Canoeing up Cabarga Creek: Buddhist Poems 1955-1986 (Parallax Press, Feb 1995), Two Novels (Zephyr Press, Jan 1986), Off the Wall: Interviews with Philip Whalen (FourSeasons Foundation, Jan 1978), Enough Said: 1974-1979 (Grey Fox Press, Nov 1980), and Heavy Breathing: Poems, 1967-1980 (Four Seasons Foundation, Jan 1983).
About me:
Philip Whalen was born on October 20, 1923 in Portland, Oregon. He grew up just south of Portland and during WWII, he served in the US Army Air Corps. He attended Reed College on the GI Bill and received his B.A. in 1951. Gary Snyder and Lew Welch were Whalen's roommates during college. Whalen read with Gary Snyder, Allen Ginsberg, Philip Lamantia, and Michael McClure at the Six Gallery on October 7, 1955, when the infamous "Howl" was first read.
Whalen is generally considered one of the pioneering forces behind the San Francisco Poetry Renaissance of the mid-1950s. The author's work differs from much Beat writing in its reverential treatment of the mundane, its self-deprecating humor, and its generally apolitical tone. Dictionary of Literary Biography essayist Paul Christensen writes: "Whalen's singular style and personality contribute to his character in verse as a bawdy, honest, moody, complicated songster of the frenzied mid-century, an original troubadour and thinker who refused to take himself too seriously during the great revival of visionary lyric in American poetry."
Whalen was ordained a Zen Buddhist priest in 1973 and became head monk, Dharma Sangha, in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1984. He died June 26th, 2002 in San Francisco.
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Wally Hedrick: My Last Photos Of Wally
Who I'd like to meet: This site is now being run by Bruce Hodder and Blue Fred Press. My hope is to use it as a means of raising Philip's profile in the Beat/ alternative and the broader literary worlds, since his status at the moment seems to be somewhat that of a poet's poet, known and appreciated by the cognoscenti but invisible in most general reading lists (especially in England, from where the site's being run.)I also aim to honour Philip's own beliefs and interests by using the site to help propagate the Dharma. So you'll see a pretty even balance between Buddhist and poetry sites in the friends list.
With the mission statement out of the way, let me say I'd love to hear from poets, Buddhists or religious practitioners of any sort, campaigners, activists, anybody who lives with passion and/ or dedication to something. If you knew Philip either modestly or in deep friendship, send your memories for presentation in the blog.
ok guys... i gotta face facts, i'm fuckin broke as hell... now, i need to make some cash, and i'm willing to do a large number of things... nothing sexual, sorry guys, i'm taken now... so here it is...
my roommate and i have come up with a few things we are willing to do for a small amount of cash...
we will clean your house, including laundry, dishes, and vaccuming if you need advice, i'm sellin that too, cuz apparently we are pretty good at that with the exception of being able to solve our own problems... we have alot of shit around here that needs to move... nothing in horrible condition but we don't use it and it's really in the way... contact me for a complete list or "merchandise" we will wash your car and clean the inside if you got a party or wedding, i'm pretty good at planning them, just have no luck at throwing my own cuz everyone's busy and nobody wants to set foot on my lawn due to my fuckin granddad... if ya got computer problems, i gotcha covered... and there are a number of "special talents" we are willing to tutor you guys on... (guys, this is a must if you wanna really know how to please your woman... ok, we have a few tricks for the girls, too...) and we are open for suggestions... you want something we havn't listed, just holla... we'll see what we can do :)
so please... msg me, call me, txt me, txt her, call her, whatever... we got bills that fucking sonic just ain't payin...
ATTENTION TO ALL MY FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND LOVED ONES. IF YOU CARE TO KNOW. YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED FOR MY NEXT BIG SHOW.
I AM PLAYING SATURDAY, MARCH 24TH. AT 8:30 PM.
AT THE RIVER CLUB IN JOLIET. $5 COVER, 21 AND OLDER SHOW. 2 FULL SETS. LOCATED AT 724 RAILROAD STREET. JOLIET, ILLINOIS. 60436. IF I CAN GET ALOT OF PEOPLE, IT CAN TURN INTO A REGULAR GIG FOR ME. SO IF YOU CAN POSSIBLY MAKE IT OUT, IT WOULD MEAN ALOT TO ME. ALSO I'VE BEEN TAKING SOME CRITICISM FOR SENDING OUT THESE INVITATIONS AND I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IT IS NOT INTENTED TO BOTHER ANYONE. I APOLOGIZE IF IT DOES. BUT THIS IS MY MEDIUM FOR GETTING MY MUSIC OUT THERE. I AM AN UP AND COMING MUSICIAN AND NEED TO KEEP MY FANS POSTED. SO IF IT BOTHERS YOU, JUST SIMPLY DELETE THE COMMENT. BUT IF YOU SUPPORT ME, AND MY MUSIC, AND CARE ABOUT YOUR FRIEND, THEN IT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THE LOVE AND SUPPORT I HAVE BEEN RECIEVING. MY MUSIC MEANS SO MUCH MORE TO ME WITH YOU.
OM MANI PEDME HUM,
MATTHEW SEMENIC
Big and exciting news to all my friends! New songs on my page and you can now download The Echo System songs for only a buck! Directly on my myspace page! Your support is needed and always appreciated! More songs will be available soon for download, as I get them down to quality recordings. You are also invited to see me perform live next weekend. There are two oppuritunuties:
Friday, March 9th. 8pm
Espresso Cup 1455 w. Lake st. Addison, IL 60101
(630)424-1910. No cover charge.Tips accepted.
It's a full feature set approx. an hour and a half.
Saturday, March 10th 7:15pm
The Fat Bean 2959 Artesian rd. Naperville, IL 60564
(630)922-9821. $6 cover charge.
Matthew Semenic (7:45-8:15)
The Hoodoos (8:30-9:00)
Tony Sorrentino (9:15-9:45)
The Left Field Champs(10:00-10:30)
The black cat formed by the shadow in the middle is as mysterious as my feets walking outdoors taking this photograph, is as mysterious as the eyes that now...see:
hey Philip Whalen
I feel close to you
thru your poems
& that I have your copies
of TISH
sent to you
in 1961- 1962
to 4291 24th St.
San Francisco
& later in 1964-1966
to 123 Beaver Street
San Francisco
my TISH poet friends
George Bowering
& Jamie Reid were
surprised to see these again
Thank you for keeping such good
care of the words of some Vancouver
poets from the past
I wonder how often
you read through them
