Harold Norse died, age of 92, in his sleep on Monday Jane 8th. I first met Harold when I went with Bukowski to his place on Venice Beach. I remember them sparking back and forth with lively conversation about writing. I have heard him say he taught Bukowski to write. (which I doubted) I think Bukowski came away with his latest poetry book that day which I later read. Harold moved to San Francisco and I remember him in the Taylor Hackford film chiding Bukowski about "giving the folks a 20's show."
I decided to sculpture Harold on one of my many trips to San Francisco to see my daugher. He lived around the corner from the Abandoned Planet Bookstore, run by Scott Harrison who had a foundness for all these old poets, as he had Jack Micheline and others in the area. Scott gave me the space to sculpture him in the back room of his store.
Over the next four or five sculpture sitting I got to know Harold much better and he told story after story about his past. I didn't stop sculpturing, he didn't stop talking and I was sorry I didn't have a tape recorder on as he told more and more. He was wearing his wig at this point, which I knew and in the sculpture it looks like a wig. Later after he went into the care center, he abandoned his wig and let his bare head show.
When we went out to eat Harold stuck strictly to his vegetarian diet which probably contributed to his long life. Even though his memory began to fail in his last year he could still read his poetry with absolute clarity.
A few years later when his Autobiography, MEMOIRS OF A BASTARD ANGEL was published. I thought it was one of the most honest book I'd read of a life, a homosexual life. After that came a huge collection of his poetry IN THE HUB OF THE FIERY FORCE from the Thunder Mouth Press. No one can read this book and not see the force, rhythm. beauty of his poetry.
He used to worry that his publisher or his friends were stealing from him...maybe they were.
He grieved that he had not gotten the same fame as some of the other Beats, but I think he was a giant among poets and will not be forgotten. My sculpture of him sits in the Beat Museum in San Francisco. You can see it there or...if I can master a picture on my blog of it, I will.
Linda King
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So the great Harold Norse had died. I would have to say that I thought his autobiography one of the most fascinating about the poets and a gay life I have ever read. He was just so honest. Any lover of great memoirs should not miss this one. I want to thank you again for seeing that I got a copy of it to read which I sent on to Sister Ann as requested.
ReplyDeleteI notice I have somehow posted a photo of myself at the beginning of your blog and I don't know how to get it off! Sorry. It just did it all by its self when I was trying to become a follower. I wish you would print a couple of your favorite poems of Harold Norse's, and I hope you will be able to figure out how to post a photo of your sculpture of him. Sister Gerry
What a great long life for a poet who will live long in the minds of many that read him. But it's sad to have one go. I thought his autobiography exceptional too. Put up your poem about him.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what it would be like to live to be 92...I'm 33 now (1976) so I still have a ways to go. I wonder what I'd accomplish if I was given all that time...one can only hope.
ReplyDeleteHe will be missed.