bongo notes

Bongo Lecture: The American Landscape & Ecology

-There is a distinction between the romantic, hippy view of nature and the Beat sensibility which was unromantic, more realist. 

-The romantic view is that of perfection and spirituality in nature, a transcendental view (i.e. Wordsworth)

-The Beat view is that nature is as scary as it is beautiful, that "Nature is unnatural" and the grime is a part of it, too. -The ugliness, darkness and scariness is essential in nature.

-The relationship between nature & the city - where do we fit? How is it possible?

Michael McClure - "For the Death of 100 Whales"

D.H. Lawrence - "Whales Weep Not"

-Anything that is able to make love is worth saving, is holy.

Gary Snyder - "Smokey the Bear Sutra"

-Smokey the bear as theultimate buhddah incarnation

-New awareness of responsibility for the environment

-Understanding it on its own terms
-Outgrowth of the human spirit

-Cycles of knowledge - Ezra Pound - make it new

Gary Snyder - "Axe Handles"
-If we're seeking far, we're not looking in the right place. Self contained method of growing and evolving. Learning & teaching at the same time. "He dies of thirst beside the fountain". God is closer to you than your jugular.