for Philhomene from David Amram
I just received the sad news of Philomene’s
passing.
Just last March 16, we did a
program together at Beyond Baroque.
When she asked to me to accompany her when
she read some of her wonderful poetry, I got the same indescribable feeling that
I did in 1956 when I first backed up Jack Kerouac when he was
reading.
She had a special magical
quality and spirit that filled the room, and we all went out afterwards to
celebrate our spontaneous collaboration. (You don’t need to rehearse with
someone like Philomene. She and her poetry and the way she reads are on such a
high level that you can’t help but know what to do. Her poetry, and the
way she read it, was already perfect music. All you could do was to try to
enhance it a tiny bit.)
We talked about
the Venice of the early 1960s and how, even with all the changes in the past 45
years, there was a special magical quality that remained.
And of all our dear friends from those
glory days who are now on the other
side.
She shared with us that night
precious gems of her amazing life story (in a series of stories that were a
crash course in a half a century of American cultural
history).
She understood that part of
the obligation of artists, when they get older, is to pass on to younger
visionaries and dreamers the same encouragement and ideals and values of hard
work, sharing, respect for all people and joy of living every precious second,
which we received from our elders a half a century
ago.
She talked about her devotion to
the church and Buddhism and how they were related, and how the spiritual path
was the only road to be on, as all of us traveled that road of
life.
And with all her sweetness and
kindness, she never forgot how to
laugh!
Not only Venice, but the whole
world was a better place when she graced us with her
presence.
Now, we have not only the
memory of her, but her timeless poetry to fill the hearts of today’s young
people and future generations with hope and
energy.
She was the embodiment of what
Kerouac always told me that he hoped that he and our generation would be
remembered for when we were no longer
around.
Pursuing a pure selfless path
and being beatific to others. Philhomene was the embodiment of these ideals.
She was part of Venice as much as Venice was
a part of her.
Please share some of
her poetry with your friends.
And tell
them when they are walking down the beach that if they listen carefully, they
will hear her voice.
Posted: Sat
- September 1, 2007 at 03:52 PM