Search PennSound

In the American Tree: New Writing by Poets

originally broadcast on Berkeley's KPFA-FM.

1978: hosted by Lyn Hejinian and Kit Robinson

Ted Berrigan, August 11, 1978

  1. Comments (0:28): MP3
  2. Whitman In Black (1:09): MP3
  3. Buddha on the Bounty (1:28): MP3
  4. Here I Live (2:00): MP3
  5. Comments (10:39): MP3
  6. Chicago Morning (1:53): MP3
  7. New Town (1:09): MP3
  8. The End (1:20): MP3
  9. From a List of Delusions of the Insane (What They are Afraid Of) (1:10): MP3
  10. Comments (9:14): MP3
  11. Personal Poem #9 (1:15): MP3
  12. Crystal (1:43): MP3
  13. Comments (1:50): MP3
  14. Three Pages (0:44): MP3
  15. Remembered Poem (0:25): MP3
Full Interview and Reading (36:32): MP3

Geoffrey Young, September 22, 1978

Carla Harryman, September 29, 1978

  • Complete Recording (28:30): MP3

David Bromige, October 13, 1978

  • Complete Recording (27:52): MP3

Steve Benson, November 3, 1978

  • Complete Recording (29:40): MP3

Alan Bernheimer, November 10, 1978

  1. reading "Spinal Guard" from Celestial Mechanics (0:55): MP3
  2. reading "Ripolin" from Celestial Mechanics (0:32): MP3
  3. reading "Carapace" from Celestial Mechanics (0:36): MP3
  4. reading "Visible Means" from Celestial Mechanics (0:33): MP3
  5. reading "Ventriloquy" fom Celestial Mechanics (0:41): MP3
  6. reading "Amarillo" (5:16): MP3
  7. discussion with Lyn Hejinian and Kit Robinson on the idea of language as a machine and Bernheimer as a mechanic (3:33): MP3
  8. reading a description of Bernheimer's "dream of a marvelous mechanical box" (3:24): MP3
  9. reading "Manifest Destiny" (1:59): MP3
  10. discussing the different poetic directions of "Manifest Destiny," Celestial Mechanics and "Amarillo" (2:01): MP3
  11. reading "Are There Birds?" (0:42): MP3
  12. reading and discussing "Cafe Isotope" (2:58): MP3
  13. reading "Or Something" (0:36): MP3
  14. reading a journal entry about trains and mechanical things (3:30): MP3
  15. reading "Lullabye," a collaboration with Kit Robinson (1:26): MP3
Complete Recording (29:51): MP3

Bernard Welt, November 24, 1978

Tom Mandel, "Palestine 8," December 15, 1978

  • note: "Palestine 8" is presented with "A Form is a Fragment of Content, "Philosopher's Song," and "No Takers," which were recorded on October 8, 1993

  • Complete Recording (16:20): MP3

1979-1980: hosted by Alan Bernheimer

Special thanks to The Poetry Center at San Francisco State University for making these recordings available.

Michael Waltuch, January 5, 1979

  • Complete Recording (28:42): MP3

Alan Lew, January 12, 1979

  • Complete Recording (28:57) MP3

Carol Gallup, January 19, 1979

  • Complete Recording (31:28) MP3

Robert Harris, January 26, 1979

  • Complete Recording (31:29): MP3
  • Bill Berkson, September 7, 1979

    1. Introduction (0:34): MP3
    2. Roots (2:14): MP3
    3. Booster (1:46): MP3
    4. Algebra (from Young Manhattan) (2:53): MP3
    5. Fourth Street (4:23): MP3
    6. Duchamp Dream (2:40): MP3
    7. Camera Ready Like a Dream (3:10): MP3
    8. Poem (3:44): MP3
    9. Source (3:43): MP3
    10. Basis (1:00): MP3
    11. To Marie Cosindas (0:59): MP3
    12. Two Days (1:11): MP3
    • Complete Recording (28:10): MP3

    Steven Paul LaVoie, September 22, 1979

    • Complete Recording (28:42): MP3

    John Mason, November 16, 1979

    • Complete Recording (28:11) MP3

    Lyn Hejinian, December 7, 1979

    1. introduction (0:45): MP3
    2. Slack Key (1:03): MP3
    3. Eye brown study no stars (1:02): MP3
    4. Punctual 1 (1:12): MP3
    5. Natural Room (3:33): MP3
    6. on Natural Room (1:06): MP3
    7. on Punctual 1 (0:38): MP3
    8. Number Present (7:52): MP3
    9. on Number Present (4:05): MP3
    10. Easy Go (0:50): MP3
    11. Lower Row the Colors (0:24): MP3
    12. Windows is screens (0:19): MP3
    13. on Easy Go and Windows is screens (1:07): MP3
    14. Not That Car (3:03): MP3
    15. on Not That Car (0:20): MP3
    16. Severed Page (1:51): MP3
    • Complete Recording (30:35): MP3

    Ted Pearson, December 21, 1979

    1. Introduction (0:48): MP3
    2. Reading Sections 2-5 of Refractions (15:07): MP3

    3. Interview Discussions
    4. Structural form of Refractions (2:48): MP3
    5. Language and meaning (1:53): MP3
    6. Role of the listener's memory (1:14): MP3

    7. "Ellipsis" (6:35): MP3
    • Complete Recording (27:18): MP3

    Alex Smith, January 4, 1980

    • Complete Recording (29:41) MP3

    Rodger Kamenetz, January 18, 1980

    • Complete Recording (28:45): MP3

    Gary Burnett, February 1, 1980

    • Complete Recording (24:36) MP3

    Norman Fischer, June 6, 1980

    • Complete Recording (29:32): MP3

    In the American Tree on PennSound Daily

    These sound recordings are being made available for noncommercial and educational use only. All rights to this recorded material belong to the poets and hosts, © 2008 Alan Bernheimer and the respective poets. Used with permission of the hosts and KPFA. Distributed by PennSound.