Welcome
Apprenticing with Allen Ginsberg: The Object Is to See Clearlyfrom “A Poet’s Progress,” Newtopia Magazine #16
Introduction On its first anniversary, it seems a good time to revisit and expand on the central premise of this series. As I mentioned at this column’s beginning, the central conceit of “A Poet’s Progress” is to test an idea presented in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress (published in 1678) that the events of our lives… Continue Reading »
Among the Ngamo, Zimbabwefrom “A Poet’s Progress,” Newtopia Magazine #15
What Are You Looking At? When James was training to be a guide, he was assigned to an ex-Army drill sergeant named Tomas. One of James’ jobs was to go to the kitchen in the morning and prepare a cup of tea for Tomas, and then go up to his tent and wake him up…. Continue Reading »
Into the Okavango Delta, Zambiafrom “A Poet’s Progress,” Newtopia Magazine #14
December 1, 2010: Lufupa Camp, Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe John Dee Explains the Okavango Delta The Okavango Delta is the largest interior wetland in the world—a natural basin into which three rivers empty. At some point in prehistory the tectonic plates shifted and there was an uprooting of the land so that the three rivers… Continue Reading »
A Native Tells His Country’s History Post-Mugabefrom “A Poet’s Progress,” Newtopia Magazine #13
There is a sanctuary in Zimbabwe where orphaned animals who would die in the wild are protected. Up until the age of 2.5 to 3, a lion is not a threat to humans. The lions are trained with wooden sticks, like the one you can see me holding in the photo above. I asked a… Continue Reading »
James Explains the Marriage Customs of the Shona in Zimbabwefrom “A Poet’s Progress,” Newtopia Magazine #12
After I told the story of the marriage customs in the United States of America, James, a Shona from Zimbabwe, told us the marriage customs of the Shona. For the Shona, there are three ways for a man and woman to become engaged. The most common is when a poor family is nearly wiped out,… Continue Reading »
Okavengo Delta, Zambiafrom “A Poet’s Progress,” Newtopia Magazine #11
November 28, 2010: Wilderness Camp, Okavengo Delta, Zambia Tonight, Julius—a guide so experienced that he is mentioned in one of the books I read to prepare for this trip—was walking me back to my cabin with a flashlight after dinner. I was making small talk, embarrassed to have to be walked to my room—certainly it… Continue Reading »
Disembarkation, Chobe River, Botswanafrom “A Poet’s Progress,” Newtopia Magazine #10
November 24, 2010: Baobob Camp, Chobe, Botswana Camouflaged Bird’s Eggs, Chobe River, Botswana Evening Today out on the river we came across a lily pad with four camouflaged bird’s eggs in it. Mat explained that the eggs in this species are nurtured by the male and that the one who built this nest has probably… Continue Reading »
A Gallery of Troubadours
A Gallery of Troubadours: A Manuscript Prepared in Anticipation of a Trip to Southern France in April-May 2012 to Partially Recreate a Walk by Ezra Pound on Its Centenary Table of Contents Notes for a Walking Tour of Provence with Jonathan Gill on the 100th Anniversary of Ezra Pound’s Walking Tour of Provence, Summer 1912……………………….…………7 William IX,… Continue Reading »
Apprenticing with Allen Ginsberg–spontaneous talk given on the 50th anniversary of the publication of “Howl” at Naropa University, Boulder, CO. June 25, 2006
Originally published in “Elephant Journal”: http://www.elephantjournal.com/2009/02/the-poet-that-changed-america-allen-ginsberg-beat-poet-naropa-activist/ Randy Roark: I’m an example of the apprenticeship program that Allen ran here. It was a class that you could sign up for, you got credit for it, and met once a week for three hours. Some of the time was spent looking at your own work as a… Continue Reading »
Going on Safari, Southern Africa from “A Poet’s Progress,” Newtopia Magazine #9
November 20, 2010: Johannesburg, South Africa It’s been a long trip. With a 13-hour layover in Heathrow (luckily four of them in an airport hotel bed courtesy of the travel agency), I’ve been traveling for close to 38 hours. The only reason I’m still vertical is because I’m waiting for my bag. I said I’d… Continue Reading »