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Louis Zukofsky


Reading on KPFA Radio, Berkeley
August 6, 1954

  1. The Judge and the Bird (1:32): MP3
  2. Spooks' Sabbath, Five Bowings (3:11): MP3
  3. So That Even a Lover 1 ("Little wrists") (0:24): MP3
  4. Reading and Talking (2:09): MP3
  5. George Washington (0:49): MP3
  6. Anew 37 ("The world autumn" -- short tape break) (0:39): MP3
  7. Anew 16 ("I walk in the old street") (0:50): MP3
  8. Anew 22 (Catullus viii) (1:11): MP3
  9. Anew 25 (for Zadkine) (1:36): MP3
  10. Anew 29 ("Glad they were there") (0:32): MP3
  11. Anew 17 (Guillaume de Machault (1300-1377) Ballade: Plourès, dames) (0:46): MP3
  12. "A"-11 (3:01): MP3
  13. The second half of "A"-9 (4:38): MP3
  14. On Valentine's Day to Friends (0:42): MP3

Complete Reading (22:27): MP3


Reading at the Poetry Center at San Francisco State University
July 2, 1958

  1. Introduction (1:16): MP3
  2. The Guest (1:23): MP3
  3. 1944-6 (2:50): MP3
  4. "As to how much" (0:57): MP3
  5. Non Ti Fidar (1:23): MP3
  6. Spooks' Sabbath, Five Bowings (3:43): MP3
  7. Songs of Degrees: 2 and 3 (2:48): MP3
  8. An Incident (0:28): MP3
  9. The Record (0:36): MP3
  10. 55 Poems: Poem 27 (“Blue light is the night harbor-slip”) (2:34): MP3
  11. 55 Poems: Song 22 ("To my wash-stand") (2:14): MP3
  12. 55 Poems: Song 28 (“‘Specifically, a writer of music’”) (8:56): MP3
  13. 55 Poems: "Further than --" (1:36): MP3
  14. "Mantis" (3:22): MP3
  15. Anew 6 (“Anew, sun, to fire summer”) (1:08): MP3
  16. Anew 16 (“I walk in the old street”) (0:27): MP3
  17. Anew 19 (“And so till we have died”) (0:26): MP3
  18. Anew 29 (“Glad they were there”) (0:28): MP3
  19. Anew 41 (After Charles Sedley) (0:50): MP3
  20. "A"-4 (1:34): MP3
  21. from "A"-12 (beginning "The best man learns of himself...") (3:58): MP3

Complete Reading (59:27)MP3

Original recording by the Poetry Center at San Francisco State University. PennSound distribution made with thanks to the work of the Poetry Center at San Francisco State University.


Zukofsky's Homemade Tape for the Library of Congress
November 3, 1960

    from 55 Poems
  1. Poem 13 (“We are crossing the bridge now”) (0:29): MP3
  2. Poem 22 (“Cactus rose-mauve and gray, twin overturned”) (1:02): MP3
  3. Poem 27 (“Blue light is the night harbor-slip”) (1:26): MP3
  4. Poem beginning "The" (16:25): MP3
  5. Song 3 (Prop. LXI (The Strength of The Emotions—Ethica ordine geometrico demonstrata: IV)) (1:02): MP3
  6. Song 8 (“Happier, happier, now”) (1:00): MP3
  7. Song 13 (“in that this happening”) (0:27): MP3
  8. Song 18 (“The mirror oval sabers playing”) (0:35): MP3
  9. Song 22 (“To my wash-stand”) (2:04): MP3

    10. from Anew
  10. Anew 12 (“It’s hard to see but think of a sea”) (2:12): MP3
  11. Anew 26 (1892-1941) (2:08): MP3
  12. Anew 29 (“Glad they were there”) (0:24): MP3
  13. Anew 37 (“The world autumn”) (0:30): MP3
  14. Anew 41 (After Charles Sedley) (0:55): MP3

    15. from Some Time
  15. 1944-6 (2:09): MP3
  16. So That Even a Lover (0:44): MP3
  17. Xenophanes (0:57): MP3
  18. "As to How Much" (0:41): MP3
  19. Air (1:10): MP3
  20. The Judge and the Bird (1:31): MP3
  21. With a Valentine, the 12th of February (from "Songs of Degrees") (0:15): MP3
  22. With a Valentine, the 14th of February (from "Songs of Degrees") (0:37): MP3
  23. The Guest (1:00): MP3
  24. Shang Cup (0:40): MP3
  25. The Record (0:55): MP3

    26. from Catullus
  26. Introductory remarks followed by Catullus 1-3 (3:26): MP3
  27. Catullus 4-7, plus the 1939 () version of 8 (5:30): MP3
  28. 1960 version of Catullus 8 (1:25): MP3

    29. from Barely and widely
  29. Poem 7 Stratford-on-Avon (1957) (3:07): MP3
  30. Poem 1 (“This is after all vacation. All that”) (1:45): MP3
  31. Dedication from Barely and widely (0:37): MP3
  32. Poem 2 (“You who were made for this music”) (0:47): MP3
  33. Poem 3 (“The green leaf that will outlast the winter”) (0:27): MP3
  34. Poem 4 (A Valentine) (0:25): MP3
  35. Poem 5 (The Heights) (0:46): MP3
  36. Poem 8 (“This year”) (0:47): MP3
  37. Poem 9 (Ashtray) (0:16): MP3
  38. Poem 10 (Another Ashtray) (0:14): MP3
  39. Poem 12 (4 Other Countries ) (17:55): MP3
Complete Reading (1:19:53): MP3


Zukofsky and Creeley in Conversation 1961 (28:23): MP3


WBAI FM Recording of Zukofsky Reading at Les Deux Megots, NYC
August 6, 1961 (tape breaks between tracks)

  1. "A"-6 (from "a miniature, steeples not steeples" to end) (2:33): MP3
  2. "A"-7 (5:59): MP3
  3. The second half of "A"-9 (5:21): MP3
  4. "A"-11(begins 1:28 in) (4:15): MP3

    5. from Barely and widely
  5. Poem 12 (4 Other Countries) (16:19): MP3

  6. from Catullus 22 (2:08): MP3
  7. from Catullus 29 (2:23): MP3
Complete Reading (38:57): MP3


Zukofsky's Homemade Tape Reading Catullus 1-46
November 11, 1961

  1. Catullus 1 (0:58): MP3
  2. Catullus 2 (0:54): MP3
  3. Catullus 3 (1:14): MP3
  4. Catullus 4 (1:49): MP3
  5. Catullus 5 (1:00): MP3
  6. Catullus 6 (1:05): MP3
  7. Catullus 7 (0:51): MP3
  8. Catullus 8 (1:20): MP3
  9. Catullus 9 (0:44): MP3
  10. Catullus 10 (1:54): MP3
  11. Catullus 11 (1:24): MP3
  12. Catullus 12 (1:01): MP3
  13. Catullus 13 (0:57): MP3
  14. Catullus 14 (1:30): MP3
  15. Catullus 14a (0:19): MP3
  16. Catullus 15 (1:19): MP3
  17. Catullus 16 (0:57): MP3
  18. Catullus 17 (Tape break at end) (1:15): MP3

    19. (Catullus 18 and 19 absent from tape)

  19. Catullus 20 (Tape break at opening) (1:07): MP3
  20. Catullus 21 (0:57): MP3
  21. Catullus 22 (1:42): MP3
  22. Catullus 23 (1:46): MP3
  23. Catullus 24 (0:53): MP3
  24. Catullus 25 (1:08): MP3
  25. Catullus 26 (0:32): MP3
  26. Catullus 27 (0:33): MP3
  27. Catullus 28 (1:14): MP3
  28. Catullus 29 (Short tape break at opening) (1:54): MP3
  29. Catullus 30 (1:16): MP3
  30. Catullus 31 (1:19): MP3
  31. Catullus 32 (0:52): MP3
  32. Catullus 33 (0:33): MP3
  33. Catullus 34 (1:11): MP3
  34. Catullus 35 (1:14): MP3
  35. Catullus 36 (1:16): MP3
  36. Catullus 37 (Short tape break) (1:30): MP3
  37. Catullus 38 (0:40): MP3
  38. Catullus 39 (1:38): MP3
  39. Catullus 40 (0:36): MP3
  40. Catullus 41 (0:42): MP3
  41. Catullus 42 (1:32): MP3
  42. Catullus 43 (0:39): MP3
  43. Catullus 44 (1:39): MP3
  44. Catullus 45 (2:02): MP3
  45. Catullus 46 (0:58): MP3

Complete Reading (51:49): MP3


A & R Recording Co., NYC
August 28, 1962 (taped for Stan Phillips)

  1. "A"-13, partita i (12:24): MP3
  2. "A"-13, partita ii (30:56): MP3
  3. "A"-13, partita iv (3:10): MP3
  4. "A"-13, partita v (3:13): MP3
  5. "A"-11 (3:38): MP3

    6. from After I’s
  6. Atque in Perpetuum A. W. (1:47): MP3
  7. Pretty (0:41): MP3
  8. The Ways (0:47): MP3
  9. The (0:26): MP3

    10. from Catullus
  10. Catullus 7 (1:30): MP3
  11. Catullus 8 (1:47): MP3
  12. Catullus 14 (1:59): MP3
  13. Catullus 31 (1:28): MP3
  14. Catullus 32 (0:54): MP3
  15. Catullus 37 (1:47): MP3
  16. Catullus 46 (1:34): MP3
  17. Catullus 51 (1:00): MP3
  18. Catullus 51a (0:44): MP3

    19. from Some Time
  19. "Some time has gone" (0:29): MP3
  20. 1944-6 (2:18): MP3
  21. So That Even a Lover (0:44): MP3
  22. Non Ti Fidar (1:02): MP3
  23. Reading and Talking (2:16): MP3
  24. "As to How Much" (0:53): MP3
  25. Claims (1:39): MP3

    26. from Barely and widely
  26. Poem 2 (“You who were made for this music”) (1:20): MP3
  27. Poem 4 (A Valentine) (1:01): MP3
  28. Poem 5 (The Heights) (1:12): MP3
  29. Poem 8 (“This year”) (1:05): MP3

    30. from Anew
  30. Anew 2 (“One lutenist played look; your thought was drink”) (0:44): MP3
  31. Anew 4 (“So sounds grass, and if it is sun or no sun”) (1:05): MP3
  32. Anew 7 (“When the crickets”) (0:30): MP3
  33. Anew 13 (“A last cigarette”) (0:48): MP3
  34. Anew 16 (“I walk in the old street”) (0:29): MP3
  35. Anew 25 (for Zadkine) (1:44): MP3
  36. Anew 29 (“Glad they were there”) (0:28): MP3
  37. Anew 33 (“Drive, fast kisses”) (0:33): MP3
  38. Anew 35 (Or a valentine) (0:23): MP3
  39. Anew 41 (After Charles Sedley) (1:14): MP3

    40. (Tape breaks: missing poems 13 and 25 from 55 Poems)

    from 55 Poems
  40. Poem 26 (“Ask of the sun”) (0:40): MP3
  41. Poem 27 (“Blue light is the night harbor-slip” - The second half) (1:17): MP3
  42. Song 18 (“The mirror oval sabers playing”) (0:44): MP3
  43. "Further than --" (1:28): MP3
  44. Poem 13 (“We are crossing the bridge now”) (0:27): MP3

Complete Reading (1:52:19): MP3


Zukofsky on the Soundtrack for NETV Film in the USA Poetry Series
March 16, 1966

  1. Poem beginning "The", 1st Movement (2:50): MP3
  2. Divination by a Daffodil by Robert Herrick (included in A Test of Poetry) and So that Even a Lover 1 ("Little Wrists") (0:52): MP3
  3. "A"-9, (the first strophe of both halves) (1:48): MP3
  4. Catullus 70 (1:43): MP3
  5. Anew 30 and 31 (0:53): MP3
  6. "Bottom: A Weaver" and from Bottom: on Shakespeare (Come Shadow, Come from "Julia's Wild") (7:34): MP3
  7. Songs of Degrees 1 & 2 and Barely and widely (2:13): MP3
Featured excerpt (from the complete recording below):
  • Come, Shadow Come ("Julia's Wild" from Bottom: on Shakespeare) (1:07): MP3
Complete Reading (the full recording, but with irreparable reverb) (28:34): MP3


Reading at the Albright-Knox Gallery at the Buffalo Festival of the Arts March 4, 1968
Complete Reading (50:51): MP3

Reading includes: Introduction by Robert Creeley, from “A”-12 (from “To begin a song … start will you please”), Catullus 63, Song 5 (It’s a gay li-ife), Song 24 (This Fall, 1933), Song 25 (No One Inn), Song 27 (Song—3/4 time), “A”-11, “A”-19, and “A”-9 (second half).




Spoken Words, WNYC New York
September 15, 1970 (Broadcast November 9, 1970 and rebroadcast March 3, 1971; also broadcast by Pacifica Radio Network, Los Angeles and San Francisco)

  1. Spoken Words Radio Program Introduction (Felix Leon) (1:02): MP3
  2. Little: for Careenagers (Zukofsky's Introduction) (0:39): MP3
  3. Chapter 4 (3:53): MP3
  4. Chapter 8 (11:39): MP3
  5. Chapter 13 (11:12): MP3
  6. Chapter 18 (16:56): MP3
  7. Spoken Words Outro (0:24): MP3

Complete Reading (45:47): MP3


Reading at Lincoln Center in New York March 31, 1971
Autobiography (46:30): MP3
Zukofsky reads all the poems included in Autobiography followed by a performance of the poems with Celia Zukofsky’s musical scores sung by professional singers and Zukofsky reading the autobiographical prose interludes.


Lecture on Wallace Stevens at the University of Connecticut April 29, 1971
Complete Lecture (1:29:36): MP3

Lecture includes: from “A”-15 (through Book of Job passage), Catullus 31, from “A”-21, Rudens (Act III.6, Voice off), from Bottom: on Shakespeare (from “Continents”), from “A”-22, from Little, from Chapter 22.


Reading at Temple University
October 16, 1972

  1. Introduction (1:51): MP3

    2. Reading from Autobiography
  2. Song 22 ("To my wash-stand") (3:36): MP3
  3. Song 21 (“Snows’ night’s winds on the window rattling”) (0:56): MP3
  4. Song 13 (“in that this happening”) (0:41): MP3
  5. A Song for the Year's End 1 (0:33): MP3
  6. Anew 29 (“Glad they were there”) (0:43): MP3
  7. Old (0:47): MP3

  8. Chapter 4 from Little: for Careenagers (6:51): MP3
  9. "A"-24 (Explanatory commentary, Dedication, CZ’s Preface and Act I, scene 1, Cousin, Lesson) (21:00): MP3
  10. “A”-24 (Act II, scene 4 (from Thought voice)) (6:09): MP3
  11. "A"-7 (10:10): MP3
  12. "A"-20 (3:17): MP3
  13. Catullus 72 (0:46): MP3
  14. Catullus 87 (0:47): MP3
  15. Catullus 11 and 45 (4:21): MP3
  16. 1944-6 (2:56): MP3
Complete Reading (1:10:00): MP3


Reading at Glassboro State College, October 17, 1972
Complete Reading (from "A"-22 and 23) (18:51): MP3


Reading at Bard College
November 2, 1972

  1. Introduction (1:02): MP3
  2. Opening Remarks (4:12): MP3

    3. from Autobiography
  3. Song 22 (“To my wash-stand”) (2:44): MP3
  4. Song 21 (“Snows’ night’s winds on the window rattling”) (0:52): MP3
  5. Song 13 (“in that this happening”) (0:56): MP3
  6. A Song for the Year's End 1 (1:10): MP3
  7. Old (0:55): MP3
  8. Anew 29 (“Glad they were there”) (0:45): MP3

  9. from Little, Chapter 11 (8:17): MP3
  10. from “A”-24 (Explanatory commentary, Dedication, CZ’s Preface, from Act I scene 1 (Thought and Drama voices) and from Act II scene 4 (from Thought and Poetry voices)) (32:48): MP3
  11. Catullus 8 (2 versions) and 70 (6:35): MP3
Complete Reading (1:00:16): MP3


Reading at the Poetry Center YM-YWHA, NYC October 15, 1973

  1. from "A"-22 (32:12): MP3
  2. Catullus 8 (2:20): MP3
  3. Catullus 70 (0:33): MP3
  4. Catullus 73 (0:55): MP3
  5. Catullus 11 (1:39): MP3
  6. Catullus 45 (2:06): MP3
  7. Catullus 51 (1:04): MP3
  8. Song 13 (“in that this happening”) (1:12): MP3
  9. A Song for the Year's End 1 (0:27): MP3
  10. Anew 29 ("Glad they were there") (0:30): MP3
  11. So that Even a Lover 1 ("Little Wrists") (0:36): MP3
  12. "As to How Much" (0:44): MP3
  13. Old (0:35): MP3
  14. Anew 22 (Catullus viii) (2:12): MP3
Complete Reading (51:29): MP3


Reading at Franconia College May 9, 1974
Complete Reading (21:29): MP3

Reading includes: Song 22 ("To my wash-stand"); Song 21 (“Snows’ night’s winds on the window rattling”); Song 13 (“in that this happening”); A Song for the Year's End; Anew 29 (“Glad they were there”); Old; from Little, Chapter 11; from “A”-24 (Explanatory commentary—tape breaks off).


At Johns Hopkins University, December 13, 1975
A recorded private reading and discussion with Hugh Kenner
  1. "A"-11(4:35): MP3
  2. from "A"-15 (opening through Book of Job passage) (3:11): MP3
  3. "A"-20 (3:16): MP3
  4. "A"-21, Rudens (Act IV.7, Voice off) (4:30): MP3
  5. Song 5 (It's a gay li-ife) (0:32): MP3
  6. A Foin Lass Bodders (6:20): MP3
  7. 80 Flowers (Epigraph through #22 Bayberry) (36:20): MP3
Complete Reading (58:45): MP3


Readings & Performances of Zukofsky's Work by Other Poets

Charles Bernstein reads "A Foin Lass" (6:04): MP3

Guy Davenport reads "Catullus" (in the original Latin, plus LZ's versions, as well as one of Shakespeare's sonnets in Elizabethan pronunciation) (21:26): MP3

Two Performances of "A"-24 by an ensemble of Bay Area poets including: Steve Benson, Carla Harryman, Lyn Heijinian, Kit Robinson and Barret Watten with Bob Perelman on piano.
  • At the University of California Davis
    November 16, 1978 (1:13:43): MP3

  • At the Grand Piano in San Francisco
    June 30, 1978 (1:17:07): MP3

Poem 7 (During the Passaic Strike of 1926) read in Mandarin translation by Liu Pu Shan, Date and Location Unknown (4:19): MP3



Also on PennSound:

The Louis Zukofsky Centennial Conference (2004)
with Robert Creeley, Rachel Blau DuPlessis, Bob Perelman, Mark Scroggins, et al.




PennSound Zukofsky page edited by Danny Snelson
Special thanks to Jeff Twitchell-Waas, whose grand and comprehensive Zukofsky site has proved indispensible in annotating this material. Thanks also to Mollie Braverman, Kareem Estefan, Jenny Lesser, and Richard Sieburth for their assistance on this page.

© 2008 Paul Zukofsky. These recordings are made available strictly for noncommercial and educational use through PennSound. No other use of these recordings, including short excerpts of any kind, are allowed without the written permission of, and payment of a fee to, Paul Zukofsky. Distributed by PennSound.