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VOICES OF THE LADY
Published by:
Book Review
This was a mystery to Robert Creely who wrote the June 7,1997
preface to this book published by The National Poetry Foundation in
1998, edited, and with an introduction by Gerald T. Perkoff, M.D.,
Stuart's older brother, who called Stuart, "a classic California poet
during, and after the Beat period in Venice, California, from the 1950s
on, and as such, his writings deserve attention and collection."
Gerald admits his knowledge of Stuart "is..incomplete and
inconsistent." Traveling separate paths, they did grow closer in the
latter part of Stuart's life. A sad commentary, but all too common in
families with rebel artistic talent!
Stuart believed strongly that his work originated from his
poetic muse: The Lady, thus this name evolved into the title for his
collection as voices (poems) of the Lady.
It took time to gather, compile, and transform a manuscript pile
of paper, to try to fashion-mold all into a coherent book. Readers
and fellow poets should be grateful someone expended that effort, the
final leap forward after initial excitement furor had faded, for this
dedication consisted in hours, weeks, and months of contacts and labor.
This 474 page book has poetry sections from various years 1956
through Perkoff's final writings in the 1970s.
From THE SUICIDE ROOM:(1971)
2. EPIGRAM: FOR FRIENDS LEAVING
This black undersoul of terror/(our world) destroys
the quick fragile loves. One now shatters...
SIX:PIONEER WIVES
The first verse is direct admiration for power of women and the abuse
which derives from such power, until;
& now yr land is rotten & yr blood/
is thin/yr faces are hard on the/faces of yr breed...
In SEVEN: THE BUFFALO,
Perkoff relates Indians as having a "gig"
to bring in food" then tries to see through Indian and buffalo eyes,
the grass, "the weight & balance. the limits"; while writing...
we are a naked race/humans our skin unlovely & worth little...
so we steal/the skin & mount the great head & leave the flesh/ behind.
Darkness dips to new depths with his deep understanding about
inner drives, jealousy and the sheer obtuseness of mankind.
In ZAYEEN (1973 Alphabet) Stuart writes of:
the sound of a dropped/bomb/before it/
hits/the long high shriek/piercing the air/
*Perkoff cleverly links woman, earth,
the universe, and everything imaginable as; she is She...
love is the silence out of which/woman speaks. the female/
country, the grieving country.
all men are unhappy/camus sd/& everyone dies.
They return/to lives which they find/filled/ with hate.
hokusai called himself/'an old man/mad about drawing'
This is vivid, colorful and exciting imagery; poems to live
with, memorable words given to us, which stick in the mind, to ribs,
to our inner bones.
Stuart Perkoff's most poignant and tragically touching poem was penned;
IN MEMORIAM: JANA PERKOFF 1944/1973 PRAYER
Lady, let it be/song, singing softly/in the darkness of my sorrow.
1. how shall i sing you, witch-woman, mysterious essential
2. i know you are dead/...i talk to you in my head. i know you hear me
4. lost child, magical child/now you sleep...
So tender, so loving, so very very empathetic, and accepting,
perhaps intuitively sensing he would soon follow.
Perkoff possessed adament integrity, a fearless undaunted
hope that word-thoughts would outlive the fraility and addictive part
of his nature. He spent time in prison, lived factually with his heroin
addiction, but spoke often, and eloquently, of what he saw in the world.
Charles Olson noticed Stuart Perkoff's genius early, and wrote; that
you move me as the clearest speaking of such things i have heard in/
this half century of the false forwarding of like cause...
Perkoff saw social despair; then wrote about it clearly, and
literally, believing poets must live in the world...you can do with
what you get.
Perkoff's was a magnificent poetic voice, but unfortunately,
one many do not know, have never heard about, or have ignored. This
gentle giant roused for a time, then was pushed aside by other, louder,
more boisterous entities, who zoomed like comets, and have since, also
faded away into the darkness.
I am grateful, that I have met Stuart Z. Perkoff through his
poetic voice, his Lady muse, and through Gerald's efforts. I hope other
readers who see this review, will be curious enough to search for this
poet's work which should hold a prominent place on any book seller's
poetry shelf.
Peace and light!
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