John Ashbery reads "Fear of Death," May 1973 in San Francisco - The Poetry Center

Full-program video (with downloadable audio) at Poetry Center Digital Archive: diva.sfsu.edu/...
John Ashbery reads his poem "Fear of Death," May 16, 1973, at the San Francisco Museum of Art (pre-SFMOMA), as part of the 20th anniversary celebration of The Poetry Center, San Francisco State University.
"The poet is mustached, black leather-jacketed, in striking profile.... There’s a David Smith-ish metal construction sculpture in the background, directly behind the poet. There’s a mic to be tapped for percussion. There is smoking on the premises, with an uncanny houselights-out legerdemain when the match ignites." (from "For Mnemosyne" at SFMOMA, Open Space openspace.sfmo...)
#poetrycenterarchivegoeslive #johnashbery #newyorkschoolpoets

[@chazandrews1]

How to light a cigarette with style. Ashbery was his own man. Thanks for sharing this.

[@alexcolter612]

what a gift! thank you

[@hughmanatee7657]

Reminds me of the way people used to smoke after sex.

[@jenniferjuneau7329]

0:34

[@harovar7]

couldn't he withstand it without that cliché end-of-reading cigarette? Part of being a poet is to retain the conflict, the turmoil, the fervour and show it in the works

[@seanmccuen6970]

boring as fk...

[@lilnutty6821]

Lol. Not a fan of him?

[@seanmccuen6970]

@@lilnutty6821 lol, nah, 'doesn't do anything for me'.

[@connorveach5986]

Curious how you even found yourself here if you don’t like it

[@seanmccuen6970]

@@connorveach5986 lolol