Liz Parks

It was a semi-sunny day at the Temple Emanuel Cemetery in Lawrence, Massachusetts. It was also Valentine’s day. Somehow,it seemed an appropriate setting to place the urn containing the ashes of David Franks. As you may know, David was a Valentine follower. He always sent an extremely humorous self-made Valentine to his favorite Aunt Marlene.
David’s favorite author, Jack Kerouac, is located in the next city, Lowell, about 10 miles away. Also David’s brother Paul and wife Betsy celebrated their Anniversary on this day.
We were a small but faithful group.David’s special carrier was placed into the ground. The Rabbi, summarized beautifully and correctly the information given to him by Paul and David’s website. Next Paul told us about “David’s World” and how different it was from his own. He never realized how hard David worked and how difficult and scary his life could be. We were then given various sparkling pieces of papers and confetti to place in David’s grave as a remembrance of how he placed those little papers in an envelope that he would mail with the hope that they would spill all over your floor. David loved to be the prankster.
We then exchanged loveable stories about David with Paul, Betsy, Bruce, Larry, Norman, Aunt Marlene, the Rabbi and me.
We next visited his mother Dorothy’s and his father Maury’s grave site.
The compassionate cemetery man waited until we left and then filled up David’s special place in this universe.

In the Constellation Eeyore- in mem, david franks

Who are you, who do you think we are?

It’s all so far, so far, so far.
Start in the constellation “Eeyore”- that guide star….
Pin a tail on it- go from there south in the southern sky…

That shadow had not looked that way before,
And since I’m asking why:
Vast forests to the north, bor-

eal taiga, the last time I saw my father,
Spoke to him- I can’t remember now.
There could be meaning, could be some how

Like the overtones to a piano string,
The clouds keep changing now that you mention it.
My pa liked cheese and crackers, that I know.

The forests of the night sky, forests of stars
Where you can go a long way before you meet another.
It’s all so far, so far, so far.

Who are you, who do you think we are?

dave froginbog eberhardt mozela9@comcast.net

david franks memorial- creative alliance- jan 31, 2010
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i’m telling u- was David Franks something else?- and yet- u couldn’t know it at the time- unless- unless- u were specially prescient-

Franks is the kind of poet that was famous after his death
but that was then …..
now?

he was ahead of his time
but- i wonder if there is enuff lov of poetry now to redeem him?- for history? not that it matters to him- he’s dead-

his range- his excellence in many areas- Chris Toll read a poem by him that has never been published- and i think Chris has the only copy and Chris’s own poem, in response was also great

to us who still treasure poetry- what does it matter whether we draw big crowds?
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yet and still- between 50-75 persons gathered at the creative alliance’s patterson theatre today to honor the memory of legendary baltimore performance poet- David Franks- the order of events was: 3-4, Memorial, 4-5, Reception, 5-6+ reading by poets- some 20- curated by David Beaudouin; the event was organised chiefly, as far as i can tell, by Adrianna Amari and Megan Hamilton and the Creative Alliance- along with other of David’s closest friends.

The Memorial: , welcome by Megan Hamilton, video of Franks composition for handbells- thoughts on collaboration- Glenn Moomau, letter from Sen. Mikulski read, letter from Chris Sharits, video of David reading- tENTATIVELY a cONVENIENCE, thoughts from poet Andre Codrescu read, eulogy by Buck Downs, Franks poem- Lorraine Whittlesby, ends w Franks composition of recorded tug boat whistles

the reception was a potluck- with many items brought by the audience- several large cakes read Happy Birthday, David- in that Sat. was Dave’s birthday although he died before that- what day? pin on buttons were avaliable in the shape of red hearts reading “Poet David Franks”

poetry reading- a super job by David Beaudouin: many moving readings-much humor- (befitting David) Mike Lally from D C begins – says ” it pisses me off that now i know David won’t be attending my memorial”——————————————-
other poetsand writers and inspired friends reading: Alpert, Alvarez,Bender, Boyd, Eberhardt, Epstein, Figgs, Fuller, Hamilton, Lang, Mason, Moomau, Royer, Schiavone, Toll, Wall, Zippelli- i know i’ve left some one out- m c’d by David Beaudouin-

some one tells me, you never get a feel for the whole person except in retrspectives like this- more’s the pity-the person of David Franks came to life in this event more than in any similar event i’ve been to

he was a startling poet- like Rimbaud, Patti Smith-a humorous poet, a radical poet

in one poem he mentions his influences- Creeley, Berrigan, O’Hara, – poets who include the chance, include the lost material

With David, sensation had it’s fun, and so could we through his self effacements and prankish acts, but always his,and our own vulnerability, I thought, was what was at stake. I trusted that…everything he did could be distilled down to his huge love.

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