Correspondence #52: Clive Matson

Poet's Polonoff connection

Oakland-based poet Clive Matson, whose latest collection Hello, Paradise, Paradise, Goodbye was recently reviewed these pages, has written to us about a review of David Polonoff’s book WannaBeat and an accompanying interview…

Email, May 17th, 2025

Hi Simon,

This is fascinating, both the interview and the review. David Polonoff clearly traveled the same or similar paths that I traveled. Thank you for sending these pieces.

I keep getting reminded that since those years, 1960 to 1970 or so, my path has taken me to a different place. I'm very happy I didn't buy more into the Beat social persona, but instead turned my back.

Coincidentally my publisher, New Generation Beat Publications, holds a similar view – that the aesthetic of the Beats is the vital current in American poetry, our mainstream, and that what is termed ‘mainstream’ is a paste-over by the academies.

What they call mainstream is more like a dead-end street than a live tradition. And serves as a sort of exalted anti-depressant for frustrated minds

Ginsberg was too successful in his promoting, and the rebellious, anti-conforming image he championed became conflated with the Beat aesthetic. To the point that few people seem capable of seeing that the power and authenticity of the actual Beat aesthetic is carrying the tide of American literature forward.

Time will show us the truth of this statement. I could go on like this for a while, but I'll spare you for now! The history that gives me the foundation for such a statement is pretty clear, to my mind, in the interview by David Garyan titled ‘Instinct, Be My Guide’ in the journal Interlitq.

Again, my thanks for sharing the interview with and the review of Polonoff.

Sincerely,
Clive Matson

See also: ‘Book review #48: WannaBeat by David Polonoff’, May 17th, 2025; ‘Interview #36: David Polonoff’, May 17th, 2025; ‘Book review #47: Hello, Paradise, Paradise, Goodbye by Clive Matson, May 13th, 2025