Reading List

levy/Golden, The Buddhist Third Class Junkmail Oracle: The Art and Poetry of d. a. levy (Seven Stories Press: 1999)

Algarin/Holman, ed., Aloud! Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Café,(Henry Holt:1994)

Ouzoonian, Amy, ed., Skyscrapers, Taxis, and Tampons (Fly by Night Press:1999)

Torrez, Belile, et al, ed., Revival: Spoken Word from Lollapalooza, (Manic D Press:1995).

Auden/Pearson, ed.,Viking Portable Poets of the English Language (Viking: 1975).

Blum/Holman/Pellington, The United States of Poetry (anthology, Abrams: 1996; CD, Mouth Almighty/Mercury Records: 1996, 2 VHS tapes, KQED: 1996).

Boland, Eavan, Object Lessons: The Life of the Woman and the Poet in Our Time (Norton: 1995).

Cabico/Swift, Poetry Nation, (Vehicule Press:1998). ISBN:1-55065-112-9 PB/17.95

levy, d.a., Swanberg, Ingrid, ed., zen concrete & etc., (Ghost Pony Press:1991)

Phillips, U. Utah, & Ani DiFranco The Past Didn’t Go Anywhere (CD, Righteous Babe: 1997).

Rothenberg/Joris, ed., Poems for the Millennium, Vol. 1-2 (California: 97-98).

Sundiata, Sekou, The Blue Oneness of Dreams,(CD, Mouth Almighty/Mercury Records:1997).

Torrez/Belile, et al, ed., Revival: Spoken Word from Lollapalooza, (Manic D Press:1995).

Trachtenberg, ed., Verses That Hurt (St. Marten’s:1997). ISBN 0-312-15191-8 PB/$14.95

Williams, Saul, She, (MTV/Pocket:1999); The Seventh Octave (Moore Black:1998)

9/2	I know what poetry did last summer: In-class performances. Mumia (Dreiblatt) / Rumi (Enright) / Neptune (hiphop) / poem w/ words; poem w/o (Liechy) / Run Paint Run (Kraft) / VidPo (Dudzic) / Memorize (Mora) / DancePo (Policastro) / Lenny Bruce, Andy Kaufman, The Source, Ani DiFranco / Utah Philips, Jessica Care Moore, Carl Hancock Rux, Saul Williams. Assignment: Memorize a poem from one of the anthologies. Write an imitation of it. Read intro to levy plus some poetry. Hie thee to NYC and see “The Source” at Film Forum; “Lenny Bruce at MusTVRad” [TH 6, FRI 7, Sat-Wed 1, closed M, 25 W. 52]
9/9	d.a. levy and the mimeo revolution. Politics and poetry. Why notebooks are necessary. Start on The Descent, Notley-Dante. Who is On-Line? Assignment: 3 of yr own poems (typed!). Descent: 3-23. Read O’Hara and Olson.
9/16	O’Hara’s “Personism Manifesto.” Olson’s “Projective Verse Essay.” Who were they? Poetry/Performance/Theater. Assignment: Memorize one of your own poems. Descent:24-42
9/23	In-Class performances. (9/29/99, 9PM: Fooling with Words: Moyers on Poetry on PBS). Assignment: 3 page paper on levy. Descent:45-63.
9/30	Hand in levy papers. Media performance Descent and slam. CD: Sekou Sundiata. Mid-term perf round-table. Assignment: Read 3 of yr own poems, inc. imitation of Henderson.
10/7	David Henderson, “De Mayor of Harlem,” Neo-California, Umbra, Beats, Black Arts Movement, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley. JazzLovePoetry. Assignment: Prepare mid-term performance. Descent: 64-82
10/14	*Reading Week*
10/21	Mid-term Performance/text. Assignment: read Koon Woon, write imitation.. Memorize poem from any required text.
10/28	Koon Woon: memorized poem and imitation. In-class slam with memorized poems. Assignment*: Descent:85-100. 3 poems of your own.*
11/4	Assignment: Write a slam. Team Blue: levy, Henderson, Notley, Woon. Teams Red, your choice of 4 poets. One poem per poet.
11/11	In Class Mediaized Team Slam. Assignment:** Descent: 100-117.**
11/18	Assignment: Descent:120-148. Memorize Descent poem.
12/2	Assignment: Descent: 5-10 page paper due
12/9	Assignment: 3 poems of your own. Rehearse for Final perf.
12/16	Final Performance Party

You are required to perform one of your poems. This will either be at a nighttime performance or in our final class. You may use any style, but you must follow the directions in the poem. If the poem calls for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, you must figure out how to get them, or, train gerbils (etc.). Performances may include but are not limited to: music (live or recorded), multi-voice, costumes, sets, lights, film, video, Net.