TAYLOR MEAD
I was recently shown these photos. They’ve never been published, and I don’t remember having them taken, but that’s me. I’ve paired them with a poem from the ’80s. You know, whatever.
Taylor Mead in Paris circa 1967
Photos: Shunk-Kender © Roy Lichtenstein Foundation
Freedom is the trick word
of the century
Let’s go to Capri this spring
*
Out of Show-Business into a real love affair.
*
It’s dangerous
–– this world
*
I don’t know whether it’s
good
or bad
or sad.
*
In my field I’m the best!
And I don’t know what that field is ! !
? ?
Spontaneity is better, but
it’s better not to worry
about it––or, you better
not worry about it––or
your grandmother’s
drawers are hanging on
the line or the lawn
has been trimmed,
or Uncle Henry is going
down on the Mimosa.
And Aunt Hank-O-Hara
is doing
too many genuflexions.
And her hands are
wandering––
I may do this play
All by Myself.
God Has No Talent!
The Pod People will all
All take over and we can
crawl in and get warm
A Fellini Movie
Mea Fellina
You genius of the Italian
Suburbs…
*
The Fear of Taylor Mead
The Fear of Taylor Mead
The Unequivocal Street
Celebrity
Fear of his…….
Taken from SON OF ANDY WARHOL: VOLUME FOUR: EXCERPTS FROM THE ANONYMOUS DIARY OF A NEW YORK YOUTH (1986)
—
Taylor Mead was born in 1924 in Grosse Point, Michigan. He is the author of numerous books of poetry, including TAYLOR MEAD ON AMPHETAMINE AND IN EUROPE (Boss Books, 1968) and, most recently, A SIMPLE COUNTRY GIRL (Bowery Books, 2005). His first venture into film was in Ron Rice’s THE FLOWER THIEF in 1960. Soon after Mead relocated to New York, where he acted on stage and made numerous films, including a starring turn in Warhol’s TARZAN AND JANE REGAINED… SORT OF (1964). Mead was the subject of William A. Kirkley’s 2005 documentary EXCAVATING TAYLOR MEAD, appeared in Jim Jarmusch’s COFFEE AND CIGARETTES (2003), and continues to read at the Bowery Poetry Club every Monday night.