Get the Money!

Collected Prose (1961-1983)

by Ted Berrigan

Edited by Edmund Berrigan, Anselm Berrigan, Alice Notley and Nick Sturm

Published by: City Lights Publishers

Imprint: City Lights Publishers

320 Pages, 7.50 x 9.25 in, Black and white images in the section breaks

Paperback
9780872868953
Published: September 2022

$24.95

Other Retailers:

Description
Contents
Authors
Praise

A monumental event in American poetry, Get the Money! brings together the essential prose writings of iconic New York School poet Ted Berrigan.

“Ted Berrigan was a leader of the New York School; his crazy energy embodied that movement and the city itself.”—John Ashbery, author of Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror

“Get the Money!” was Ted Berrigan’s mantra for the paid writing gigs he took on in support of his career as a poet. This long-awaited collection of his essential prose draws upon the many essays, reviews, introductions, and other texts he produced for hire, as well as material from his journals, travelogues, and assorted, unclassifiable creative texts. Get the Money! documents Berrigan’s innovative poetics and techniques, as well as the creative milieu of poets—centered around New York’s Poetry Project—for whom he served as both nurturer and catalyst. Highlights include his journals from the ’60s, depicting his early poetic discoveries and bohemian activities in New York; the previously unpublished “Some Notes About ‘C,’” an account of his mimeo magazine that serves as a de facto memoir of the early days of the second-generation New York School; a moving and prescient obituary, “Frank O’Hara Dead at 40”; book “reviews” consisting of poems entirely collaged from lines in the book; art reviews of friends and collaborators like Joe Brainard, George Schneeman, and Jane Freilicher; and his notorious “Interviews” with John Cage and John Ashbery, both of which were completely fabricated. Get the Money! provides a view into the development of Berrigan’s aesthetics in real time, as he captures the heady excitement of the era and champions the poets and artists he loves.

Praise for Get the Money!:

"Get the Money! captures the esprit de corps of the particular community close to Ted’s door on St Mark’s Place. This book of prose with its nimble lift, tinged with intimacy, wit, and perception is a welcome addition to the second generation NY School canon. Ted often went hungry but could make a few dollars with the short reviews. One walks the rounds with Ted on his 'beat': Love, poetry, gossip, art. Telling it like it is. Strolling into artist studios, galleries, poets’ modest digs, and into our hearts."—Anne Waldman, author of Trickster Feminism

"Ted was my mentor, my teacher of America and its poetry, and I often quote him. He was an oral genius and I have regretted not writing down everything he said to me. Now I have this collection of journals, critical writing on art, aphorisms, and correspondence. It makes for a grand portrait of the poet who charmed my whole generation. Ted Berrigan is alive in this book in ways that no one could guess."—Andrei Codrescu, author of Too Late for Nightmares

"It’s always a significant occasion when we have an edition of a poets prose. Get the Money! offers us an important window into Ted Berrigan’s laboratory, his no bullshit attitude, his class awareness, his gorgeous sentimentality, and his disarming anarchic humor. This book is what anyone could hope it would be: funny, tender, brilliant, intimate, original, alive."—Peter Gizzi, author of Now It's Dark

"Ted Berrigan's voice has always been instantly familiar to me so Get the Money! feels less like a reading experience and more like taking a long walk with my favorite poet, then buying him a drink someplace and letting him talk. The pieces collected here offer a superhuman range of formal invention. … Berrigan's prose is often loose and lyrical, hovering somewhere between blogging, letter writing, texting, and transcription. His deadpan bravura and sudden dismissiveness are consistently hilarious. Decades after his death Berrigan remains way ahead of his time. I think Robert Creeley said it best, 'The Bell rings / Ted is ready'."—Cedar Sigo, author of All This Time

Annotated Table of Contents for Get the Money! Collected Prose 1961–1983 by Ted Berrigan

TB = Ted Berrigan

’60s JOURNALS

The ’60s Journals stem from TB’s first stint living in NYC beginning in 1961; it’s a record of his early days, touching on his earliest breakthroughs as a poet, his relationship with his first wife, Sandy Berrigan, his friendships with the likes of poet Ron Padgett and artist Joe Brainard, who also moved from Tulsa, OK (where TB was going to school on the G.I. Bill after a stint in the army), and his meeting the first-generation poets of the NY School, like Frank O’Hara. A look at his early bohemian life.

SOME NOTES ABOUT “C”

This is a 1964 account of TB’s influential mimeo magazine “C” and the various lengths to which he went to get it made. Appearances by John Ashbery, Frank O’Hara, Kenneth Koch, Barbara Guest, James Schuyler, Andy Warhol, Joe Brainard, Alex Katz, Jasper Johns, Bill Berkson, Edwin Denby, Tony Towle, Gerard Malanga, Jim Brodey, Joe Ceravolo, etc.

REVIEWS

"Art and Literature: An International Review, edited by John Ashbery, Ann Dunn, Rodrigo Moynihan, and Sonia Orwell (#1, March 1964, $2.00)"
Cheeky review of the first issue of a well-heeled magazine John Ashbery co-edited in Paris; the two major early perfect-bound journals of the NY School are Art and Literature and Locus Solus.

"Lines About Hills Above Lakes, Jonathan Williams (Roman Books, $3.00)"
Review of a pamphlet by the Jargon Books publisher and New Directions poet that TB suggests you steal rather than buy, given the exorbitant price.

"Lunch Poems, Frank O’Hara (City Lights Books, $1.25)"

Excellent review of City Lights’ homegrown classic.

"Poems from Oklahoma (Hardware Poets) and The Bloodletting (Renegade Press), Allen Katzman"

Review of a now-obscure poet who founded the East Village Other, an alt-weekly.

"Poems: Aram Saroyan, Richard Kolmar, and Jenni Caldwell (Acadia Press)"

A review of a joint publication; Aram Saroyan is the only major figure here (a concrete/minimalist poet and the son of William Saroyan).

"In Advance of the Broken Arm, Ron Padgett, w/ cover and drawings by Joe Brainard (C Press)"

Review of a mimeo booklet TB himself published under the “C” Press imprint; basically Padgett’s debut volume.

"Nova Express, William Burroughs (Grove, $5.00)"

“Review” that is really a cut-up of Burroughs’ novel, which in itself probably was a cut-up of some variety.

"Art Chronicle"

Round-up of the art shows TB saw and often reviewed for ARTnews.

"The Anxious Object, Art Today and Its Audience, Harold Rosenberg (Horizon Press, $7.50)"

Attack on the critic who coined the phrase “Action Painting,” which is sometimes used instead of “Abstract Expressionism” (the terms refer to the same group of NY abstract painters).

"The Doors of Stone, Poems, 1938–1962, F.T. Prince (Rupert-Hart-Davis)"

Review of a British poet championed by John Ashbery, among other people.

"Pavilions, Kenward Elmslie (Tibor de Nagy, $2.00)"

Kenward Elmslie (a grandson of Joseph Pulitzer) was an important force in the NY School, lover of Joe Brainard and publisher of Z Press. He is still in print from Coffee House. Elmslie is still alive (93) but is no longer active.

"Saturday Night: Poems, Bill Berkson (Tibor de Nagy, $2.00)"

Review of Bill Berkson’s first book, published by the still-extant NYC art gallery (who also published first books by Ashbery, O’Hara, Guest, Frank Lima, etc.)

"New Directions 14, ed. James Laughlin ($1.65)"

“Review” of an old issue of New Directions, seemingly written just to talk about James Schuyler’s contribution to it.

"Peace Eye: Poems, Ed Sanders (Frontier Press, $1.50)"

Review of the Beat poet and Fugs founder Ed Sanders; “Peace Eye” was also the name of Sanders’ bookstore in NYC. Ferlinghetti published Sanders’ Poem from Jail as a City Lights pamphlet.

"Desolation Angels, Jack Kerouac (Coward-McCann)"

Review of a later Kerouac novel. Kerouac was a huge influence on TB, who considered himself a “late beat” rather than a NY School poet. TB interviewed Kerouac for the Paris Review.

"Painter to the New York Poets"

Review of a show by figurative painter friend of O’Hara and Ashbery Jane Freilicher; she is the “Jane” frequently referred to in O’Hara poems.

"Red Power"

Review of a figurative NY School painter.

"Sentences from the Short Reviews"

A collage made by Anselm Berrigan of some of the best sentences from TB’s stint as a reviewer for ARTnews.

"Joe Brainard"

"Red Grooms"

These are the two ARTnews reviews we did include, as they are significant painters associated with the NY School.

"Alice Neel’s Portraits of Joe Gould"

A review of a solo show published in Peter Schjeldahl’s Mother.

FRANK O’HARA DEAD AT 40

An obituary for O’Hara published in the East Village Other.

4 JOURNALS

"The Chicago Report"

A rollicking letter to Ron Padgett about a roadtrip TB goes on with his friend Harry Fainlight to go see Kenneth Koch read with. Anne Sexton in Chicago in the ’60s.

"From Journals (1970–1971)"

"Southampton"

"Bolinas"

"Selections from a Journal: 1 Nov 1977 to 17 May 1978"

More journal extracts, including TB and Alice Notley’s brief stint in Bolinas with the On the Mesa crowd.

"On the Road Again, an Old Man"

Loose “translation” of Basho poems (TB didn’t know Japanese, so he’s making versions based on previous translations).

THE ARRIVAL REPORT

An account of the birth of Edmund Berrigan, which took place in Colchester, UK, while TB was teaching there.

LONGER WORKS OF THE MORE ACADEMIC TYPE

"Get the Money"

A loosely jointed piece written for the East Village Other; poetic goofing around.

"An Interview with John Cage"

“Interview” with John Cage collaged together by TB from various sources, none of whom were John Cage. (TB also hired Dick Gallup to work on it.) Peter Schjeldahl published it in his magazine Mother.

"Introduction to In by Aram Saroyan"

Brief note on an Aram Saroyan volume.

"Ten Things About the Boston Trip: An Aside to Ron & Tom"

Note to Padgett and Tom Clark about a trip to Boston on some poetry business.

"An Interview with John Ashbery"

Also written according to the principles behind the John Cage interview.

"Brain Damage (Some Notes, and a Case History)"

Off-beat bit of creative prose (probably a cut-up of a medical text about the human brain).

"Note on Jim Brodey’s Poems & Him"

As it says; Brodey is out of print but a known and significant second- or third-generation NY School poet.

"Introduction for Tom Clark at the Folklore Center"

As it says; intro for a reading by Tom Clark.

"Jim Carroll"

Very early piece about the author of The Basketball Diaries.

"Anne Waldman: Character Analysis"

Piece about Anne Waldman (more about her than her poetry).

"Maya by Anselm Hollo"

Review of longtime Naropa professor and close friend of TB’s Anselm Hollo; Coffee House is prepping a collected Hollo (early stages yet).

"A Few Hard Words on Tom Raworth"

An introduction for a book by the experimental British poet.

"In Time: Poems 1962–68, Joel Oppenheimer (Bobbs-Merrill, $5.95)"

Review of poet Joel Oppenheimer (somewhat neglected these days and largely out of print but a familiar name for any serious student of the New American Poetry of the ’60s).

"Teaching with the School Teachers"

Fascinating piece written as a report to his employers about a workshop he gave for teachers who wanted to teach poetry.

"Note on Alice Notley, Not Used, for 165 Meeting House Lane, Published by “C” Press in 1971"

As it says.

"Sensation by Anselm Hollo"

Another review of Anselm Hollo (see above).

"From The Autobiography of God"

Another cut-up? Random piece of creative prose.

"The NY Jets: A Movie"

Written as though a filmscript, just goofing around about the NY Jets.

"The Life of Turner"

Another cut-up? Random piece of creative prose.

"Words for Joanne Kyger"

From a letter to and about Joanne Kyger.

"Scorpio Birthday"

A horoscope.

"Three Book Reviews"

"Air by Tom Clark (Harper & Row)"

"The Poetry Room by Lewis MacAdams (Harper & Row)"

"Great Balls of Fire by Ron Padgett"

Three “reviews” that TB made by collaging lines from the various poems in each book in order to make a new poem.

"Introduction to Fresh Paint: An Anthology of Younger Poets"

As it says; not an anthology that anyone remembers these days but a good example of his generosity to the younger generation.

"Larry Fagin"

Short notice concerning the longtime NY poet and editor.

"Litany"

A collage, largely concerning TB’s friend, the poet Bernadette Mayer (published by New Directions these days).

"The Fastest Tongue on the Lower East Side"

“Review” largely consisting of a poem collaged from the subject of the review, poet Simon Schuchat.

"Naropa Workshop Notes"

Some poetic notes from a workshop TB taught at Naropa.

"10 Favorite Books of 1980"

Exactly what the title says, just a list.

"Old Age and Decrepitude"

Another general roundup of things TB’s read recently, including Hollo, Padgett, and Schuyler, written for the Poetry Project Newsletter.

"George Schneeman at Holly Solomon"

Review of a gallery show by NY School painter George Schneeman, a close friend of TB’s and the painter of the cover of our book.

"On Franco Beltrametti"

Text for the catalog of one of TB’s artist friends.

"3 Reviews"

Three short paragraphs reviewing The Early Auden, an issue of the Paris Review, and the Am Here Books catalog.

"Business Personal"

A demand for the return of certain notebooks stolen from James Schuyler at the Chelsea Hotel.

"The Oral History Series Community Documentation Workshop"

Interesting piece about a series of pamphlets issued by St. Mark’s Community Documentation Workshop and devoted to the history of the neighborhood.

"Running Commentary"

A general round up of recent poetry publications TB found interesting.

"Millenium Dust, Joe Ceravolo"

Review of second-generation NY School poet Joseph Ceravolo, whose Collected Poems were published Wesleyan about 10 years ago. Died obscure but considered a significant poet today.

"Night Flight by Lita Hornick"

Lita Hornick was the publisher of Kulchur, a NY magazine in which several of the pieces from the “Reviews” section were published; TB is reviewing her book about contemporary art.

"The Beeks"

Text from a flyer promoting a punk rock band (poet Steve Carey’s brother Tom Carey was a member).

"Public Proclamation & Advertisement of Sale"

A funny oddball piece blasting his friend Bernadette Mayer for censoring a poem TB and Alice Notley wrote for the Poetry Project Newsletter.

"The White Snake by Ed Friedman"

Review of a play by the future longtime director of St. Mark’s Poetry Project.

"Harry Fainlight: In Memoriam (d. 1982, London)"

An obituary for his best friend Harry Fainlight, an oddball minor poet TB would publish his poems in “C” magazine.

Among the most significant American poets of the later 20th century, Ted Berrigan (1934–1983) was a leading force behind the second-generation New York School. Born in Providence, RI, Berrigan attended various local schools, then enlisted in the Army and was stationed in Korea in the aftermath of the Korean War. In the late ’50s on the G.I. Bill, he enrolled in the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma, where he earned a B.A. and M.A. During this period he met his younger poetic and artistic comrades Ron Padgett, Dick Gallup, and Joe Brainard, all four of whom moved to New York City. In the early ’60s, he was married to the poet Sandy Berrigan, with whom he had two children, David and Kate. He later married the poet Alice Notley and, after periods in Buffalo, Chicago, New York, Bolinas, London, and Essex, settled with her and their sons, Anselm and Edmund, in New York City, where they eventually all became fixtures of the scene around St. Mark’s Poetry Project. Berrigan published a magazine, C, in the 60s, and individual volumes by poets under the imprint C Press. His books of poetry include The Sonnets (1964, 1967, 1982, 2000), now published by Penguin, Collected Poems (2007) and Selected Poems (2011), both published by the University of California.

Alice Notley was born in 1945 in Bisbee, Arizona. and grew up in Needles, California. She graduated from Barnard College and then the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, with an MFA in Fiction and Poetry. She married Ted Berrigan in 1972 and lived with him until his death in 1983, upon which she became the guardian and sometimes (with Anselm and Edmund Berrigan) editor of his manuscripts. A prominent international poet, she edited the magazine CHICAGO and co-edited with second husband, British poet Douglas Oliver, Scarlet and Gare du Nord. Notley is the author of some forty or fifty volumes of poetry and prose, including The Descent of Alette, Mysteries of Small Houses, Grave of Light: New & Selected Poems 1970-2005, Coming After: Essays on Poetry, Benediction, For the Ride, and many more. She lives in Paris, France.

Anselm Berrigan was born in Chicago and grew up in New York City. He has published many books of poetry, including Free Cell (2009), a volume in the City Lights Spotlight Poetry Series. His most recent book is Pregrets (Black Square Editions, 2021). He is the poetry editor for The Brooklyn Rail, and editor of What Is Poetry? (Just Kidding, I Know You Know): Interviews from The Poetry Project Newsletter 1983-2009. From 2003-2007 he was the Artistic Director of The Poetry Project at St. Mark's Church. He lives in New York City.

Born in Colchester, England and raised in New York City, Edmund Berrigan is a poet and musician. His books include Disarming Matter (Owl Press, 1999), Glad Stone Children (Farfalla, 2008), and More Gone (2019), a volume in the City Lights Spotlight Poetry Series. He also published a volume of memoirs, Can It! (Letter Machine Editions, 2013). He lives in Brooklyn, and performs music with the groups I Feel Tractor and Other Arc Ensemble. He lives in Brooklyn.

Poet and scholar Nick Sturm hails from Akron, Ohio, and is a lecturer in the English Department at Georgia State University. He has published widely on post-1945 American poetry. More information about his scholarship and archival research are available at his blog Crystal Set, nicksturm.com. He has a Ph.D. from Florida State and an M.F.A. from the University of Akron. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Anselm Berrigan is the author of many books of poetry: Pregrets, (Black
Square Editions, 2021), Something for Everybody, (Wave Books, 2018), Come In Alone (Wave Books, May 2016), Primitive State (Edge, 2015), Notes from Irrelevance (Wave Books, 2011), Free Cell (City Lights Books, 2009), Some Notes on My Programming (Edge, 2006), Zero Star Hotel (Edge, 2002), and Integrity and Dramatic Life (Edge, 1999). He is also the editor of What is Poetry? (Just Kidding, I Know You Know): Interviews from the Poetry Project Newsletter (1983–2009) and co-author of two collaborative books: Loading, with visual artist Jonathan Allen (Brooklyn Arts Press, 2013), and Skasers, with poet John Coletti (Flowers & Cream, 2012). He was the poetry editor for The Brooklyn Rail from 2008 through 2023. With Alice Notley and Edmund Berrigan he co-edited The Collected Poems of Ted Berrigan (U. California, 2005) and the Selected Poems of Ted Berrigan (U. California, 2011). More recently, he co-edited Get The Money! Collected Prose of Ted Berrigan (City Lights, 2022) with Notley, Edmund Berrigan, and Nick Sturm. A member of the subpress publishing collective, he has published books by Hoa Nguyen, Steve Carey, Adam DeGraff, and Brendan Lorber. From 2003-2007 he was Artistic Director of The Poetry Project at St. Mark’s Church, where he also hosted the Wednesday Night Reading Series for four years. He teaches writing classes at Pratt Institute and Brooklyn College, and was a longtime Co-Chair in Writing at the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts interdisciplinary MFA program. Berrigan was granted an Individual Artists Award from the Foundation of Contemporary Arts in 2017, and was also awarded a 2015 Process Space Residency by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, and a Robert Rauschenberg Residency by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation in 2014. He was a New York State Foundation for the Arts fellow in Poetry for 2007, and has received three grants from the Fund for Poetry.

Get the Money!

Collected Prose (1961-1983)

Related Books