Walt Curtis has been Oregon’s unofficial Poet Laureate since the 1970’s (he prefers “poet lariat”). Over those years, he has published many books, including Mala Noche, which inspired Gus Van Sant’s first film. For 35 years, he has championed the works of other writers on The Talking Earth, his KBOO-fm radio show and has been featured in films such as Penny Allen’s Property and Paydirt, Bill Plympton’s docudrama The Peckerneck Poet, and, more recently, in Salmon Poet, by filmmaker Sabrina Guitart. Walt was awarded the “Stewart Holbrook Award for Significant Contribution to Oregon Literature” by the Oregon Institute of Literary Arts in 1991. Sharing the stage in the early days with William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, and Ken Kesey and then later with the crowds at punk venue Satyricon, the Mediterranean, The Long Goodbye or out on the streets, Walt’s presence and influence has always been real, honest and immense. Enjoy an hour long recording of Walt reading his poetry and speaking his mind.

When the 120 year old church that housed the Great Northwest Bookstore was recently consumed by fire, destroying over 100,000 books, it also had a devastating affect on Walt Curtis, one of Oregon’s most legendary poets. Much of his lifetime collection of poetry and paintings were destroyed, and what remains is water damaged, requiring painstaking renovation.  His many Portland friends and fans immediately jumped to the rescue, organizing benefits and donations to enable Walt to get back on his feet.

Recently Kurtiss Lofstrom & Anne Marie Grgich held a benefit in their home, bringing good food and friends together to raise funds, and were rewarded by an hour long poetry reading by Walt.

Listen for yourself

(double click the audio player below)

Passing around the painting he was working on when the fire broke out (its called The Beast), he says he plans to sell it on Ebay, claiming it was the true cause of the fire (and not the poorly wired electrical system).

He read one of his “Fire Poems”, written 40 years earlier, followed by poems from throughout his career. There are the juicy & wet poems such as “The One Is The Other”, “Picking Pears”, and “Things I Do Alone When I’m Alone With Myself” and he talks about Vagina-Ons replacing Hard-Ons and of a woman teaching other women in a dark forest how to piss while standing up, freed from male dominance even in such a basic act. He talks about his ego, KBOO, and that this tribute is really all about YOU.

He praises the Red ‘ambler  (which lost its chrome letter “R”) in 2 poems , how he loved that car, and would have wished to be buried in it, propped up against the steering wheel, going places others can’t even dream of…and he sings out The Song Of The Loon during the white-out of a Mt Hood blizzard.

Each poem is preceded by a history lesson or a rant, and when it goes on too long, his nemesis, Bob, yells out “Hey Walt, read a poem, read a fucking poem, Walt”!  And, without fail, after every poem, Walt asks, “Do you like it?….its not a bad poem.

Walt takes his audience on a journey, celebrating life, intimate moments, and the flowers & weeds growing out of the cracks.

On July 4th, Walt turns 69 and Mark Woolley has organized a week of events to celebrate Oregon’s Poet “Lariat” and help him get back on his feet.Details here.

You can contribute to the “Walt Curtis Fund” at any Wells Fargo branch,or donate here.

Below, watch a video of Walt reading at Mark Woolley’s gallery in May 2010

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