The Book, Cat, & Cat Book Lovers Almanac

of historical trivia regarding books, cats, and other animals. Actually this blog has evolved so that it is described better as a blog about cats in history and culture. And we take as a theme the advice of Aldous Huxley: If you want to be a writer, get some cats. Don't forget to see the archived articles linked at the bottom of the page.

December 22, 2011

December 22, 1905

Kenneth Rexroth (December 22, 1905 to June 6, 1982) the American poet, "...was among the first poets in the United States to explore traditional Japanese poetic forms such as haiku. He is regarded as a central figure in the San Francisco Renaissance." Thus the standard summary of Rexroth's significance. We also find out he introduced Ginsberg the night Howl was read publicly the first time. His stature is indicated by the fact that Rexroth wrote the article on "Literature" for the Encyclopedia Britannica (1973.) He certainly ranks in our own private canon. Here is an excerpt from his poem "Only Years."
...
Sometimes we went out and gathered
Cigarette butts by flashlight.
But we went swimming every day,
All year round. We had a dog
Called Proclus, a vast yellow
Mongrel, and a white cat named
Cyprian. We had our first
Joint art show, and they began
To publish my poems in Paris.
....

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