2008 Woodie Awards
Coalition to perform Allen Ginsberg's Howl
Samantha Salas
Issue date: 10/3/07 Section: News
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"Just look at how some folks can get riled up even about 'Harry Potter,'" McGee said. "If we are going to have free speech as a living reality, instead of a vacuous platitude, we need to fight censorship."
Evans said it is ironic that banning and censoring literature, in an attempt to abort free speech and dialogue, often ignites the very thing it is attempting to stifle.
"Restrictions often lead to a backlash of loud voices and our public 'Howl'ing emphasizes just that," Evans said.
Alan Soldofsky, Master of Fine Arts program director and master of ceremonies for the event, wrote in an e-mail, "Howl" is one of the essential works of modern American poetry. Soldofsky also said he knew Ginsberg, who died 10 years ago.
"I knew Allen since I was a student at the Iowa Writer's Workshop in the 60s," Soldofsky wrote in the e-mail. "I knew Allen as a poet and cultural figure. His knowledge of poetry was encyclopedic. He knew thousands of lines of poetry by heart."
Soldofsky would classify Ginsberg as a real person who had much self-doubt despite all his fame.
"When I saw him over the years, even when he was ill toward the end of his life," Soldofsky wrote, "he had tremendous energy and commitment. He was a devoted friend to those who were close to him and a passionate teacher."
Ginsberg's energy and commitment brought great force of his personality to his teaching and his interest in the work of younger poets, Soldofsky wrote.
"He was always trying to learn something new," he wrote. "And he was always trying to figure out what the truth was in a media-saturated culture whose primary products were death and lies."
While it has been hard to get all of the poets together to practice, Flores said everyone has their specific part, and everything should fall into place at the performance.
The reading of "Howl" will take place from 12 to 1 p.m. in between the Tommie Smith and John Carlos statue and Clark Hall.
Evans said it is ironic that banning and censoring literature, in an attempt to abort free speech and dialogue, often ignites the very thing it is attempting to stifle.
"Restrictions often lead to a backlash of loud voices and our public 'Howl'ing emphasizes just that," Evans said.
Alan Soldofsky, Master of Fine Arts program director and master of ceremonies for the event, wrote in an e-mail, "Howl" is one of the essential works of modern American poetry. Soldofsky also said he knew Ginsberg, who died 10 years ago.
"I knew Allen since I was a student at the Iowa Writer's Workshop in the 60s," Soldofsky wrote in the e-mail. "I knew Allen as a poet and cultural figure. His knowledge of poetry was encyclopedic. He knew thousands of lines of poetry by heart."
Soldofsky would classify Ginsberg as a real person who had much self-doubt despite all his fame.
"When I saw him over the years, even when he was ill toward the end of his life," Soldofsky wrote, "he had tremendous energy and commitment. He was a devoted friend to those who were close to him and a passionate teacher."
Ginsberg's energy and commitment brought great force of his personality to his teaching and his interest in the work of younger poets, Soldofsky wrote.
"He was always trying to learn something new," he wrote. "And he was always trying to figure out what the truth was in a media-saturated culture whose primary products were death and lies."
While it has been hard to get all of the poets together to practice, Flores said everyone has their specific part, and everything should fall into place at the performance.
The reading of "Howl" will take place from 12 to 1 p.m. in between the Tommie Smith and John Carlos statue and Clark Hall.
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