Charles Olson Reads from Maximus Poems IV, V, VI

The poems by Charles Olson on this collection—recorded by author Barry Miles—remained unrecorded until 1975, when they were released on Folkways Records. Over the course of two nights, Olson, a former Black Mountain College professor, reads from his then-recently published “Maximus Poems IV, V, VI.” According to Miles’ liner notes, “This is the only recording ‘for posterity’ that Charles ever made. Other tapes exist, fortunately, but they are often marred by drink or the vicissitudes of trying to record live readings. This is Charles reading his poems as he saw them read.” Olson died roughly a year after the recording in 1970. Liner notes by Miles include a brief Olson bio and notes on the recording.

Track Listing

101	I Am the Gold Machine (with Intro.)	Charles Olson	01:55
102	All My Life I've Heard about Many / Piggy Back Poem	Charles Olson	00:54
103	Maximus, from Dogtown II (With Intro.)	Charles Olson	04:22
104	Sequentio	Charles Olson	00:40
105	Gravely Hill	Charles Olson	05:51
106	Between Cruiser and Plato	Charles Olson	00:24
107	I, John Watts	Charles Olson	00:36
108	After the Storm Was Over	Charles Olson	00:38
109	To Travel Typhon / Up the Steps / People Want Delivery / The Coast / Tesserai Commissure / Older Than Blybos / Chronicles I / Chronicles II	Charles Olson	03:41
110	Untitled Maximus Poem / Vida Upanishad Eda Than / Kent Circle (Wrote My First Poems) / Further Completion of Plot / Maximus Poem - July 24, 1968	Charles Olson	09:07
111	Into the Stream, Gloucester / The Frontlet / To Enter into Their Bodies	Charles Olson	02:13
112	Her Stern like a Box / Anacoluthic and Drag	Charles Olson	00:30
113	The Difference of a Wild Thing / The Cormorant and Spindle / Absoluteness	Charles Olson	00:24
114	In the Harbour / Kent Circle Song / I Swang Out at Eight or Ten / J.W.	Charles Olson	01:37
115	Not the Italian Method	Charles Olson	00:18
201	Mayan Letter #13	Charles Olson	09:11
202	Mayan Letter # 7	Charles Olson	01:40
203	Mayan Letter # 5	Charles Olson	08:08
204	Chockablock	Charles Olson	02:19
205	Caches	Charles Olson	02:11
206	Bolan I and II	Charles Olson	01:23
207	John Watts / 3rd Letter on Georges / The Gulf of Maine	Charles Olson	05:14