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Benefit Readings for Will Alexander


photo credit: Harold Abramowitz

Poet and artist Will Alexander has become seriously ill and has no health insurance. In order to help him defray the cost of treatment, his friends gathered in New York in November, and in San Francisco in December, to read his work as well as poems dedicated to him. Sheila Scott-Wilkinson, Will's long-term partner, is acting as Will's primary caregiver and financial manager. She and Will have opened a special joint checking account to receive these monies. Checks can be addressed to "Sheila Scott-Wilkinson," and mailed to the following address:



                        Sheila Scott-Wilkinson
                        400 South Lafayette Park Place, #307
                        Los Angeles, CA 90057



Reading at the Bowery Poetry Club, November 1, 2007

  1. Introduction by Bob Holman (3:03): MP3
  2. Anne Waldman (12:15): MP3
  3. Bill Marsh (5:12): MP3
  4. Eliot Weinberger (4:55): MP3
  5. Rodrigo Toscano (6:24): MP3
  6. Bob Perelman (7:12): MP3
  7. Marcella Durand (4:55): MP3
  8. Tonya Foster (7:57): MP3
  9. Jerome Rothenberg (7:45): MP3
  10. Joel Kuszai (6:19): MP3
  11. Akilah Oliver (4:45): MP3
  12. John High (3:52): MP3
  13. Closing comments by Bob Holman (1:35): MP3

Complete reading (1:16:44): MP3

Reading at the California College of the Arts, December 1, 2007

  1. Will Alexander (via recording) (3:06): MP3
  2. Introduction by David Buuck (1:28): MP3
  3. Taylor Brady (8:07): MP3
  4. D.S. Marriott (4:25): MP3
  5. Tisa Bryant (5:50): MP3
  6. Juliana Spahr (8:37): MP3
  7. David Buuck interlude (3:33): MP3
  8. Nate Mackey (9:35): MP3
  9. Andrew Joron with Brian Strang (10:25): MP3
  10. Adam Cornford (10:36): MP3

Complete reading (1:06:38): MP3

Note: the recording of Adam Cornford's performance cuts off before the end. Lyn Hejinian also read at this benefit, but was not recorded. If possible, we will locate amended versions of these readings.

Reading at Skylight Books, Los Angeles, January 13, 2008

  1. Kerry Slattery introduction (3:06): MP3
  2. Clayton Eshleman (12:42): MP3
  3. Jen Hofer (12:23): MP3
  4. Diane Ward (8:55): MP3
  5. Mathew Timmons and Harold Abramowitz (11:57): MP3
  6. Wanda Coleman (14:35): MP3
  7. Clayton Eshleman introduces Will Alexander (3:02): MP3
  8. Will Alexander (39:12): MP3

Will Alexander Reading, Segmented:

  1. Mind Tornado (6:29): MP3
  2. Concerning Forms Which Hold Heidegger in Judgment (7:18): MP3
  3. Within the Opaque Termites' Morass (4:54): MP3
  4. On the Forming Substance of Orishas (4:19): MP3
  5. Concerning the Henbane Bird (9:39): MP3
  6. Exobiology as Goddess (6:29): MP3

Complete reading (1:46:28): MP3


Will Alexander on PennSound Daily


These sound recordings are being made available for noncommercial and educational use only. © 2008 the respective poets. All rights reserved. Distributed by PennSound.