Investigative Poetics - 9 (Smoking Typewriters - 2 - "The Sixties")

[National Guardsmen wielding rifles with bayonets advanced along Springfield Avenue in Newark on July 14 1967 - Photograph Don Hogan Charles for The New York Times]

AG: "Investigative Poetics, I think, at this point, would have to go into the whole cultural and social and political and artistic history of the "Sixties, (which was quite a vast, traumatic, revolutionary time), and re-investigate a great many things that happened of an intellectual-symbolic nature, to find out what was the story behind it. Because a great deal more of it was manipulated than we realize" and one of the major things that was manipulated was the split between the psychedelic movement and the political, (that 
between (Timothy) Leary, say, and (Eldridge) Cleaver among other things). And that was done, according to Leary and according to Cleaver (though I haven't yet seen the papers on it, but I heard from Leary, and I've seen it in underground papers, and, I understand, there was a story in Rolling Stone, in October of (19)76 to the effect that when Leary was helped by the Weathermen to escape from Vacaville Prison in California, or wherever he was, on his twenty-year sentence for possession of a joint, he was then sent off to Algiers to take..refuge with Eldridge Cleaver. Do any of you remember that? Leary went to Algiers. Anybody not remember that here? (it's alright if you don't, that was all of ten years ago now, practically, seven years, and you were (maybe) twelve years old then!). So, and then, do you remember Cleaver arrested Leary and put him under house arrest, and said that Leary was too loud-mouthed, and (that) he was talking with FBI agents in the cafes of Algeria, and he was too frivolous, and, like, he was refusing to be part of  the world revolution, you'd better hear the clang of iron!  And then everyone was shocked, because what it meant was, "Well fuck (Timothy) Leary and Eldridge Cleaver, a bunch of egotists!, they can't even get along!", or "What does that mean? The psychedelic and the political are irreconcilable?". "There were these fancy-headed psychedelic people wanting visions and there were these realistic, gun-toting, political people ("Power comes out of the barrel of a gun"), and we thought we had them together but it wasn't together? In fact. Leary's lawyer boasted when he left jail, boasted in the (Berkeley) Barb, that it was a true marriage of dope and dynamite, when Leary left with the Weathermen. And then there's this denouement in Algiers, where they're fighting amongst themselves. And so Michael Swerin of the Village Voice went over there and made a t.v. videotape of the two of them arguing, (the transcript of) which ran for two separate issues of the Village Voice, and it was like a class left-wing Movement intellectual poetry psychedelic scandal that they couldn't get along and they were suspicious of each other, and what kind of revolution was this, and who was on who's side? and was Leary wrong or was Cleaver wrong?

So it all boiled down to the fact that the FBI forged one of these letters from the Black Panthers in New York, ordering Cleaver to arrest Leary as a spy, which information only surfaced when Leary and Cleaver, both together in jail, had a Thanksgiving supper (I think it was in 1975) and began comparing notes.     

[tape ends here - continues]

Student: Where's Eldridge Cleaver these days?

AG:  He's, I think, living in Texas

Student: Doing God spots.

AG: Yeah. Doing God spots. I think they drove him crazy. Would you? - Here's an earlier.. I don't have anything on that particular..

Student: (I know he) said he'd gone, but I didn't know (it was) that far gone!

AG: Well, I wouldn't worry. He probably knows what he's doing. 

Student: (Is he) out of jail?

AG: He's out of jail, yeah.









Here's a set from the FBI on Cleaver. This is from Jane Fonda's files, because she was sent a copy of a phony letter (this is an earlier, phony, forgery, letter). What it is is.. let's see here, let's get it in order.. What they were trying to do was make trouble between SNCC (Student Non-Violent Co-ordinating Committee) and Eldridge Cleaver of the Panthers. They were trying to split the Panthers and Cleaver. 
 "New York has suggested" - (This is COINTEL- again) - mailing of a suppose memorandum prepared by the current leader of SNCC, Muhammad (William) Hunt, and addressed to all SNCC workers and to various Black Panther officers, leaders, and certain BPP apologists" - (These files are Jane Fonda's - the "BPP apologists" (the Black Panthers)) - "The memorandum is to enclose an article which appeared  the June 20th, 1970 issue of The Black Panther, as written by leader, Eldridge Cleaver, a Black Panther fugitive residing in Algeria, criticizing SNCC leader, Phil Hutchings as a do-nothing revolutionary. The supposed SNCC memorandum not only defends Hutchins' status as a revolutionary, but severely criticizes Cleaver as a coward living in exile while the revolutionary struggle is carried on at home by SNCC and Hutchings. The proposed memorandum, submitted by New York, has been altered at the seat of government' - (that's Washington, that's J.Edgar Hoover's office) - to indicate the BPP article was only recently brought to SNCC's attention and to include a brief, final statement indicating the SNCC memorandum was also being brought to the attention of Cleaver and the Black Panther organization. This counter-intelligence activity is designed to further disrupt an already-strained relationship between the Black Panther Party and the SNCC"

And then there's further correspondence - "This letter should be directed to the following individuals" - (including Jane Fonda) - and then the memorandum, signed by Hunt, Chairman of the RPC (Revolutionary Political Council),  from the SNCC office in Atlanta. It attaches a re-print, "in the Black Panther, Saturday, June 20th, 1970, page 9, recently brought to our attention". This article contains a senseless.." - (this is the FBI forgery now) - "This article contains a senseless attack by Eldridge Cleaver on SNCC and Brother Phil Hutchins, a vanguard revolutionary. Eldridge Cleaver, now enjoying a self-imposed exile is an intellectual pimp. He believes that his Panther pussies are the only revolutionary group in Babylon. SNCC disputes this claim of leadership and his right to lead. SNCC has no quarrel with the revolutionary aspect of the Panther program and accepts their basic program as correct. However, we do dispute and detest the cult of personality created by certain Panther leaders about themselves - Cleaver, (Huey) Newton, (Bobby) Seale et al, while "Little Phil", as Eldridge calls him, is in the vanguard of the revolution, Eldridge is safe and ineffective four thousand miles away. When a revolution is being made, the leadership consists of those who are fighting in the vanguard, no matter what the risk. Where were Fidel (Castro), Che (Guevara), Kim II Sung, Mao Tse Tung, Patrice Lumumba, when the revolutions were being made? They were with the people, not four thousand miles away from the front - like the FBI! -  So Mr...Cleaver, before you seek to criticize those of us who are engaged in making revolution in Amerikka - K-K-A  - M-E-R-I-K-K-A - you must establish your right to primacy. You must show by example, not by exile, how to wage revolution. You must, in short, become a credible revolutionary, SNCC believes strongly that the lackeys of the beast are as dangerous as the beast and that the masses of Blacks must be educated to recognize real leadership from mere allegation of leadership. SNCC accepts the challenge of revolutionary leadership and refuses to accept the criticism of Eldridge as valid. Until Eldridge returns to the wilderness of North Amerikka and joins in the day-to-day battle in Amerikka, we will continue to regard him as a coward. Love and Revolution, Yours in Struggle, Mohammed Hunt"
So.. the FBI sent out copies of that to all local offices. And it says - "Enclosed for the Bureau Atlanta, Cincinnati and San Francisco are two copies each of a  letter aimed at disrupting any relationship which might exist between SNCC and the Black Panther Party. It is recommended that mimeographed copies of the enclosed letter be prepared and mailed by the Atlanta office, in view of Mohammed Hunt's residence in that city. Mimeographed duplication is recommended, since SNCC's apparent poor financial condition would mitigate it against any more expensive duplicating method" - They're very smart!   

Student: Allen?  Did the people take the time to see that and then write something encouraging that?  Did he (Ira Lowe) ever find out about that?

AG: I don't know, I don't know. All I have is all this stuff - and actually it was (from) 'Roi, it was from LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka) actually. The lawyer (Lowe) asked me to talk to (him) when I got back, and see if he could go through his files to see if the letters were actually printed, and what were the actual damages, and if they could sue. These are new, fresh, papers that I just got a month or two ago [1977]. They haven't been in the newspapers.

There's another one, to Army Archerd, well, it's from FBI, to "the Director of the FBI from FBI Los Angeles, regarding Counter-Intelligence Program Black Nationalist Hate Groups - Racial Intelligence, Black Panther Party" - "Bureau authorities requested  in sending the following letter to Army Archerd, Hollywood gossip columnist for Daily Variety, who noted in her column that Jane Fonda, film actress, was to be present at a Black Panther fund-raising function sponsored by Committee to Help the Black Panthers (CHBP) in Los Angeles. It is felt that knowledge of Fonda's involvement would cause her embarrassment and detract from her status with the general public" - "Dear Army" - (here's the text) - I saw your article in the Daily Variety about Jane Fonda last Thursday and happened to be present at (Roger) Vadim's "Joan of Arc" performance for the Black Panthers Saturday night. I hadn't been confronted with this Panther phenomenon before, but we were searched upon entering Embassy Auditorium, encouraged in revival-like fashion to contribute to defend jailed Panther leaders and buy guns for "the coming revolution". And led by Jane and one of the Panther chaps in a "We will kill Richard Nixon or any other m-f- who stands in our way" refrain, which was shocking to say the least. I think Jane has gotten in over her head as the whole atmosphere had the nineteen-thirties-Munich beer-hall aura. I also think my curiosity about the Panthers has been satisfied. Regards, Morris". If approved, appropriate precautions will be taken to prelude the identity of the bureau as the source of this operation"

Student: Morris?

AG: Yeah that was "Morris"

Student: Did they publish it? 

AG: "You are authorized to prepare a letter as send forth and mail to Army Archer. Ensure that mailing can't be traced to the bureau". "Note. Analysis - Los Angeles proposes a letter from fictitious person be sent to Hollywood gossip columnist in the Daily Variety in a connection with a column indicating that Jane Fonda, noted film actress, would attend a Black Panther Party fund-raising function" - I think the funds were being raised for some kind of a fake frame(d)-up trial, anyway, to begin with, they'd probably got some Panther guy in trouble by busting him for grass, or..faking a shoot-out! - and then, she's going to try and raise money, and now they're trying to block that - "Proposed letter states the writer entering the function was searched upon entering, urged to contribute funds for jailed Panther leaders and buy guns for the coming revolution. Also Jane and other Panthers led the refrain, "We will kill Richard Nixon and any other motherfucker who stands in our way". It can be expected that Fonda's involvement with the Black Panther cause could detract from her status with the general public if reported in a Hollywood gossip column". So approval was given. 

A couple of other brief things here, from my own files, just, very short.  
In March 16, 1970 - "To the Director of the FBI -  from SAC, Springfield. Subject - Appearance of Allen Ginsberg at Quincy College - Issue - Miscellaneous.  "Advise that Allen Ginsberg, billed as "the Hippie Poet" was scheduled to read poetry at Social Hall, Quincy College, Quincy, Illinois. This appearance is sponsored by the Quincy College Cultural Affairs Committee, a faculty organization at Quincy College - Just a little note -  It's like they were following Ed (Sanders) around. So there were all these agents at poetry-readings too! - Amazing! - "1967, District Number 3, New York, September 28, 1967 - From (black-out, blanked-out narcotic agent) - Subject of this memorandum is photograph of Allen Ginsberg - Recommendation - Pending - Details - If report is over two pages in length, summarize in first paragraph - (1) On this date I received a photograph of Allen Ginsberg where he is pictured in an indecent pose. For possible future use the photograph has been placed in a locked sealed envelope, marked "Photograph of Allen Ginsberg", General File - Allen Ginsberg. The locked, sealed envelope has been placed in a vault of this office for safe-keeping"



(Audio for the above may be heard here, beginning approximately eighty-seven minutes in and continuing to the end, and here, continuing through to approximately ten minutes in.) 

Investigative Poetics - 2 (Ed Sanders - 2)

AG: There was a break-in into (Ed Sanders') house, where he kept all his stuff, and all his magazines and files and mimeograph stuff . Some of it was stolen. A lot of it was thrown around on the floor. And, at first, we thought, "well, maybe it was some meth-heads that resented him, or maybe it was local narcs, or.. who was it? - (Well), it turns out, years later, this year [1977] I went to Washington to visit a lawyer friend, Ira Lowe (who was the lawyer for a lot of the peace demonstrators in 1967, during the levitation of the Pentagon ceremony in Washington - you've heard of that, I guess? - which Sanders took part in, actually - in fact, (he) performed the main ritual exorcism, with a sound-truck, and The Fugs, and, I think, Kenneth Anger, who was angry at Sanders for his political exorcism, for some reason or other.. I think Kenneth Anger, being an S&M film diabolist, thought that it was the wrong tactics to try and exorcise the Pentagon, and so was exorcising Sanders!  from underneath the soundtruck..  
Sanders was also one of the founders of the Yippie movement, with Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, and a guy named Keith Lampe  (who was one of the heads of Vietnam Veterans For Peace, a Veterans group). Lampe later moved (out) to the West and became Ponderosa Pine, a spokesman for the trees of California, as a deeper form of cultural re-adjustment, not just protest against the War - (he's studying with Tarthang Tulku now, (so) he's chanting the (Kum Nye) mantra, in Berkeley).

Well, so, Ira Lowe, who had been the lawyer for a bunch of people at the Pentagon demonstration (who, I think, had been the lawyer that got (Norman) Mailer and everyone out of jail during that situation, that seizure of the Pentagon ..what was it? what was the name of his book, The Siege of Miami and..?, Mailer's book? )

Student:  The Armies of the Night, wasn't it?

AG: Armies of the Night, yeah. Well, when Mailer was one of the members of that "army of the night", he got busted, and Ira Lowe was his lawyer, and there were a whole group of lawyers in Washington that were radicals who helped out. (And) so I've been working with Ira Lowe the last few years getting my papers under the Freedom of Information Act - my papers from the CIA, FBI, (DEA), the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Treasury Department, the Customs Department, Army Intelligence, Navy Intelligence - there are about twenty-five agencies. If you want to get your papers, you really need a technical knowledge, and a lawyer, and many many duplicate letters to be sent out to each one of the agencies, with the follow-ups, plus forms filled out.
So he got my papers. Lowe was working on papers for Jane Fonda and for Tom Hayden, so he was getting money for that. And then he offered to get mine free. So I paid a couple of hundred dollars for Court costs and he wrote and got me packs of stuff. And then he got Ed (Sanders)'s papers too. And also, we were talking over.. we thought it would be interesting if he would get LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka)'s papers , and actually get the literary field covered, a little bit. So we had papers from LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka), myself, from Ed.

Well, all this preliminary stuff about Ed's apartment and being busted into was background to the fact that this year [1977] Lowe showed me a piece of paper, saying that, in 1964 0r (196)5, when Ed was living on Avenue A, actually, there was a little report, from an FBI agent, saying "Surveillance was maintained across the street from Ed Sanders' apartment on a 24-hour basis, and the subject was reported to leave at one p.m. and take his car and drive it to some other place, and go to the grocery store and tarry and stay there for a full half -hour, and then walk back, by foot, carrying bags of groceries, stopping (off) around Avenue C on the way" - So, actually, it wasn't paranoia. All the way from Washington, there were these filaments of electrical information going down to Ed (who was just a funny guy, actually, just sort of a comic writer in a way, (a) serious comic writer.

So, actually, the government had more mimeograph machines than we did..is what it boiled down to, more telephones and more writers than we did, than the literary people did. There were more people at typewriters, more secretaries, more agents, more "activists", than we (had) (and I think most of the activists were followed, and their work was checked on). Houses were robbed, forged letters were written to screw (things) up.
Of Ed, the only.. (I haven't seen his whole file), it was just this one little thing that really astounded me, because I thought he was such an innocent guy - Peace Eye bookstore in the Lower East Side, LEMAR [for Legalization of Marijuana], and Fuck You/A Magazine of the Arts - and they actually had a whole corps of trained agents following him around.  

Student: How much did they follow him?

AG: Well, I haven't seen his whole file. It was just.. He had just shown me that one thing, because, actually, the reason that I was interested was (that) I (had) suggested that Ira Lowe get Ed's papers, because I remembered, back in the early 'Sixties, (that) there was a break-in into his house, and that's illegal. And so that's, like, a smoking pistol. And if that was FB  (or a local (red) squad), that it probably would be in the papers. And it's probably been so long ago, that they would't have covered it up, it'd be in his papers, it'd be in his files, and they probably wouldn't have covered it up because the agents who did it probably moved on to some other Bureau, and when the slip of paper came in to get these files, it wouldn't be anybody directly connected to the case. I don't know what...

Student: Outside the statute of (limitations)...

AG: I don't know what was turned up, actually. It was just that, since I told Ira Lowe, "why don't you check that era?", he pulled out this paper, saying, "Yes, it's really true. He was being covered". The government was really covering him at that time.
Well, what's interesting was, what was Ed's activity? It was really "Investigative Poetics", in the sense of, in the dope area, he was checking the government. He was probing into government bureaucracies and making information (available) to the public through the medium of poetry or some literary magazine, or some freaked-out zap extravaganza-language-d manifestos. His style was Dada - Dada-ist, or old-fashioned American pamphleteer, Tom Paine, village crank, Petrashevsky Circle pre-Revolutionary Russian anarchist hidden with a basement mimeograph machine. 

One thing he kept noticing was that the government, the FBI, (President Richard) Nixon, (Attorney General John) Mitchell, and all the earlier FBI people, had read all these big books about the Russian Revolution, and took it very seriously when there was a group of three or four people with a mimeograph machine in their basement - because that's how revolution's really do begin! - you know, just a couple of guys with a mimeo machine and a funny idea, and you've got to watch them! -  otherwise they'll grow, like a big cancer, and take over after a while. 
So that was a paranoia of the government, dealing with the paranoia-critical sense of humor (that's a phrase of Salvador Dali) - "the paranoid-critical" style of humor, I guess, late Beatnik-style Sanders.

The point I'm making is that the poetic probing he did was sufficiently precise that it touched a nerve somewhere, and so, just as he was investigating the government, the government was investigating him. Not only investigating him, but manipulating (things), like, probably, breaking into his offices and turning files upside-down. So, through the 'Sixties, he and I, and various of us, got more and more interested in investigating the government and illegal activities of the government, and that's one aspect of what he means by "Investigative Poetry", I think. 

[to be continued]

[Audio for the above may be heard here beginning at approximately fourteen and three quarter minutes in, and continuing until approximately twenty-four-and-a-quarter-minutes in