Homage & Good-Bye to Tuli Kupferberg

On Saturday a Tuli Kupferberg homage was held at Saint Marks in the Bowery’s Poetry Project. The Fugs performed a number of Tuli’s songs, and some 40 plus people spoke or read to honor Tuli, in the very full hall. Below, my amateurish recording of the Fugs doing a Tuli song (an extract, really), and below that my translation of the 1969 Claude Pélieu poem dedicated to Tuli, which I read in the original French & in my instant translation (just add English) after suggesting that Claude, who called it splitsville back in 2002, was no doubt hanging out near the Pearly Gates to throw a reception party for Tuli when he arrived.

Claude Pélieu

IDIOT SONG

                          (for Tuli)

Silence staved in the ripe wheat
& the body attacked the body
Light sawed through the fog
& the music knocked over the chamber maid
The silex-emerald of sex set fire to
the calendar
A short line a long line
a black one a white one
we couldn't care less we don't give a fuck
The spicy stars pinch
thought's ass.

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