This is a comment David Eberhardt sent the Brew following the 1/31/10 memorial at Creative Alliance for the Baltimore poet David Franks. It was originally posted at Poetry in Baltimore . Eberhardt has also written a poem, in tribute to Franks, which we include here.
Between 50-75 persons gathered at The Creative Alliance Sunday 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 organized 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
There was a welcome by Megan Hamilton, a showing of a video of Franks’ composition for handbells, thoughts on collaboration from Glenn Moomau, a letter from Sen. Barabara Mikulski, a letter from Chris Sharits, a video of David reading, which had been done by – tENTATIVELY a cONVENIENCE, thoughts from poet Andre Codrescu read and a eulogy by Buck Downs read by Buck. There was a Franks poem- read by Lorraine Whittlesey. And it ended with 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 Saturday 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.”
The Poetry Reading
David Beaudouin did a super job with this part of the event. There were many moving readings and much humor (befitting David.) Mike Lally from D.C. begans – “It pisses me off that now I know David won’t be attending my memorial!”
Other poets and writers and inspired friends read: 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. MC’d by David Beaudouin.
Someone tells me, “you never get a feel for the whole person except in retrospectives 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. Poets who “didn’t know what they were doing” and who freely admit it.
David strikes me as a poet who should be famous like many others- after he dies. BUT- the audience for poetry these days is small. I hope we can redeem Dave for history- he deserves it. He had a fabulous range. He was a composer and artist, as well as poet. Chris Toll read an amazing poem by Dave and he has the only copy! And then Chris read an equally fabulous poem of his own, inspired by David’s poem.
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Here is David Eberhardt’s poem:
In the Constellation Eeyore — in memory, 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?
