In November a friend came to visit, and we took a trip over to visit Charles Bernstein and Susan Bee. As luck would have it, it's difficult to leave CB's apartment without and project - and this would become mine. Now, the time I worked on this sillily seems too long. Bur with the help on my every trusty assistant TED (who knows how to scan) we put together this EPC page for Mary Rising Higgins.
I can't say enough good things about Mary. Mary died a number of years ago from cancer. She had been my father's student at UNM where she always said she "discovered Language Poetry." She was the companion of my teacher Gene Frunkin and in a long time writing group. Her endeavors were supported by John Tritica, Bruce Holsapple, Jeff Byran, Gloria Frym Peter Gannick, and many others who loved, published, wrote with and read her work. Many of these folks, along with David Abel, Rachel Higgins and esp Gloria Frym helped create this page.
Shortly before her death, Michael Goldsten saw Mary read at a cafe in Albquerque New Mexico for Jim & I's journal Saint Elizabeth Street. A professor at Columbia, Michael decided to have Mary come to New York and read with Charles Bernstein. Afterward we had a party at Michael's house. It was one of the absolute happiest moments of my life in New York. Mary was sick at the time and she had decided to keep her illness private. She later told me something to the effect that she didn't want people feeling bad for her. She just wanted to have a good time. This connection and the happiness it brought Mary remains one of the most important events of my life as a poet.
I am so happy that I got the opportunity to do this, to send good wishes out to Mary, and to (hopefully)bring some new readers to her work. Thank you Charles, James, Ted, and Loss!! The Buffalo web genius.
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