Diane di Prima: Life and Death of a Beatnik
On the 25th of October 2020, Diane di Prima died at the age of 86. She had been sick for some time, she lived in a nursing home for the elderly due to various health problems, but the image that remains of Diane is not that of a woman despondent with age: what remains for us is an energetic woman, passionate about the world, and who believed in the power of literature to transform the world.
di Prima was born in Brooklyn in 1934, and her passion for writing came from an early age, even going so far as to maintain correspondence with author Ezra Pound. As soon as she entered college, she decided to move to the bohemian area of New York in order to be closer to the culture that interested her so much. Her ‘pads’ (apartments) became famous for housing all her bohemian friends, and from these adventures — along with a dash of erotic creativity — her most famous book, Memoirs of a Beatnik, emerged.
But it wasn’t just with erotica that Diane supported herself. Her vast bibliography includes poems, novels, articles, pamphlets, and all kinds of experimental literature with which she had contact. She and Amiri Baraka created a mimeographed magazine, The Floating Bear, in which they published several texts by their Beat colleagues. Later, she and her then-husband Alan Marlowe did the same with Poets Press. During the 1960s, Diane traveled with a group of hippies across the country, experimenting with psychedelic drugs and participating in political acts. It goes without saying how much Diane refused to sit still: even with four children, she continued her travels, enlisting the help of the community around her to care for the children. In the following decade, her interest shifted to Buddhism, which stayed with her for the rest of her life.
In the decades that followed, Diane continued to be interested in literature and taught at universities or courses until the time when her various illnesses no longer allowed her to continue teaching. However, her husband Sheppard Powell claims that Diane wrote until weeks before her death, sometimes going so far as to dictate the verses to him when her arthritis prevented her from writing normally.
Diane di Prima will continue to be an inspiration not only for those who seek to know more about the Beat Generation and inevitably know the North American of Italian ancestry who was the only one of the Beat women to be translated here in Brazil but for anyone interested in revolutionary literature. She was and will always be the “bird that flies backward”, and her legacy will continue to inspire many others.
The writer Ariane Ribeiro contributed to this text above.
Larissa Oliveira
My contact with the women of the Beat Generation began with an interest in the characters present in the works of the already renowned male names of the literary scene. The first one that caught my attention was Marylou, inspired by the real LuAnne Henderson from “On The Road” (Jack Kerouac, 1957). However, just as Joyce Johnson, a valued author of the Beat Generation, titled her 2012 work, “The Voice is Everything: Jack Kerouac’s Lonely Victory” — without translation in Brazil. Kerouac’s lone victory drowned out the voices of women who were also there and who would not narrate their experiences for themselves. That’s why getting to know Diane di Prima is being in contact with the one that comes closest to the literary and ideological recognition that the Beat men had. Diane opened her body and her mind to the most diverse experiences available to her. “I wanted everything — very seriously and totally — I wanted to have every experience I could have, I wanted everything possible for a person in a female body, and that means I wanted to be a mother[…]” she once said in an interview. The mother nuance of the anarchist author would expand by publishing fictional books to support communities that she lived in from time to time; it was also when she met the future names of the Beat Generation in the mid-20th century and offered support when they suffered strong censorship because of their transgressive works, and transgression walked side by side with Diane in its many forms, even under the Loba (wolf) shape. She is undoubtedly the mother of the Beat Generation and has orphaned many of her insatiable goddess charms.
Check below the original and translated versions of the first five revolutionary letters present in his work “Revolutionary Letters” (1971-edited later) published by City Lights and which has not yet been released in Brazil. The translation was made by the author of this site, Larissa Oliveira Cardoso.
When men rebelled they were romantic, free. Women who rebelled were categorized as being nuts. [The beginning of the twenty-first century] It’s such a big step forward to single mom, but so much more could be going on besides that. Diane di Prima, 2002 for the Literary Kicks website.
REVOLUTIONARY LETTER #1
I have just realized that the stakes are myself
I have no other
ransom money, nothing to break or barter but my life
my spirit measured out, in bits, spread over
the roulette table, I recoup what I can
nothing else to shove under the nose of the maitre de jeu
nothing to thrust out the window, no white flag
this flesh all I have to offer, to make the play with
this immediate head, what it comes up with, my move
as we slither over this go board, stepping always
(we hope) between the linesCARTA REVOLUCIONÁRIA #1
Acabo de perceber que estou em jogo
Eu não tenho outro
dinheiro de resgate, nada para quebrar ou trocar, mas minha vida
meu espírito medido em pedaços, espalhado sobre
a mesa de roleta, eu recupero o que posso
nada mais para enfiar sob o nariz do mestre do jogo
nada para empurrar para fora da janela, nenhuma bandeira branca
nesta carne tudo o que tenho a oferecer, para fazer o jogo com
esta cabeça imediata, o que surge, meus movimentos
à medida que nós escorregamos sobre este tabuleiro, pisando sempre
(esperamos) entre as linhasREVOLUTIONARY LETTER #2
The value of an individual life a credo they taught us
to instil fear, and inaction, ‘you only live once’
a fog in our eyes, we are
endless as the sea, not separate, we die
a million times a day, we are born
a million times, each breath life and death:
get up, put on your shoes, get
started, someone will finish
//
Tribe
5an organism, one flesh, breathing joy as the stars
breathe destiny down on us, get
going, join hands, see to business, thousands of sons
will see to it when you fall, you will grow
a thousand times in the bellies of your sistersCARTA REVOLUCIONÁRIA #2
O valor da vida individual, um credo que nos ensinaram
para instilar o medo e a inação, 'você só vive uma vez',
uma névoa em nossos olhos, somos
infinitos como o mar, não separados, morremos
milhões de vezes por dia, nascemos
um milhão de vezes, a cada respiração, vida e morte:
levante-se, calce os sapatos,
comece, alguém vai terminar
//
Tribo
um organismo, uma carne, respirando alegria enquanto as estrelas
sopram o destino sobre nós,
seguir em frente, dar as mãos, cuidar dos negócios, milhares de filhos
cuidarão disso quando você cair, você crescerá
mil vezes nas barrigas de suas irmãsREVOLUTIONARY LETTER #3
store water; make a point of filling your bathtub
at the first news of trouble: they turned off the water
in the 4thward for a whole day during the Newark riots;
or better yet make a habit
of keeping the tub clean and full when not in use
change this once a day, it should be good enough
for washing, flushing toilets when necessary
and cooking, in a pinch, but it’s a good idea
to keep some bottled water handy too
get a couple of five gallon jugs and keep them full
for cooking
//
store food — dry stuff like rice and beans stores best
goes farthest. SALT VERY IMPORTANT: it’s health and energy
healing too, keep a couple pounds
sea salt around, and, because we’re spoiled, some tins
tuna, etc. to keep up morale — keep up the sense
of ‘balanced diet’ ‘protein intake’ remember
the stores may be closed for quite some time, the trucks
may not enter your section of the city for weeks, you can cool it indefinitely
//
with 20 lb brown rice
20 lb whole wheat flour
10 lb cornmeal
10 lb good beans — kidney or soy
5 lb sea salt
2 qts good oil
dried fruit and nuts add nutrients and a sense of luxury
to this diet, a squash or coconut in
a cool place in your pad will keep six months.CARTA REVOLUCIONÁRIA #3
armazenar água; faça questão de encher sua banheira
na primeira notícia de problemas: eles fecharam a água
na 4ª ala por um dia inteiro durante as revoltas em Newark;
ou melhor ainda, crie o hábito
de manter a banheira limpa e cheia quando não estiver em uso
mude uma vez por dia, deve ser bom o suficiente
para lavar, dar descarga nos vasos sanitários quando necessário
e cozinhar, em um piscar de olhos, mas é uma boa ideia
manter um pouco de água engarrafada à mão também
pegue um par de jarras e cinco galões e os mantenha cheios
para cozinhar
//
armazenar alimentos - coisas secas como arroz e feijão abastecem melhor
levam para mais longe. SAL, MUITO IMPORTANTE: é saúde e energia
também cura, mantenha alguns quilos
de sal de mar por perto e, porque estamos estragados, algumas latas
sardinhas, etc. para manter o entusiasmo- mantenha o senso
de 'dieta balanceada' 'ingestão de proteínas', lembre-se
de que as lojas podem estar fechadas por um bom tempo, os caminhões
podem não entrar na sua seção da cidade por semanas, você pode resfriá-la
indefinidamente
//
com 20 kg de arroz integral
20 kg de farinha de trigo integral
10 kg de fubá
10 kg de feijão bom - rim ou soja
5 kg de sal marinho
2 quartos de óleo bom
frutas secas e nozes
adicionam nutrientes e uma sensação de luxo
a essa dieta, uma abóbora ou coco
em um lugar fresco em sua almofada durará seis meses.REVOLUTIONARY LETTER #4
Left to themselves people
grow their hair.
Left to themselves they
take off their shoe’s.
Left to themselves they make love
sleep easily
share blankets, dope & children
they are not lazy or afraid
they plant seeds, they smile, they
speak to one another. The word
coming into its own: touch of love;
on the brain, the ear.
//
We return with the sea, the tides
we return as often as leaves, as numerous
as grass, gentle, insistent, we remember
the way,
our babes toddle barefoot thru the cities of the universe.CARTA REVOLUCIONÁRIA #4
Deixados sozinhos, as pessoas
crescem seus cabelos.
Deixados sozinhos, eles
tiram os sapatos.
Deixados sozinhos, eles fazem amor
dormem facilmente
compartilham cobertores, drogas e crianças
eles não são preguiçosos ou medrosos
eles plantam sementes, eles sorriem, eles
falam uns com os outros. A palavra
ganhando vida: toque de amor;
no cérebro, no ouvido.
//
Voltamos com o mar, as marés
voltamos tantas vezes quanto as folhas, tão numerosas
como a grama, gentil, insistente, nos lembramos
o caminho,
nossos bebês cambaleiam descalços pelas cidades do universo.REVOLUTIONARY LETTER #5
at some point
you may be called upon
to keep going for several days without sleep:
keep some ups around, to be
clearheaded, avoid ‘comedown’ as much as possible,
take vitamin B along with amphetamines, try
powdered guarana root, available
at herb drugstores, it is an up
used by Peruvian mountainfolk, tastes
like mocha (bitter) can be put in tea
will clear your head, increase oxygen supply
keep you going past amphetamine wooziness
//
at some point
you may have to crash, under tension, keep some downs
on’ hand, you may have to cool out
sickness, or freak-out, or sorrow, keep some downs
on hand, I don’t mean
tranquillizers, ye olde fashioned SLEEPING PILL
(sleep heals heads, heals souls) chloryll hydrate
(Mickey Finn) one of the best, but
nembutal, etc. OK in a pinch, remember
no liquor with barbiturates
//
at some point
you will need painkillers, darvon
is glorified shit, stash some codeine & remember
it’s about five times more effective
if taken with aspirin
//
ups, downs & painkillers are
the essence: antibiotics
for extreme infections, any good
wide-spectrum one will do, avoid penicillin
too many allergies, speaking of which
cortisone is good for really bad attacks
(someone who freaks out asthma-style, or with hives)
//
USE ALL THESE AS LITTLE
as possible, side effects multifarious
and they cloud the brain
tend to weaken the body and obscure
judgment
//
ginseng tea, ginger compresses, sea salt,
prayer and love
are better healers, easier come by, save the others
for life and death trips, you will know
when you see oneCARTA REVOLUCIONÁRIA #5
em algum ponto
você pode ser solicitado
a continuar por vários dias sem dormir:
mantenha alguns estimulantes, para ficar
lúcido, evite 'recaídas' tanto quanto possível,
tome vitamina B junto com anfetaminas,
raiz de guaraná em pó, disponíveis
em casas de ervas, é um estimulante
usado pelos montanheses peruanos, tem gosto
de mocha (amargo) pode ser colocado no chá
limpará sua cabeça, aumentará o suprimento de oxigênio
para te manter superando a tontura das anfetaminas
//
em algum ponto
você pode ter que cair duro, sob tensão, mantenha alguns sedativos
na mão, você pode ter que relaxar
doença, ou loucura, ou tristeza, mantenha alguns sedativos
na mão, não me refiro a tranquilizantes, sua velha PÍLULA PARA DORMIR
(sono cura cabeças, cura almas) hidrato de cloro
(Mickey Finn) um dos melhores, mas
nembutal, etc. OK em uma pitada, lembre-se
nada de licor com barbitúricos
//
em algum ponto
você vai precisar de analgésicos, darvon
é uma merda glorificada, armazene um pouco de codeína & lembre-se
que é cerca de cinco vezes mais eficaz
se tomada com aspirina
//
estimulantes, sedativos & analgésicos são
a essência: antibióticos
para infecções extremas, qualquer uma
de bom amplo espectro serve, evite penicilinas
muitas alergias, falando nisso
cortisona é boa para ataques realmente ruins
(alguém que enlouquece no estilo asma, ou com urticária)
//
USE TODOS ESSES O MENOS
possível, os efeitos colaterais são variados
e eles turvam o cérebro
para enfraquecer o corpo e obscurecer
o julgamento
//
chá de ginseng, compressas de gengibre, sal marinho,
oração e amor
são melhores curadores, mais fáceis de encontrar, salve os outros
para viagens de vida e morte, você saberá
quando você ver umaREVOLUTIONARY LETTER #63
Free Julian Beck
Free Timothy Leary
Free seven million starving in Pakistan
Free all political prisoners
Free Angela Davis
Free Soledad brothers
Free Martin Sobel. . . . ’
Free Sacco & Vanzetti
Free Big Bill Hayward
Free Sitting Bull
Free Crazy Horse
Free all political prisoners
Free Billy the Kid
Free Jesse James
Free all political prisoners
Free Nathan Hale
Free Joan of Arc
Free Galileo & Bruno & Eckhart
Free Jesus Christ:
Free Socrates
Free all political prisoners
Free all political prisoners
All prisoners are political prisoners
Every pot smoker a political prisoner
Every holdup man a political prisoner
Every forger a political prisoner
Every angry kid who smashed a window a political prisoner
Every whore, pimp, murderer, a political prisoner
Every pederast, dealer, drunk driver, burglar
poacher, striker, strike breaker, rapist
Polar bear at San Francisco zoo, political prisoner
Ancient wise turtle at Detroit Aquarium, political prisoner
Flamingoes dying in Phoenix tourist park, political prisoners
Otters in Tucson Desert Museum, political prisoners
Elk in Wyoming grazing behind barbed wire, political prisoners
Prairie dogs poisoned in New Mexico, war casualties
(Mass grave of Wyoming bald eagles, a battlefield)
Every kid in school a political prisoner
Every lawyer in his cubicle a political prisoner
Every doctor brainwashed by AMA a political prisoner
Every housewife a political prisoner
Every teacher lying thru sad teeth a political prisoner
Every Indian on reservation a political prisoner
Every black man a political prisoner
Every faggot hiding in bar a political prisoner
Every junkie shooting up in John a political prisoner
Every woman a political prisoner
Every woman a political prisoner
You are political prisoner locked in tense body
You are political prisoner locked in stiff mind
You are political prisoner locked to your parents
You are political prisoner locked to your past
Free yourself
Free yourself
I am political prisoner locked in anger habit
I am political prisoner locked in greed habit
I am political prisoner locked in fear habit
I am political prisoner locked in dull senses
I am political prisoner locked in numb flesh
Free me
Free me
Help to free me
Free yourself
Help to free me
Free yourself
Help to free me
Free Barry Goldwater
Help to free me
Free Governor Wallace
Free President Nixon.
Free J Edgar Hoover
Free them;
Free yourself
Free them
Free yourself
Free yourself
Free them
Free yourself
Help to free me
Free us
DANCECARTA REVOLUCIONÁRIA # 63
Libertem Julian Beck
Libertem Timothy Leary
Libertem sete milhões de famintos¹ no Paquistão
Libertem todos os presos políticos
Libertem Angela Davis
Libertem irmãos Soledad
Libertem Martin Sobel? . . . ’
Libertem Sacco & Vanzetti
Libertem Big Bill Hayward
Libertem Sitting Bull
Libertem Crazy Horse
Libertem todos os presos políticos
Libertem Billy the Kid
Libertem Jesse James
Libertem todos os presos políticos
Libertem Nathan Hale
Libertem Joana d'Arc
Libertem Galileo & Bruno & Eckhart
Libertem Jesus Cristo:
Libertem Sócrates
Libertem todos os prisioneiros políticos
Libertem todos os prisioneiros políticos
Todos os presos são prisioneiros políticos
Todo fumante de maconha é um prisioneiro político
Todo assaltante é um prisioneiro político
Todo falsificador é um prisioneiro político
Cada criança com raiva que quebra uma janela é uma prisioneira política
Cada prostituta, cafetão, assassino, um prisioneiro político
Cada pederasta, traficante, motorista bêbado, ladrão
caçador furtivo, atacante, fura-greve, estuprador
Urso polar no zoológico de São Francisco, prisioneiro político
Tartaruga anciã no Aquário de Detroit, prisioneira política
Flamingos morrendo no parque turístico de Phoenix, prisioneiros políticos
Lontras no Museu do Deserto de Tucson, prisioneiras políticas
Alces em Wyoming pastando atrás de arame farpado, prisioneiros políticos
Cães da pradaria envenenados no Novo México, vítimas de guerra
(Sepultura coletiva das águias carecas do Wyoming, um campo de batalha)
Cada criança na escola é uma prisioneira política
Cada advogado em seu cubículo é um prisioneiro político
Cada médico submetido à lavagem cerebral pela AMA, um prisioneiro político
Cada dona de casa é uma prisioneira política
Cada professor mentindo com todos os dentes tristes um prisioneiro político
Cada índio na reserva um prisioneiro político
Todo homem negro é um prisioneiro político
Cada bicha² se escondendo no bar um prisioneiro político
Cada drogado se picando em John um prisioneiro político
Cada mulher é uma prisioneira política
Cada mulher é uma prisioneira política
Você é um prisioneiro político preso em um corpo tenso
Você é um prisioneiro político preso em uma mente rígida
Você é um prisioneiro político preso aos seus pais
Você é um prisioneiro político preso ao seu passado
libertem-se
libertem-se
Eu sou uma prisioneira política presa ao hábito da raiva
Eu sou uma prisioneira política presa ao hábito da ganância
Eu sou uma prisioneira política presa ao hábito do medo
Eu sou uma prisioneira política presa em sentidos desinteressantes
Eu sou uma prisioneira política presa em uma carne entorpecida
Me libertem
Me Libertem
Ajudem a me libertar
libertem-se
Ajudem a me libertar
libertem-se
Ajudem a me libertar
Libertem Barry Goldwater
Ajudem a me libertar
Libertem Governador Wallace
Libertem Presidente Nixon.
Libertem J Edgar Hoover
Liberte-os;
libertem-se
Libertá-los
Libertem-se
Libertem-se
Libertá-los
libertem-se
Ajudem a me libertar
Liberta-nos
DANCEM
Larissa Oliveira
¹ In Portuguese, the predominant gender is masculine and I used it to keep the reading flow of the poem. The translator is aware of the importance of feminine (a) and neuter pronouns like (@,x, etc.).
² The translation of the word faggot suggests a pejorative sense, but it is valid if we pay attention to the publication date of the letters and how gay terms were used at that time. Today there is a resignification of the word “bicha” through artists such as Linn da Quebrada. There is no suggestion of homophobia in the works and original author interviews.
SOURCES:
Revolutionary Letters, Diane di Prima. Anonymous reprint (2014) of Third
Edition, March 1974, City Lights Books, San Francisco
https://www.litkicks.com/DiPrimaInterview
https://www.sfgate.com/books/article/Interview-with-poet-Diane-di-Prima-
5874262.php
https://www.latimes.com/obituaries/story/2020-10-28/diane-di-prima-feminist-poet-beat-generation-dies
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/28/books/diane-di-prima-dead.html
