as so many have said, this is so beautiful and poignant Patti with a wonderful video from Janine...I thought about this a lot after watching it...stayed with me a long time...
I’m just seeing this now and am blown away by what seems an uncanny coincidence. I’ve been working nearly nonstop — taking breaks only for medical interventions and a daily walk — on a death penalty issue.
When I was a law student, I had a boyfriend who was already a lawyer who did death penalty work. At the time — and having been the victim of a very violent crime — I couldn’t fathom it, and asked him why he did such work. He replied: “When there’s someone whom almost everyone thinks deserves to die, and you sit next to him, that means something.”
That made such a huge impression on me that I eventually felt called to the work. For as long as I’ve done this — decades — there are two things that I always read (or recite) that give me strength for the fight. One is part III of Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl, for Carl Solomon,” which I recite daily, like prayer, when I am working on a death case, and the other are the last words in The Gospel According to St. Matthew that you, Patti, recited herein: “And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
I had just finished saying them before turning to this. I was and still am shocked that of all things, you said that. The song is, as ever, beautiful. It was beautiful.
Thank you, Janine, for another amazing video. And thank you, Patti and Soundwalk Collective, for this powerful intimate piece.
For anyone who is interested in what for me is a companion to those words, here is part III of Ginsberg’s “Howl,” for Carl Solomon (I recommend that you read it aloud for it comes alive in a whole other way when spoken, nearly sung):
III
Carl Solomon! I’m with you in Rockland
where you’re madder than I am
I’m with you in Rockland
where you must feel very strange
I’m with you in Rockland
where you imitate the shade of my mother
I’m with you in Rockland
where you’ve murdered your twelve secretaries
I’m with you in Rockland
where you laugh at this invisible humor
I’m with you in Rockland
where we are great writers on the same dreadful typewriter
I’m with you in Rockland
where your condition has become serious and is reported on the radio
I’m with you in Rockland
where the faculties of the skull no longer admit the worms of the senses
I'm with you in Rockland
where you drink the tea of the breasts of the spinsters of Utica
I’m with you in Rockland
where you pun on the bodies of your nurses the harpies of the Bronx
I’m with you in Rockland
where you scream in a straightjacket that you’re losing the game of the actual pingpong of the abyss
I’m with you in Rockland
where you bang on the catatonic piano the soul is innocent and immortal it should never die ungodly in an armed madhouse
I’m with you in Rockland
where fifty more shocks will never return your soul to its body again from its pilgrimage to a cross in the void
I’m with you in Rockland
where you accuse your doctors of insanity and plot the Hebrew socialist revolution against the fascist national Golgotha
I’m with you in Rockland
where you will split the heavens of Long Island and resurrect your living human Jesus from the superhuman tomb
I’m with you in Rockland
where there are twentyfive thousand mad comrades all together singing the final stanzas of the Internationale
I’m with you in Rockland
where we hug and kiss the United States under our bedsheets the United States that coughs all night and won’t let us sleep
I’m with you in Rockland
where we wake up electrified out of the coma by our own souls’ airplanes roaring over the roof they’ve come to drop angelic bombs the hospital illuminates itself imaginary walls collapse O skinny legions run outside O starry-spangled shock of mercy the eternal war is here O victory forget your underwear we’re free
I’m with you in Rockland
in my dreams you walk dripping from a sea-journey on the highway across America in tears to the door of my cottage in the Western night
Thank you for the video from the performance Patti. Beautiful and touching. The Pasolini film goes so well with it.
Been listening to and watching a recording of Bach’s Matthäus Passion this Easter (quite special / different with the singers and choir walking around, quite performative). Now I got more inspiration for next film to watch!!
Thank you both for the performance video :) Enjoy the reading in Cologne as well. Thanks for shared hope and a wonderful quote from Mr. Beuys. I am not always happy with the result of my work but I try not to forget the intention and effort I put in it, and first of all, the opportunity to work, will try to remember his words more often.
This is a beautiful Easter message. Wondrous. Thank you. Beautiful Patti.
as so many have said, this is so beautiful and poignant Patti with a wonderful video from Janine...I thought about this a lot after watching it...stayed with me a long time...
I’m just seeing this now and am blown away by what seems an uncanny coincidence. I’ve been working nearly nonstop — taking breaks only for medical interventions and a daily walk — on a death penalty issue.
When I was a law student, I had a boyfriend who was already a lawyer who did death penalty work. At the time — and having been the victim of a very violent crime — I couldn’t fathom it, and asked him why he did such work. He replied: “When there’s someone whom almost everyone thinks deserves to die, and you sit next to him, that means something.”
That made such a huge impression on me that I eventually felt called to the work. For as long as I’ve done this — decades — there are two things that I always read (or recite) that give me strength for the fight. One is part III of Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl, for Carl Solomon,” which I recite daily, like prayer, when I am working on a death case, and the other are the last words in The Gospel According to St. Matthew that you, Patti, recited herein: “And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
I had just finished saying them before turning to this. I was and still am shocked that of all things, you said that. The song is, as ever, beautiful. It was beautiful.
Thank you, Janine, for another amazing video. And thank you, Patti and Soundwalk Collective, for this powerful intimate piece.
For anyone who is interested in what for me is a companion to those words, here is part III of Ginsberg’s “Howl,” for Carl Solomon (I recommend that you read it aloud for it comes alive in a whole other way when spoken, nearly sung):
III
Carl Solomon! I’m with you in Rockland
where you’re madder than I am
I’m with you in Rockland
where you must feel very strange
I’m with you in Rockland
where you imitate the shade of my mother
I’m with you in Rockland
where you’ve murdered your twelve secretaries
I’m with you in Rockland
where you laugh at this invisible humor
I’m with you in Rockland
where we are great writers on the same dreadful typewriter
I’m with you in Rockland
where your condition has become serious and is reported on the radio
I’m with you in Rockland
where the faculties of the skull no longer admit the worms of the senses
I'm with you in Rockland
where you drink the tea of the breasts of the spinsters of Utica
I’m with you in Rockland
where you pun on the bodies of your nurses the harpies of the Bronx
I’m with you in Rockland
where you scream in a straightjacket that you’re losing the game of the actual pingpong of the abyss
I’m with you in Rockland
where you bang on the catatonic piano the soul is innocent and immortal it should never die ungodly in an armed madhouse
I’m with you in Rockland
where fifty more shocks will never return your soul to its body again from its pilgrimage to a cross in the void
I’m with you in Rockland
where you accuse your doctors of insanity and plot the Hebrew socialist revolution against the fascist national Golgotha
I’m with you in Rockland
where you will split the heavens of Long Island and resurrect your living human Jesus from the superhuman tomb
I’m with you in Rockland
where there are twentyfive thousand mad comrades all together singing the final stanzas of the Internationale
I’m with you in Rockland
where we hug and kiss the United States under our bedsheets the United States that coughs all night and won’t let us sleep
I’m with you in Rockland
where we wake up electrified out of the coma by our own souls’ airplanes roaring over the roof they’ve come to drop angelic bombs the hospital illuminates itself imaginary walls collapse O skinny legions run outside O starry-spangled shock of mercy the eternal war is here O victory forget your underwear we’re free
I’m with you in Rockland
in my dreams you walk dripping from a sea-journey on the highway across America in tears to the door of my cottage in the Western night
—- Allen Ginsberg
San Francisco, 1955—1956
Warm wishes to everyone.
As ever,
Robin
Your voice sounded just so peaceful...I loved that. Thank you Patti. X
This touched me deeply, thank you, Patti. I'm thinking of you in Berlin with love.
Thank you for the video from the performance Patti. Beautiful and touching. The Pasolini film goes so well with it.
Been listening to and watching a recording of Bach’s Matthäus Passion this Easter (quite special / different with the singers and choir walking around, quite performative). Now I got more inspiration for next film to watch!!
Your voice is so expressive here. I felt it right in my heart.
Thank you both for the performance video :) Enjoy the reading in Cologne as well. Thanks for shared hope and a wonderful quote from Mr. Beuys. I am not always happy with the result of my work but I try not to forget the intention and effort I put in it, and first of all, the opportunity to work, will try to remember his words more often.
XO
So moving and powerful, and such a great juxtaposition with Pasolini's film. I wonder if you're at Hansa Studios? Thank you, Patti!
Your hands express the words you sing. They are shining with energy.
I agree with what so many others have already said . . . meditative, haunting, transcendent . . . truly beautiful. Thank you, Patti.
Berlin is a lucky city to have u creating there. It's a my 3rd favorite city...Paris is my first and second is San Diego!
That was so beautiful.
Lovely. Thank you.
I truly believe that the greatest love of all is with us always.
To give it a name would confine it, love itself is freedom.
I was really moved by your voice at the start, I could feel the love right there.