Susan Howe Radio Program Sound Recordings, 1965-1980 (MSS 190)

Restrictions: Original sound recordings are restricted. Listening copies may be available.

Extent: 6.4 Linear feet (6 record cartons and 1 archives box)

This collection consists of sound recordings from Susan Howe's radio program on WBAI New York spanning from 1965-1980. Also includes other WBAI poetry-related recordings owned by Howe.

Susan Howe (b. 1937) is an American artist, poet, and writer. Howe's poetry evolved from her painting and drawing career, and her first major publication was the 1974 edition of Hinge Picture (New York, Telephone Books). Closely associated with the late 1970s and 1980s Language Poets' movement, Susan Howe's poetry and scholarship are most accurately characterized as language-based and experimental. In the 1970s, Howe produced a radio talk show for WBAI radio in which she interviewed and hosted a wide range of American and European poets. Through producing and editing this show, Howe not only interviewed poets, but introduced their readings, facillitated discussion, and read poetry of her own. Howe's sound editing work is echoed in her authorial voice and her splicing and language use within her written works. Howe also wanted to create a program that required participation and active listening on the part of the listener.

The majority of this collection contains original recordings from Susan Howe's radio program, referred to as "Susan Howe with Poetry," "Poetry Today," and/or "Poetry." It was generally a thirty minute program, but special events would last upwards of an hour and a half. Howe would interview and/or host guests, who would read on the program. She also edited and produced the broadcast versions for radio. Notable guests include John Ashbery, Anne Waldman, Ron Padgett, Alice Notley, and Jerome Rothenberg. The recording and editing decisions created a unique experience for each event due to Howe's belief that, similarly to choosing interview questions, sound editing and final production requires choices that are different for each individual being featured. The dates provided are either the creation date of the broadcast reel or the first broadcast date of the program, with additional broadcast dates listed in the notes.

Supporting broadcast materials in Series 3 are unedited productions tapes that serve as the content source for WBAI roadcast versions. However, these materials are largely duplicative of recordings in Series 1) SUSAN HOWE WITH POETRY, and contain very little unique content.

Arranged in three series: 1) SUSAN HOWE WITH POETRY, 2) OTHER WBAI POETRY BROADCASTS, and 3) SUPPORTING BROADCAST MATERIALS.

Susan Howe Papers. MSS 201. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego Library.

Container List

SUSAN HOWE WITH POETRY/POETRY TODAY - WBAI SOUND RECORDINGS

Box 3 Folder 1
Discussion and reading of E. M. Forster's A Passage to India, ca. 1971

Unedited, with reading mistakes, not a broadcast version.

Box 1 Folder 1
Charles North reading his poetry, ca. 1972-1977
Box 1 Folder 2
Fanny Howe reads from First Marriage and Other Loves, 1975 March 8

Also broadcast on 1975 August 8 and 1975 July 12.

Box 1 Folder 3
William Corbett reading his poetry, 1975 April 13
Box 3 Folder 2
W. S. Merwin reading his poetry, 1975 April 15

Also broadcast on 1975 July 3.

Box 1 Folder 4
John Hollander reading his poetry, 1975 April 29

Also broadcast on 1975 June 3, 7, and 12.

Box 1 Folder 5
Ron Padgett reading his poetry, 1975 April

Broadcast on 1975 June 17, 1975 September 9, 1976 February 8, and 1976 August 12.

Box 1 Folder 6
Bill Zavatsky reading his poetry, 1975 April

Broadcast on 1975 July 8 and 20.

Box 1 Folder 7
John Ashbery reading his poetry, 1975 May 14

Includes poems from Self Portrait in a Convex Mirror, Business Personals, and Syringa. Also broadcast on 1975 July 30, 1976 January 11, and 1976 March 4.

Box 1 Folder 8
Anne Waldman reading her poetry, 1975 May 27

Also broadcast on 1975 June 5, 1975 July 27, 1975 August 21, and 1975 September 21.

Box 1 Folder 9
Janine Pommy-Vega reading her poetry, 1975 May

Broadcast on 1975 October 18.

Box 1 Folder 10
John Ashbery reading his poetry, 1975 June 7

Includes Daffy Duck in Hollywood, The Explanation, and other poems. Also broadcast on 1975 August 17.

Box 1 Folder 11
Muriel Rukeyser reading her poetry, 1975 July 11

Also broadcast on 1975 July 12 and 14.

Box 1 Folder 12
Theodore Enslin reading his poetry, 1975 August 19
Box 1 Folder 13
Carter Ratcliff reading his poetry, ca. 1975 October 7

Also broadcast on July 22 [year unknown].

Box 1 Folder 14
Mary Ferrari reading her poetry, 1975 October 21
Box 1 Folder 15 , Box 4 Folder 7
Helen Adam reading her poetry and singing, 1975 November 18

Also broadcast on 1975 November 30 and 1977 January 14.

Box 1 Folder 16
Audre Lorde reading her poetry, 1975 December 2
Box 1 Folder 17
Rochelle Owens reading her poetry, 1975 December 30
Box 1 Folder 18
Charles Reznikoff reading his poetry, ca. 1975
Box 3 Folder 3
George Oppen reading his poetry, ca. 1975

Oppen reads from Of Being Numerous.

Box 3 Folder 4
Catharine R. Stimpson and Elsa Dixler interviewed by Susan Howe, ca. 1975

Discuss work on the feminist journal, Signs.

Box 1 Folder 19
Michael Brownstein reading his poetry, ca. 1975
Box 1 Folder 20
Rebecca Wright reading her poems, ca. 1975
Box 1 Folder 21
David Antin at St. Mark's Poetry Project, ca. 1975

Reading "Where is Sylvia."

Box 1 Folder 22
Tom Weatherly reading his poetry, 1976 January 13

Also broadcast on 1976 September 9 and October 18.

Box 1 Folder 23
Larry Fagin reading his poetry, 1976 January 27
Box 1 Folder 24-25
Poetry of A. O. Barnabooth - Translated and read by Ron Padgett and Bill Zavatsky, 1976 February 10 and 24

Part one also broadcast on 1976 February 25 and September 16. Part two also broadcast on 1976 September 23.

Box 3 Folder 5-6
Discussion of William Carlos Williams' work - Susan Howe, Charles Ruas, and William Eric Williams, 1976 February 23

Recordings of William Carlos Williams' poems are interspersed throughout the program.

Box 1 Folder 26-27
Robert Lax and David Gitin, 1976 February, May 26

Part one 1976 February includes Lax reading his poetry and fables. Part two 1976 May 26 includes Lax and Gitun reading their poetry.

Box 1 Folder 28
Susan Howe reading her poetry, 1976 March 2

Also broadcast on 1976 July 12.

Box 1 Folder 29
Jamie MacInnis reading her poetry, 1976 April 27

Also broadcast on 1976 September 30

Box 1 Folder 30
Ishmael Reed reading his poetry, 1976 October

Broadcast on 1976 November 6.

Box 1 Folder 31-38
John Hall Wheelock interviewed at his home by Susan Howe, 1976 October 30

Includes Wheelock reading his poetry and master reels with a full interview and a second broadcast version. Broadcast on 1976 December 16 and 1977 October 3.

Box 2 Folder 1
Barbara Guest reading her poetry, 1976 December
Box 2 Folder 2
Judith Emlyn Johnson (formerly Johnson Sherwin) reading her poetry, ca. 1976
Box 2 Folder 3
Alice Notley reading her poetry, ca. 1976
Box 2 Folder 4
Gilbert Sorrentino reading his poetry, ca. 1976
Box 2 Folder 5
F.T. Prince reading his poetry, 1977 March

Originally recorded at St. Mark's Poetry Project and later broadcast on WBAI 1977 December 7.

Box 2 Folder 6-7
Elizabeth Bishop interviewed by Susan Howe and Charles Ruas, 1977 April 19

Bishop also reads from "Geography III." Also broadcast on 1977 June 14.

Box 3 Folder 7
May Sarton interviewed by Susan Howe and Robin Prising, 1977 May 16

Sarton also reads poetry. Also broadcast on 1977 June 8 and 1978 June 6.

Box 3 Folder 8
Helen Adam interviewed by Susan Howe; Reading by Charles Ruas, Daniel Haberman and Barbara Wise, 1977 June

Broadcast on 1977 July 15 and 1978 February 18.

Box 2 Folder 8-9
Women's Distribution Group interviewed by Susan Howe, 1977 August

Women's Distribution Group is a group of small press women publishers. Members include: Barbara Barracks, Maureen Owen, Fran Winant, Marty Potlinger, and Roberta Gould. Broadcast on 1977 September 14.

Box 2 Folder 10
Ann Lauterbach reading her poetry, 1977 September 23

Includes reading of "Chalk." Broadcast on 1977 October 12 and 1978 June 14.

Box 2 Folder 11
Harvey Shapiro reading his poetry, 1977 October 26
Box 2 Folder 12
Paul Violi reading his poetry, 1977 November 4

Reading from Harmatan.

Box 2 Folder 13-15
Robert Creeley's Writers in Residence Free Writing Workshop, St. Mark's Poetry Project, 1977 November 25

Recorded on location and edited for broadcast by Susan Howe. Includes interview of Creeley by Allen Ginsberg and Peter Orlofsky.

Box 2 Folder 16
Kathleen Fraser reading her poetry, 1977 October

Music on intro/outro was done by Meredith Monk. Broadcast on 1977 December 19.

Box 2 Folder 17
Lyn Hejinian reading her poetry, 1977 November

Broadcast on 1978 January 11 and 13. Also broadcast on 1978 June 19 and 23.

Box 3 Folder 9
Rochelle Owens reading her poetry, 1977 December

Recorded at the Audio Experimental Theatre. Owens reads from Joe 82 Creation Poems and Joe Chronicles. Broadcast on 1978 January 29.

Box 2 Folder 18
Robert Kelly reading his poetry, 1978 January 25

Kelly reads from In Tantra America.

Box 3 Folder 10
Maureen Owen interviewed by Susan Howe, 1978 January

Owen also reads poetry. Broadcast on 1978 March 18 and 1978 July 11.

Box 2 Folder 19
Jim Harrison reading his poetry, 1978 March 29

Harrison reads from Returning to Earth.

Box 3 Folder 11
Barbara Guest interviewed by Susan Howe, 1978 April 13
Box 4 Folder 1
Ed Sanders - Investigative poetry, 1978 July 18

Workshop at St. Mark's Poetry Project. Also chants some Greek poems.

Box 2 Folder 20
Bill Berkson reading his poetry, 1978 July 25

Original recording took place at St. Mark's Poetry Project. Berkson also discusses the life and work of Frank O'Hara.

Box 2 Folder 21
Rose Lesniak reading her poems, 1978 July

Broadcast on 1978 September 13.

Box 2 Folder 22-23
Donald Hall reading his poetry, 1978 October 22

Hall reads from Kicking the Leaves.

Box 2 Folder 24-25
John Heath-Stubbs reading his poetry, 1978 November 24
Box 2 Folder 26
Jerome Rothenberg reading his poetry, 1978 December 26

Broadcast on 1979 February 9th.

Box 2 Folder 27
Eileen Myles reading their poetry, 1978 December

Broadcast on 1979 January 26.

Box 2 Folder 28-29
Phyllis Rose interviewed by Susan Howe, ca. 1978

Concerns Rose's book, Woman of Letters: A Life of Virginia Woolf.

Box 2 Folder 30-32
Adrienne Rich reading her poetry with interview by Susan Howe, 1979 January 31

Reads from Dream of a Common Language.

Box 2 Folder 33-34
Charles Bernstein and Bruce Andrews, 1979 January

Broadcast on 1979 March 14 and June 4.

Box 4 Folder 2
Bernadette Mayer interviewed by Susan Howe, 1979 April 22

Also broadcast on 1980 January 2

Box 2 Folder 35
Rae Armantrout reading her poetry, 1979 June 20

Armantrout reads from Extremities and other works.

Box 2 Folder 36
Regina Beck reading her poetry and singing, 1979 November

Broadcast on 1979 December 30.

Box 2 Folder 37
Jerome Rothenberg at St. Mark's Poetry Project, ca. 1979
Box 2 Folder 38
John Ashbery and Ann Lauterbach reading their poetry, ca. 1979

Reading from Litany.

Box 2 Folder 39
Ray di Palma reading his poems, 1980 January 27
Box 4 Folder 3
F.T. Prince interviewed by Susan Howe, ca. 1980

Part 1 [incomplete].

OTHER WBAI POETRY BROADCASTS

Jack Spicer recordings on WBAI - Programs focused on Spicer's works, using recordings created before his death, 1965, 1975-1976

Box 5 Folder 1-2
Jack Spicer discusses poetry with students, 1975 October 20
Box 5 Folder 3
Jack Spicer lecture, 1975 October 20
Box 5 Folder 4
Robin Blaser discussing and listening to Jack Spicer's work, 1975 October 20
Box 5 Folder 5
Jack Spicer poetry and politics, 1975 October 20
Box 5 Folder 6
Jack Spicer - The Holy Grail, 1975 October 20
Box 4 Folder 4
Jack Spicer talking about his poetry and reading from Language, ca. 1965
Box 5 Folder 7
Charles Olson lecture at SUNY Cortland, 1967
Box 5 Folder 8, 14
George Oppen interviewed by Charles Amirkhanian and David Gitin, 1970 March 30

Recorded at KPFA Radio in Berkeley, California.

Box 5 Folder 9-10
Readings from the Dorothy Wordsworth journals: Susan Howe reads from the Alfoxden journal, Clarissa Ainley reads from the travel journals, 1975 March

Susan Howe reads from Wordsworth's Alfoxden journal. Clarissa Ainley reads from two of Wordsworth's travel journals. Also broadcast on 1975 March 27.

Box 5 Folder 11-12
Bill Corbett interviews Jonathan Williams, 1976 March 3

Also broadcast on 1976 September 20.

Box 5 Folder 13
Open discussion at Columbia University with Jorge Luis Borges, 1976 April 29

Broadcast on 1976 October 25. Possible partial program. Missing Borges reading at 92nd St. YWHA.

Box 4 Folder 5-6
The Bostonian - Documentary about John Wheelwright, 1981 November 23

Participants include Quincy Howe, James Laughlin, Polly Thayer, Malcolm Cowley, Ray di Palma, Charles North, and Susan Howe.

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Scope and Content of Series

Supporting broadcast materials in Series 3 are unedited productions tapes that served as the content source for WBAI broadcast versions. However, these materials are largely duplicative of recordings in Series 1) SUSAN HOWE WITH POETRY, and contain very little unique content. Listening copies on audiocassette are stored in the box with the reels.

Box 6
John Ashbery reading his poetry, 1975 May 14

Listening copy SPL-1069 is available.

Box 6
Robert Lax and David Gitin, ca. 1976

Listening copy SPL-1139 is available.

Box 6
Helen Adam interviewed by Susan Howe; Readings by Charles Ruas, Daniel Haberman and Barbara Wise, 1977 June

Listening copy SPL-1120 is available.

Box 6
Robert Creeley's Writers in Residence Free Writing Workshop, St. Mark's Poetry Project, 1977 October

Listening copy SPL-1097 is available.

Box 6
Adrienne Rich reading her poetry with interview by Susan Howe, 1979 January 31

Listening copy SPL-1085 is available.

Box 6
John Ashbery and Ann Lauterbach reading their poetry, ca. 1979

Listening copy SPL-1073 is available.

Box 6
Jerome Rothenberg at St. Mark's Poetry Project, ca. 1979

Listening copy SPL-1115 is available.

Box 6
Charles Bernstein and Bruce Andrews, ca. 1979

Listening copy SPL-1030 is available.

Box 6
Documentary about John Wheelwright, 1981 November

Listening copies SPL-1034 and SPL-1037 are available.

Box 7
Back-ups/Copies for Staff use only

Restrictions Apply