Tuesday, May 3, 2011

R. L. Greenfield: R. I. P

La Danse des Muses by Giulio Romano

One of the hardest things about being a long time small press editor, as well as simply a person on this spinning ball in space, is the passing of those we know. 

Recently, I sent out an all points bulletin trying to get in touch with the poet R. L. Greenfield, whose work bounced back to me in the mails.  A number of people had leads for me, which I really appreciated.  In searching myself, I ran across a relatively recent blog post review of Bukowski's Love Is a Dog From Hell by R. L. Greenfield.  I left a comment there in hope of making a direct connection.  This morning I received notification of a reply comment:

Just learned RL Greenfield passed away late March. Was “Googling” to see if he’d published anything new recently, and stumbled upon the sad news.  Amy.

I've been unable to find an obit, but there you have it.  This is one of the poems I'd commented on and was in the batch that bounced back to me.   Let this serve, for the moment, as a note in his memory:




You Were Always On My Mind (for Miele)
willie nelson singing
you were always on my mind

after lunch at Wendy's on Friday
& all the cash registers of the world

lock up & go into hibernation
the customers stop chewing

& the waitresses are all frozen in their tracks
willie nelson owns this moment & I pause & listern

as The Muse puts her hands inside my chest
& begins the pounding of the dough
R. L. Greenfield





To the memory of a small press poet ...






plum tree--
under blossoms' shine
an evening prayer
Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue







best,
Don




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6 comments:

  1. Peter NewtonMay 3, 2011 at 8:33 AM

    Here, here Don.

    Your blog this morning prompted me to tweet:

    "we are all strangers in a strange way family"

    Thanks for the Greenfield poem. What treasures are out there as yet undiscovered but so worth the search.

    Peace from a fellow s.p.p.

    --Peter

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMay 3, 2011 at 9:31 AM

    there are now some gone
    who
    'are always on my mind'



    K.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Charles GramlichMay 3, 2011 at 10:21 AM

    I'm sorry to hear that. Another talent gone.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AmyMay 3, 2011 at 3:05 PM

    I searched, but was unable to locate an obit. Only an announcement of a memorial poetry reading coming up on 5/15/2011 at Beyond Baroque in Venice, CA (by Linda Albertano and Amelie Frank).
    http://www.beyondbaroque.org/events.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. Issa's Untidy HutMay 3, 2011 at 4:44 PM

    Thanks, Peter. And Kokkie-san. And Charles.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Issa's Untidy HutMay 3, 2011 at 4:44 PM

    Amy,

    Thanks very much for sharing the news you have. It is very much appreciated, very sad though it is.

    best,
    Don

    ReplyDelete