What is poetry? Why do we want to read, sing and write it? What mysterious force takes us there? A conversation with Gary Snyder about paths people from different ages, areas, cultures take to become poets, and why.
I love Gary and his work, and have since before 1970. I have not seen him in person for a long time. I have wondered about him for years, hoping for his good health and safety and longevity. He has been one of my teachers, not so much about writing as about life. It is a beautiful, rare gift to have this recorded conversation of Gary that is so recent. Thank you, very, very much! And sending my love to Gary.
Thank you for these interviews. I love the poetry of Gary Snyder. It’s funny to watch these you can tell he dosnt like to answer the question lol or wants to subvert the question but I learned a lot. And you have such an interesting upbringing also. I enjoy learning about the people of China and I think everyone has a lot to learn about each other
These interviews are precious. You are asking all the questions that we won't ever know about most writers in such depth. Very interesting to hear about your path as well, Ping.
I've always wondered how Gary could have been connected to the other Beat poets because Gary is so different from them. Gary is humble and soft-spoken, with a genuine love and appreciation for nature. His poetry brings the best out of the reader, lifts them up to a higher plane, rather than forcing them into something uncomfortable (nothing wrong with that...just pointing out that Gary is different.) He is more like Robert Frost than Alan Ginsburg.
Thank you for sharing these videos! Nice hear Gary speak about his life and poetry and also to hear some of your story. I had the pleasure of hearing Gary read before a small crowd outside of Los Angeles close to 40 years ago. One thing I remember was his completely genuine laugh! He signed my copy of Axe Handles which I later lent to someone during a night of drinking. I never got the book back but somehow that seems fitting.
The reference to Rexroth, is amusing. Ginsberg would advance that Kerouac was an accomplished poet, referencing: Mexico City Blues. Snyder, oft seems rather cranky and ever so slightly, argumentive - which has been noticeable as he grew into being an elder. Ms. Ping, you are very gracious.
So happy to come across this. Beautiful life stories and discussion, especially about books❤ Fully appreciate growing up near a public library. Especially after hearing how inaccessible books were for so many...
Deep gratitude to you, Wang, for documenting. I appreciate the loving curiosity with which you interviewed Gary, allowing him to remember aloud all that he knows.
Snyder was trying to recall: Jaime de Angulo, who wrote: Indians In Overalls and Indian Tales. Books I once read, primarily because Snyder had made references to the texts.
She is so nice, humble, respectful. And he is so full of himself, arrogance brimming below the surface. A cranky old, unrepentant lefty! Wonderful channel. 👍☕️
My deepest gratitude to you, Wang Ping, and to Gary. I try to live by the last verses of For the Children: Stay together learn the flowers go light You are a dear elder to my spiritual tribe, Gary. I celebrate your life, your work, your teachings. As long as I live, I shall praise the mountains.
Thank you for this Ping, but I wanted to hear more about the work Japhy Ryder did before his professor years. Very good hearing about your straight path to poetry..
I once read a novel about a man who read novels by Balzac during the Cultural Revolution. I've never really understood why Balzac's novels were banned in China then. He was after all, one of Karl Marx's favourite writers.
5:43 This is an important question which didn't really get answered. I think the question was, how do you feel about your upbringing where you provided [at least some of] your own food and had to do the work? In other words, you had some self-sufficiency and it required old-fashioned manual labor, something which is all but extinct in the modern world. Edit: I want to point out there's nothing wrong with his answer, rather I think it was a great question 👍