City Lights Up for Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Mayor Ryan Coonerty declared October 18 “Lawrence Ferlinghetti Day” in honor of the poet, painter, and publisher, who appeared at a special screening of Chris Felver’s feature length documentary, “Ferlinghetti,” at the sold-out Del Mar Theater.

“He’s a giant in literature and publishing,” Coonerty said, adding that Ferlinghetti has a long history of visits to Santa Cruz, including stays at the St. George to write and paint.

Ferlinghetti started City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco with $500 and a handshake with partner Peter Martin in 1953 at a time when paperback books where not treated seriously by booksellers.

The documentary covered his life, development, artistic and political views and accomplishments, telling the story of a radical part of American history.  A key moment was the landmark First Amendment case over the charges of obscenity in the publication of Allan Ginsberg’s poem Howl. 

“The address for the First Amendment is City Lights Bookstore,” claimed the documentary.

When asked about the fact that Ginsberg was in Tangiers and not present for the trial, Ferlinghetti said he never resented Ginsberg.  “I was able to enjoy the glory without sharing it.”

“We never took the book out of the window and sold offset copies during the trial,” Ferlinghetti said to laughter and applause.

An enthusiastic audience asked questions that ranged from his relationship to Santa Cruz to overpopulation to the Occupy Wall Street movements. Of Santa Cruz he first said that of course it's on the way to his cabin in Big Sur, but he was quick to point out that Bookshop Santa Cruz was a regular haunt. 

Overpopulation is such a large issue that it may be "insoluable," but it has to be addressed because of its effect on politics and economics in the race for limited resources.

Of the Occupy movements, he said that though they resembled anarchist and other radical movements of the past, the telling point would be when a clear political position comes forward.

Explaining his early roots in anarchism, he called for a “humanitarian planned economy on a world scale” and wondered aloud about a “humanitarian socialist state.”

“I may have been swallowed,” he said about winning awards in later life, “but I haven’t been digested. I’m indigestible.”