Introduction for Anne Waldman at the Olson Conference in 2009

(Tucson)

Mythic Maximal. Anne. Energy. Mother. Emotion. Anne. Intellect. Change. Charged. Seductive. Anne. Teacher. Outriding Rider. Witness. Anne. Poetic Mythic Teacher. Lover. Dancer. “Sometimes as I create a poem, I dance it. It moves through me.” Anne Waldman has authored numerous books of poetry, edited many anthologies, written essays and rants. Forty Plus books. And Anne has also been responsible for the beginning of many poetic communities and promoting poetry as a way of life, as a rebellious art. For ten years 68-78 she directed the Poetry Project at St. Marks, co-editing Angel Hair Books. Then with Allen Ginsberg she founded the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa. Anselm Hollo calls her the “guiding spirit” of the school. As distinguished professor, she continues to serve as the Artistic Director of the Summer Writing Program. And I believe that this program is a vortex of poetic energy where many new projects begin. And Anne’s at the center of it, stirring it up. It’s appropriate that she has been asked to read for this conference. She is a daughter of Olson. Like Olson she is a teacher and a poetic activist, and her writing engages place with the mythic and the political past and present, daily and primordial experience. Engage is a weak word. Anne aims to make changes in the world so poetry will have a place in the future. She lives her poetry and her politics and she is phenomenal in her energy and her creativity.   Welcome Anne Waldman.