One thing readers may not see a lot of in the next few days is much
attention to Reed’s serious connections to the poetry world, or his role
in the history of poetry itself. But the fact is Reed and the Velvet
Underground not only emerged out of the cauldron of the early-1960s
avant-garde literature and art, but had close links to currents in
postwar American poetry. More so than many casual music fans or
aficionados of American poetry might realize, Reed’s body of work
represents a crucial but overlooked instance of poetry’s rich
back-and-forth dialogue with popular culture.
- Poetry
descensus Averno facilis est