall legal regimen which some might say, places a such a beleaguered tenant litigant in chains akin to chains of grinding Slavery. And, akin to forms of quasi-indentiture which are not only unrenumerant, but which the slave must actually pay for! Time spent, in Richman's case, including writing an elaborately detailed "Memorandum of Law" for some of NYC's more sophisticated legal minds when it comes to representation of Landlords to find fault with--quibbling over technicalities such as whether creative writer Richman has mastered the mostly mechanical art of applying standard legalistic boilerplate with the correct rhetorical glue. And technicalities such as whether Richman has been ingenious enough to simply locate the appropriate legal software to work with, as her opponents can of course, very easily. When of course, something far less scholarly than that is at stake--fundamentally, whether tenant has right to stand on the very floor beneath her feet. Even assuming equal merits on both sides, which side is likely to prevail in such an appallingly unequal case from the get-go? Did we say 'prevail'? Who obviously begins to win in such a case bigtime, from the very start of it? Nor, bottom-line, can Richman as tenant look forward to receiving tax deductions for legal time & effort spent, as can landlords who routinely file tax schedules with lines allowing--if not encouraging--deductions for (1) incurring & (2) 'writing-off' legal fees. Does any of the above, from top-of-the-line ethical considerations, to bottom-line, seem like it really holds much promise for Justice on a "Level-Playing Field"? As things now stand, it would appear that--on basis of a mere accusation--a landlord in NYC, to name only one klocale, can start to score on any tenant soon after initiating a case, and even long before a case goes to Trial.
Parenthetical Note: One might wonder whether a pro se like Richman 'receives points' for struggling to learn--amidst the other ongoing, unceasing responsibilities of her life before the budget-busting catastrophe was visited upon her-- the ins & outs of legal intricacies which the vast majority of tenants in NYC and elsewhere, are probably blissfully unaware of? In other words, has anybody cut Richman much slack? Any slack at all? Read the Richman Report and decide for yourself. We repeat: Does any of the above, look promising for Justice on a "Level-Playing Field"? Or--whatever the merits of Richman's side of the case as Defendant--does it seem like an obviously uphill climb from the very start.
The Following is a General Observation re the tens of thousands--perhaps hundreds of thousands--of Creative & Performing Artists in what many people think of as USA's 'Cultural Capitol' (with a few thoughts on artists as tenants, also): Much as Columbia relies in part on its Ivy-League mystique as an academic 'class act' to attract students, NYC perennially relies on the City's artistic 'allure' & cultural glamour to help attract 'fresh blood' from all over the USA/World. NYC has a reasonably well-funded NYC Department of Cultural Affairs --well-funded by both public and private sources. DCLA has, we think, admirably benign intentions towards artists and a noble posture generally. DCLA's mission-statement at its website gives the impression that NYC's traditional hospitality to outsiders--far from excluding hospitality to artists--may even particularly extend to them. But there are no two ways about it: NYC can't pretend to be hospitable to the artists who lead the way in lending 'The Big Apple' special prestige as a Cultural Capitol--while at the same time being, it would appear, rather quick on the trigger when it comes to entertaining a suit like Columbia's against this representative of a small but prestigious & perhaps most importantly, useful minority of New Yorkers. For one NYC agency to declare Advocacy of any group of citizens--including artists on the one hand, and on the other such groups as Women, Seniors, the Disabled, the financially disadvantaged or even impoverished, etc.,--while another agency within the same City government serenely takes little account of it--or perhaps even permits a plaintiff to deftly target the vulnerability--suggests to this writer that somewhere in NYC, a certain incipient Anarchy is not only afoot, but may be stomping around indiscriminately. Or, rather, to use Federal Fair Housing terminology--termnology which is echoed by manifold State & City regulations nationwide--may be stomping around discriminately.
It's no secret that Artists--as officials at an otherwise first-rate University like Columbia should be the very first to know, if only because Columbia's own, highly distinguished Liberal Arts curricula confirm it--are unusual both individually & as a group. For example: individuals in other Professions may be sensitive or not on a take-it-or-leave it basis; but the artist's calling absolutely requires exceptional sensitivity. We ourselves believe that there's something to be said for exceptional sensitivity. Particularly when evinced by those who throughout human history, have usually succeeded as professionals to the degree to which they've not had "thick skins," and who consequently show awareness of factors in life which are as invisible to some others as if they were wearing horseblinders, or had Rhino-hides. Yup, factors related to Beauty, for example; or Meaning of Life. (We've noticed in passing that almost nothing disconcerts your average rhino more than the idea that in some circles, being a rhinoceros is considered somewhat y base; so that in certain circles--and they are not among the lower orders of American society, among other societies--a rhino in a room's considered something of an social undesirable). But even if whatever tough-mindedness we ourselves may be lucky enough to possess led us to think the opposite, thousands of years of civilized human wisdom says so anyway. And, while there are some areas of endeavor we can all probably think of in which skill at bending the truth is considered a gift and is well-rewarded, it's been our observation over a period of years --as both reasonably experienced art critic & literary editor as well-- that the artist or writer who lies or even prevaricates, is likely to produce art-works which are junk. But be that as it may: bottom-line, not being rhinoceros-hide armored is part of an artist's Profession, so that his or her vulnerability is directly connected with his or her capacity to earn a living. And, to be duly taxed on it by Federal, State, & Local authorities--even though the benefits artists bestow on a nation/state/city, both as ornaments & spokespersons, are often incommensurately large compared to the dollars they themselves may earn. For example, we do not recall US--or any other nation for that matter--being so quaint as to send abroad either Landlords or their employees such as Realtors, Superintendants or Janitors--as ambassadors reflecting what their nation is all about. But rather, endless tax-deductible jaunts by members of private industry nothwithstanding, nations World-Wide ceremoniously send artists as representatives of what's best about them. That is, writers & painters; architects & musicians, theater people, and so forth. Being careful about the well-being of such cultural hood-ornaments would seem only logical--for history suggests that the impressions they leave as they pass by are likely to be long-term and even indelible & permanent.Both domestically & Internationally. It's certainly illogical we believe, to permit the targeting of artists by those with means to understand that lawsuits, baseless or not, will be far more devasting to them than to other people. As we started the paragraph by saying, tt's no secret that Artists--as officials at an otherwise first-rate University like Columbia should be the very first to know, if only because Columbia's own, highly distinguished Liberal Arts curricula confirm it--are unusual both individually & as a group. As for others: we can only recommend getting educated fast; maybe by consulting Amicus Curiae briefs on the the Arts (links forthcoming).
In a perhaps not entirely whimsical old saying, even poets (& even when they've not been designated by decree as National or State "Poet Laureates"; & even when they've not appeared making pronouncements at Presidential inaugurations) have been termed 'unacknowledged legislators of the world.' Crazy, some might think. And yet your average, reasonably intelligent & well-educated American might look askance at one if one suggested that in order to find our what's really American about our past--he or she consult old Real Estate records, or cases launchng by Landlords against tenants. Re what's rally American aout us, he or she probably has a keen idea of the struggle for Independence in the 18th Century, & heroic struggles for equality in l9th century USA; and all the rest of what he or she may remember--or even half-remember about our history, is what artists have chosen to depict. In literature, by Thoreau or Emerson, or Whitman or Emily Dickenson, for example. Ditto, re the role played by American painters who've pictured this nation from East to West, from North to South, in our national consciousness. Ditto, re the role played by filmmakers who it doesn't take experts in the field of US popular culture to know shape our minds today far more than public pronouncements have ever been able to (we're omitting reference here to relatively minor (?) contributions of American Artists to American iconography of other kinds--such as seals of City, State, & Nation; iconography of branches of government including the Judicial, images on coins & other legal tender, etc. Historians, it's been remarked, don't draw up the iconography that people actually live by. And, presumably, the comment doesn't exclude legal historians. Incluing even the relatively new breed of upstart, revisionist Historians who've been telling again and again us in recent decades that American history needs in some key respects to be re-written from its beginnings because it fails to take sufficient account of the unfortunate roles that forms of glaring, pug-ugly, buck-naked ignorance & intolerance--such as prejudice, & discriminatory targeting of minorities--have alas played now & again in our history. (Same way that those lamentable traits have played a part--to a greater or lesser extent--in the history of many other nations). Should an artist be accorded rights which accrue to individuals in other groups whose hides, physically or mentally are not armor-plated? In the name of Arts Advocacy--a term much bandied about at umpteen otherwise well-intentioned agencies on Federal, State, & City levels, many of which are funded both publically and privately--we think the idea's worth considering. Would attributing such status to artists mean that artist would be likely to be turned down upon applying for rental accomodations. The answer to that is already in place: Federal Fair Housing Law forbids discrimination. including on the basis of "Lawful Occupation."
There's another sense in which Housing Courts--such as Manhattan Housing Court in which Richman's case is being debated--would seem to have relevance to the interests of artists and to the working habits which make it possible for most artists to produce art. As is well-known, most artists work in part or even wholly at home.Thus artists--more than many groups in our society--rely on the guarantees to Tenants provided by our Federal Housing standards, including NY State's version of the Warranty of Habitability. Many artists-also keep their tools of trade ready-to-hand at home--whether it be a writer with computer, or visual artist with sketchpad or easel; or a performing artist with necessaries for rehearsals (tape recorder, musicial instrument, etc.)--and count on the security of those work-tools, too. We've noticed that although 'L & T' Laws make much of ownership by Landlords of Landlord property, quite astonishingly we think, they seem to take relatively little notice of the fact that rented premises are also the containers, the shelters, of tenant property. Which besides seeming inequitable, is we think also outrageously contradictory--since while many landlords own more than just one building, the majority of tenants keep most or nearly all their worldly possesions with them in their homes. We're astonished that even outspoken Tenant Advocates, seldom explore the implications of that quasi-oversight. Is not respect for property, property of all kinds--whether it belongs to Landlord or to Tenant--partly what "L & T" laws are all about?
*
Regarding Vicki Richman's experience at the hands of Columbia and in a Manhattan Housing Court--& without reference to her being artist, but simply tenant in NYC: Stats reveal that 300,000 cases were heard in NYC Housing Court in a recent year (!). Most, we gather, initiated by well-armored Landlords additionally equipped with the capacity to take as business expenses, deductions for legal fees. Which leads us to wonder if, on that basis alone, the term 'Rent & Eviction Laws' may itself keep some Landlords--initiators in Housing Court of most of those cases--cocked on half-trigger. In addition of course, to some Landlords having other, more obvious eviction-motivations which the general public is relatively aware of--such as desire to obtain vacancies so as to get rent increases on homes which are still rent-regulated apartments; or so as to evict long-standing tenants, so as to subdivide those same, often largish, apartments. Is there perhaps a downside in terms of the general public interest, in terming a significant section of Landlord-Tenant Laws "Rent & Eviction Laws"? After all, that nomenclature places on an equal plane a relatively normal situation (Rental) and a situation that's relatively abnormal--and almost as fraught with upheaval for the individual as armed insurgency would be for a government (physically enforced Eviction). At every turn, we hear that "the Courts are busy." Why then, use an umbrella term which in effect invites business? Since the unusal and the unusual cannot be equated (being in effect, opposites), again, an issue of equitableness is perhaps present.No party is supposed to own a Court, of course; to begin with, none should be favored from the get-go by types of legal nomenclature.
*
Here's a link to a New York State Tenants Rights Guide with golden words by NYS Attorney General Eliot Spitzer on, for example, Warranty of Habitability. Other states have regulations with similarly righteous intent. Most cities, we gather, have organizations with missions related to Housing Maintenance Codes, and requirement related to Lanlord upkeep of apartments which are similar to mission of NYC's HPD. [The grand-daddy of all these regulations in USA is of course Federal. Link to highly Informative US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) Home Page, here].
With the exception of Senior Citizens & those who are ailing or disabled, perhaps no group in our Culture more than artists, is more vulnerable physically as well as financially, to abuses by those Landlords tempted to 'Use the Courts For Purposes of Harassment.' (The latter, too, is a 'boilerplate' legal term; & we gather that much to their credit, many Judges--whether or not they particularly know about or care about the nature of the artist's calling--show keen sensitivity to such abuses of Court Time & Purpose). However, enquiries with NYC Department of Cultural Affairs reveal that, as far as defending artist tenants from Landlord abuses is concerned, focus at this point in NYC history is concentrated on issues related to use by artists of lofts as homes & workplaces, mostly in lower Manhattan. Curious, perhaps--since DCLA's current Commissioner, Hon. Schuyler Chapin, went on record during NYC Mayor Rudolph Guiliani's administration (admin. concluded in '02), with the following assertions re the economic role of artists in NYC life: "The Mayor fully appreciates that Culture is big business in our city, generating employment and serving as a dynamic economic anchor. For that reason, he was the first Mayor to put DCLA under the jurisdiction of the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Finance. Dance, theater, visual arts, music, literature and film--they are all here and thriving in New York." Somewhat curious, from the perspective of that concentration of concern: "DCLA provides city funds to 34 cultural institutions located on city property and several hundred arts organizations spread out over all five boroughs--in every neighborhood." In every neighborhood? In that case, where for example is vigorous NYC Advocacy as far as Richman is concerned? NYC--in the 5 boroughs of which its 6 Landlord/Tenant Housing Courts are located, & in which LL-vs-Tenant cases (especially) are tried--advertises the joys of living in 'The Big Apple' in many ways. From top-line to "bottom-line." For example, in drawing up its budget, NYC competes with neighboring Municipalities--and all other Municipalities, States, and even Countries around the World--in attempting to attract tourists--& in giving tax-breaks to attract businesses. Okay. But statistics show that about one third of NYC's tourist dollars, come from individuals (& families) visiting NYC for purely Cultural reasons--& the stats refer to the Arts tourism specifically--& not to Ethnicity. (People who have in mind tourism related to cultural Ethnicity, probably visit cities abroad).One wonders how the depletingly vampire-esque situation recorded at Website of much-burdened Vicki Richman looks to prospective new NYC residents--not only to artists, but to others who might represent infusions of 'fresh blood' from NY State, the USA, & the World as well.... Speaking of draining--& of still more serious threats to life & limb: we suggest carefully reading Tenant's allegations circa mid-page of Eviction-Suit Story re electrical non-repairs just prior to start of Columbia's suit--& what's alleged to have happened to Tenant's aged & severely ailing Mother due to those alleged non-repairs. IF V.R.'s point is well-taken, it's just possible that some of the figurative snakes hiding beneath all that ivy, just may have been venomous to the point of being literally deadly.
Although a Nat'l Writer's org,
National Writer's
Union , which was founded in 1981, is affiliated with AFL/CIO
& is also known as: UAW Local 1981. A second major USA Writer's
org is Writer's Guild of America. WGA's
Home Page,
where we'd suggest starting, is West Coast-oriented. WGA's East Coast branch,
here. WGA also, is affiliated with
AFL/CIO.
Note 7/02: Dismaying outcome of Columbia University's eviction suit against Tenant--a somewhat 'classic' suit we believe, raising many issues for artists (& perhaps for Columbia as well) which may resonate for some time to come, now posted in several installments at Vicki R. Site. Details, we think, are worth studying. For a general perspective on the tense Landlord vs. Tenant situation in NYC which lurks just beneath the surface of the lives of many unsuspecting New Yorkers, & also a quick, entertaining take on the situation, we'd suggesting visiting rentwars.com--an animated parody of real NYC court battles. Using fanciful kung fu scenarios and realistic legal principles Rent Wars entertains while educating in Tenant Rights & in some related, basic legal concepts. It's an informal, yet practical & enlightening web Academy which, we think, has long needed establishment. Proprietor of rentwars is Ronin Amano. He and staff are we think doing ground-breaking work on the Web for the public good. And so, presumably, are the State & City Agencies whose websites have expanded remarkably in '02, & which--in harmony with Federal guidelines--express concern for Human Rights including Tenant Rights [Although they do not dramatize the staggering inequitableness involved from the get-go in many "Goliath vs. David" Landlord vs. Tenant situations. Nor the uphill climb which self-represented tenants have as self-representing--(a.k.a. pro se attornies) in NYC--as Rent Wars does]. Ronin reports that approx. 90% of NYC tenants in Housing Court are unrepresented, i.e., are lawyerless, pro se litigants. Rent Wars reviews local Courts in terms of hospitaity to self-represented tenants, in texts indexed among its locally unique Tenant Forum pages; & thus would appear to be must-see reading for NYC tenants/prospective NYC tenants. Rent Wars also has a series of pages which may help tenants in other significant respects, starting here. And, on a lighter note (?), lest Richman's comments re injury to an aged, ailing parent seem far-fetched, try this link (btw, also reported by Ronin in his Tenant Forum pages). Version of article which we found, with dateline: 10/8/00, is called Driven to Kill, Landlord Says.
Classic Link for NYC Tenants at encyclopedic
tenant.net.
Has searchable database of NYC Housing Court Cases.
Here's their somewhat hard-to-find
NYC Housing Court
Information Page. It's almost like a 2nd tenant.net Home Page.
Also Essential: City-Wide Task Force on Housing
Court (CWTFHC) offers informative
Fact Sheets, & (much) more.
For vital stats on NYC Landlord-Tenant cases NYC, please see--at Monitoring
& Reporting section of page--'Donaldson Report.'
Recently Established:
Rent Wars (described just
above)
Note 8/02 We've noticed that V.R.'s Site now contains info on an earlier phase of her years as tenant in Manhattan. And, re a prior eviction which took place in the 1970's, from yet another apt on Upper West Side. Earlier eviction, from a non-Columbia building as Richman points out, was evidently the result of being a partner in a transgendered-couple relationship in the 1970's--a variety of relationship which in relatively recent years, landmark laws have increasingly accepted: "The landlord charged Vicki with taking an illegal roommate. We argued that our relationship was no different from that of a married couple, but--perhaps overcome by [opposing] attorney's jokes about Vicki's appearance and name--the judge laughed and ordered us out." In more recent years, such laughter, if it occurred, might have been termed "discrimination on basis of sexual orientation. "And, if such conduct occurred, taped courtroom transcripts might have confirmed it--unless of course the event was kept "off the record" by custom or by those in control of whether or not "on the record" records were kept. Info on NYS/NYC's Fed-derived, local Fair Housing Laws--which pertain to several types of discrimination including (but not limited to) "discrimination in housing and public accommodations based on actual or perceived race, color, creed, age, national origin... gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, disability, & marital status")--may be found among pages at NYC Commission on Human Rights site. For example, at this page: Human Rights Laws in NYC in Plain Language. ("In housing, the law affords additional protections based on lawful occupation and family status... City Human Rights Law also prohibits retaliation and bias-related harassment"). (Plain Language page temporarily unavailable). Perhaps because of economic cosiderations, The Arts would seem to be considered as more of an extremely lawful occupation each and every year. Fed/HUD Info on filing Discrimination Complaints in various states across the USA (including initiating complaints online) here. People With Disabilities may read about Federal intentions to provide additional Protections for those with handicaps, including Protection for those living in existing housing, here. (Suggestion: Carefully note & re-note Statues of Limitations & other caveats). here. Informal discussion of topic at about.com, here.
Notes:
'Arts Advocacy' is a term used by many Gov't agencies
whose missions are Arts-Supportive--at Federal, State, & City levels.
All very well & good!--as far as it goes.
The above notes--inspired by Columbia U. vs. Vicki Richman--represent a rough
draft of ideas whose time may have come, & which we may or may not have
time or longevity to pursue. Perhaps others will...
'Arts Advocacy' carries with
it the responsibility of Advocating Artists.
Advocacy begins re the places in which Artists live
& work.
Program might begin with Advocacy of Conditions
which have traditionally enabled established artists to produce
Art.
Sidelight: Compare 'Legal Services' page of
Chicago's Lawyers for The Creative
Arts , which offers volunteer legal representation re Landlord-vs. Tenant
matters,
to Legal Svcs. page of NYC's otherwise similarly well-intentioned
Volunteer Lawyers for
The Arts.(VLANY), which does not.
Reminder: Notes thus far, by a writer who's a Concerned Citizen but a legal non-Professional.
Top of Statement In Support of a Fellow Writer
[ Space here for picture of Columbia Campus 'Alma Mater' Statue--in '01 & 02 as we see it, seated upside-down ]
Reminder: More comprehensive info re case significant to writers & others who are tenants--posted at V. Richman Site.
Benedikt Print Media Bibliography
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