Son of a Pony at Cornelia Street Cafe

Andy Clausen was an inspiration to me for more than 30 years via the San Francisco and New York poetry worlds. I first encountered him at Cafe Babar and was blown away by the sheer vitality of his words and reading. Every. Time. After relocating to New York, I discovered that he was now living in Woodstock and luckily I was able to see him read here. So much poetry in one man it was bursting from him, even in his final words, as his close friend, Danny Shot relayed this sad morning: "For I am a mighty oak" Here is a short excerpt from Andy's reading at Son of a Pony at Cornelia Street Cafe reading on February 3, 2012. And here's the description from that magical night, which gives you a little more insight into this mountain of a man. RIP Andy. Your journey made a difference to so many.

In 1968, ANDY CLAUSEN signalled the intensity of his energetic spoken word recital when he performed naked save for an American flag tie at the Conference Of Small Magazine Editors and Publishers in Berkeley. The following month, when Allen Ginsberg caught a glimpse of Clausen at the Rolling Renaissance readings in San Francisco, he thought he was seeing the young Neal Cassady. Allen Ginsberg not only called him the "Future of American Poetry" but in the introduction to Without Doubt, said he would take a chance on a "President Clausen." Clausen has taught at Naropa University and given readings and lectures at many universities, prisons, poetry conferences, and cafes at home and around the world. He has worked for poetry in the schools agencies in California, New Jersey, Colorado and New York. He is presently working on memoirs of his friendship and adventures with Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso and many others of the Beat Generation. "Andy, I may give your life structure, but you are the Miracle Worker of this team." ~ Janine Pommy Vega

Son of a Pony 020312 Andy Clausen In 1968, ANDY CLAUSEN signalled the intensity of his energetic spoken word recital when he performed naked save for an American flag tie at the Conference Of...

Very excited to announce that I'll be reading with Gerd Stern and Peter Carlaftes at Walt Whitman Birthplace Association in Huntington Station, Long Island on Friday April 5.

Walking With Whitman: Poetry in Performance – Gerd Stern, Kat Georges, Peter Carlaftes, Josie Bello - Walt Whitman Birthplace Museum Friday, April 5th, Walking With Whitman will feature poets Gerd Stern, Kat Georges and Peter Carlaftes. The evening will also feature live music by Singer-Songwriter Josie Bello. Join us for this exciting event!

Tomorrow (11/22) at 2 pm, it's my turn on KPFK. I'll be reading poetry and talking poetry, along with Peter Carlaftes and host Richard Modiano on the Poets Cafe KPFK Los Angeles

Dream come true back story:
On a Saturday afternoon back in the 80s, I was driving up the 405 to LA from my place in Costa Mesa, listening to KPFK Los Angeles 90.7 FM. Suddenly, my little Subaru was filled with the big, resonant voice of poet Michael McClure, reading his "Stanzas Composed in Turmoil." Everything changed. I was so moved by the sound of his intense poetry that I wanted more. I started at once to host readings: Cafe of Dreams at Diedrich's Coffee in Costa Mesa; Club Blab with Mike M. Mollett at Zatar's in Hollywood; The Blue Monkey Cafe, Paradise Lounge, and my own Marilyn Monroe Memorial Theater in San Francisco; in New York Son of a Pony at Cornelia Street Cafe and various other joints in NYC. All because of hearing Michael McClure's poetry on KPFK. I vowed one day I would also read on KPFK! And now it's happening. Please tune in!

And thank you, KPFK and Richard Modiano for making this dream come true.

My 2nd poetry collection, AWE AND OTHER WORDS LIKE WOW is living its best life--but could use your help! Please, if you haven't already, pick up a copy. If you send me your amazon receipt, I'll happily send you a beautiful signed bookplate that you can affix to page one. And if you already have your copy PLEASE leave a review on Amazon. Doesn't have to be long, only takes a minute. It makes such a huge difference, and your poet here will be eternally grateful. https://www.amazon.com/Awe-Other-Words-Like-Wow/dp/1953103413/

Don't you love the cover? It's by the brilliant Paris-based artist Susan Shup! Check out more of her work here: http://www.shupshop.com

Here's what people are saying about it:
“Dazzles with its visionary witnessing, spiritual epiphanies, refreshing humor, anthems, and odes to love, reminding the reader that all life is holy.” —Lisa Panepinto, poet, Where I Come From The Fish Have Souls

“The poems leave you inspired, burning brighter for having been illuminated by them.” —Jane LeCroy, poet, Signature Play

“A multitude of joys . . . encourages the act of awe and “our deep deep roots / blooms of dreams / too resilient to crush.” —Maw Shein Win, author, Storage Unit for the Spirit House

"If, as Emily Dickinson said, 'hope is the thing with feathers,' Kat Georges gives us many feathery things in this smart, beautiful, heartfelt collection." --Julia Watts, author, Needlework and Lovesick Blossoms

“Georges is a keen observer of urban life. It’s not that she doesn’t see the grit, but she hears a siren as a soprano.” —Karen Hildebrand, author, Crossing Pleasure Avenue

“This is poetry that pops and flows—rhapsodic, philippic, giddy and wise. This is a proving grounds for Keroauc's boisterous, gleam-eyed mad ones—delirious, desirous, joyous, burning like fabulous yellow roman candles in the self-exploding night.” —George Wallace, Writer in residence, Walt Whitman Birthplace

“This is poetry at its finest.” Richard Modiano, Director Emeritus Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center

Awe and Other Words Like Wow: Poems Awe and Other Words Like Wow: Poems

Today Peter and I are co-jostling the 2023 International VIRTUAL Salon from 1:30-2:30 co-sponsored my with 15 performers from 11 countries. We’re going to try to livestream to Facebook but you can also watch directly on zoom. Hope you can tune in. Register here:

2023 International Virtual DADA Salon Three Rooms Press and NYPL Jefferson Market present 2023 International Virtual Dada Salon A Highly Eclectic Online DADA Performance Event Tuesday, November 7, 2023 | 1:30 pm EST (18:30h GMT) Live Via NYPL Zoom (Advance Registration Required. Zoom codes will be sent via email before the program start...

Come one come all! Our MAINTENANT Dada Journal Started at Cornelia Street Cafe -- so join us on 10/28 to see it continue.

BTW: Did you hear Cornelia Street Cafe will soon by a high-end Sushi Restaurant, with the basement reserved for high-rollers? True!

Tomorrow (10/28) at 6 EDT we celebrate more with NYPL The New York Public Library and contributors to MAINTENANT 15 Contemporary Dada Journal. To be a part of the live on zoom event you MUST Preregister by noon tomorrow! Here: https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2021/10/28/dada-nyc-2021-festival-part-ii
Participants include Robert C. Ford Thomas Fucaloro Johanna Fuhrman Bibbe Hansen Heide Hatry Ron Kolm Eleni Kourti David Lawton Jane LeCroy Eliette Markhbein Jane Ormerod Steve Dalachinsky (+ Yuko Otomo) Martina Salisbury Christine Sloan Stoddard John J. Trause, Thomas Walker and more! Don't forget to register by NOON, 10/28. Hosted by 3RP co-directors Kat Georges and Peter Carlaftes

Save the date for our 13th annual Charles Bukowski Memorial Reading Feb 20, 2020, at Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker st.—just a few blocks east of our much-missed Cornelia Street Cafe. Tickets here:

https://lpr.com/lpr_events/three-rooms-press-charles-bukowski-memorial-reading-february-20-2020/

Seen at 29 Cornelia Street on 1/1/2020. 😠😤🤬