Author Archives: Don Yorty

Catullus 2, 3, 5, 8, 11, 13 & 51: Lesbia poems

II Passer, deliciae meae puellaequicum ludere, quem in sinu tenere,cui primum digitum dare appetentiet acris solet incitare morsuscum desiderio meo nitenticarum nescio quid lubet iocare,et solaciolum sui doloris,credo, ut tum gravis acquiescat ardor:tecum ludere sicut ipsa possemet tristis animi levare … Continue reading →

Christian Gullette reads from Coachella Elegy

23 Jun ’25

… A friend of mine was very moved by a book of poems called Coachella Elegy by Christian Gullette. His partner had died unexpectedly of a heart attack, and Gullette’s husband, who appears throughout the book, was being treated for … Continue reading →

john compton reads

22 Jun ’25

… John Compton lives in Kentucky. I met him on Facebook where I first read his straight-forward-what-you-see-is-what-you-get poetry. When you are gay in Kentucky there are yahoos who think it’s funny to tie you to the back of their pickups … Continue reading →

Catullus 48 & 99: Juventius poems

21 Jun ’25

… XLVIII Mellitos oculos tuos, Juventi,si quis me sinat usque basiare,usque ad milia basiem trecentanec numquam videar satur futurusnon si densior aridis aristissit nostrae seges osculationis. 48 Your darling eyes, sweet Juventius, ifsuddenly somehow somewhere somebody let mekiss them … Continue reading →

Martine Bellen, Elaine Equi, and Patricia Spears Jones read at KGB

21 Jun ’25

… On May the 12th Martine Bellen, Elaine Equi and Patricia Spears Jones read from their most recent books at KGB. I admire these poets, and recorded them. If you missed this reading, don’t worry, you can still go in … Continue reading →

Tony Towle reads Digressions with Ken Angel Davis

23 May ’25

Tony Towle began to write poetry in 1960, and soon became a part of the art and poetry scene that was happening in NYC with Kenneth Koch, Frank O’Hara, Larry Rivers, Alex Katz, and so many vibrant others back … Continue reading →

Jennifer Firestone reads from Swimming Pool

21 May ’25

… Years ago, I used to swim four or five times a week at the old McBurney Y on 23rd Street across from the Chelsea Hotel. You got your own lane for half an hour swimming at your own speed, … Continue reading →

Michael Ruby reads from Close Your Eyes, Visions

10 May ’25

There are explorer poets. Like Hannah Weiner who invited us into her acid trip and Bernadette Mayer who invited us into her mid-winter day, Michael Ruby invites us behind his closied eyes. In previous books, Michael has explored the words … Continue reading →

LiVE MAG! 4/12/25 Celebrating John Godfrey

4 May ’25

In April, LiVE MAG! with its new issue, Number 21, presented John Godfrey with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tompkins Square Library. The featured readers celebrating John were Elinor Nauen, Andrei Codrescu, Lila Dlaboha, Shelley Miller, Ilke Scobie, … Continue reading →