Charles Olson reading in Berlin in 1966

Olson and his translator Klaus Reichert, Akademie der Künste, Berlin, Dec. 15, 1966. This recording has by far the best version of "Maximus, to Himself." While PennSound has another recording, the quality is poor. Thanks to Norbert Lange for making this recording available to us. 

Event: "Ein Gedicht und sein Autor. Lyrik und Essay." Olson reads his poem in memory to Rainer Maria Gerhard, "To Gerhardt, There, Among Europe's Things... " and "Maximus, to Himself."

•"To Gerhardt, There, Among Europe's Things... " (excerpts: opening section and the segues to section 5, “the stick is a reminder” the end of the poem)  (text) (2:39): MP3 

•"Maximus, to Himself" ["I have had to learn the simplest things last"] (1:43): MP3 | text

•Comments: "The problem of the USA today is the power which is in the raiding party. But like it’s an idea, a paramilitary idea, moves in advance of a nation, thereby eventually giving a language." Olson then expresses his outrage that Andrei Voznesensky has said, days before at the Library of Congress, that "the poets of America weren’t close to our people." (1:34): MP3

complete reading (22:53): MP3

Olson at PennSound