Friday, October 16, 2020
Around the time the Actualists were in their heyday, in Iowa City, there was apparently a thriving poetry scene in San Francisco. They say it centered around City Lights Bookstore, which is now closed (recently, I heard; not sure about this), in North Beach.
The heck of it is, I was traveling around that time, in 1974, and actually found City Lights as part of my desire to see what the "scene" was in San Francisco. I was disappointed. I was also disappointed with the Haight. I was mostly disappointed because I found no one to talk to. Everyone was going on their way.
It was a pretty city; I couldn't deny that. From various hills you'd see the ocean in one direction or the other, and there were lots of victorian houses everywhere; people took care of it. The cable car bells irritated me, though. It was like a tourist shill. It was true you could jump on them, pay or not, kind of experience them as a living thing. There were things I liked about the place. But when I found City Lights, it was just a bookstore. Everyone was busy. If there was anyone just hanging out, I didn't see it. And then I left.
I'm kind of putting this in my novel, in one way or the other. I'm still a little curious about the people who glorify the scene out there. And I'm sure there was good poetry that came of it. I'm curious about that too. I'll keep you posted.
The heck of it is, I was traveling around that time, in 1974, and actually found City Lights as part of my desire to see what the "scene" was in San Francisco. I was disappointed. I was also disappointed with the Haight. I was mostly disappointed because I found no one to talk to. Everyone was going on their way.
It was a pretty city; I couldn't deny that. From various hills you'd see the ocean in one direction or the other, and there were lots of victorian houses everywhere; people took care of it. The cable car bells irritated me, though. It was like a tourist shill. It was true you could jump on them, pay or not, kind of experience them as a living thing. There were things I liked about the place. But when I found City Lights, it was just a bookstore. Everyone was busy. If there was anyone just hanging out, I didn't see it. And then I left.
I'm kind of putting this in my novel, in one way or the other. I'm still a little curious about the people who glorify the scene out there. And I'm sure there was good poetry that came of it. I'm curious about that too. I'll keep you posted.
