sep 25
2008
Homage to Mister Berryman
From an email from my friend Steve:
My story on John Berryman is out this month, the U of M professor/poet who jumped off the Washington Bridge in '72. All the indie bands are writing songs about him these days (Okkervil River, Hold Steady, Nick Cave). I spent a lot of time with his third wife Kate, who lives in Prospect Park in the same fucking house they bought together with Dream Song money back in '68. Coincidentally, this writer out east, Janet Groth, wrote a story on John that was published this month in The New England Review. She actually knew the man, took classes from him, was proposed to by him, etc. Loved her account -- she talks about partying with Berryman and Robert Giroux. Anyway, we both titled our pieces, "Homage to Mister Berryman." (Cheap play on the title of his famous long poem, "Homage to Mistress Bradstreet.")
