American Cycle

U. S. Rivers

Now, this is rich, rich in places, references, names, obscure ideas-some of the people and places I recognise (Kerouac, Audubon, Chesapeake, Columbus and Cape Canaveral!) and so very many I do not.

Although its form has a spontaneous quality, a deliberately wrought cut-up style, and makes me feel there is a Beat, post-Beat, WCW observational voice, it is also a text that could be an American 'Waste Land' (not in its pessimism but in its information-saturated nature-so many things I want to find out more about!)

It is magnificent in scale, epic in scope, as sweeping in its historical course, as gushing in its language, as the rivers which run through it. It's past, present, geographical, philosophical and hey...I just got to the annotations! Terrific!!

I can well see how this long time could make a dramatic performance and I'm delighted that is part of the project.

Too much to digest in one sitting, but I shall aim to come back again to US Rivers.

Simon Warner

Visiting Research Fellow in Popular Music at the University of Leeds

August 2015

A Giant & Fantastical Poetical Work For A Giant & Fantastical Subject!

Larry Beckett is a great poet and he has much poetry to share. 'Paul Bunyan' is a beautiful ride in American language, through the wild forests and rivers, injected with twisting, turning humour through the gripping tall tales about Paul Bunyan. This American myth tumbles out of the page and has you in the caverns and river gorges of your own imagination, following fantastic adventures of the incredible Bunyan & companions, all in Beckett's energetic poetry.

Stuart Anthony

Musician: One More Mile, Song to the Siren, Love & Trial

2016