Divinity's Limbo, Entry 2 - In-The-Bowery

There's this church in New York City, St. Marks Church in-the-Bowery. It's tucked right on the corner of E 10th St & 2nd Avenue, attached to its own churchyard. It's been pretty popular with NYC artists since the 18th century, but to me what's most notable is the music and experimental poetry that went on there in the 60s and 70s. I mean, check out this flyer for a reading from 1969...incredible isn't it?!

So many beautiful poets read there: Allen Ginsberg, Jim Carroll, Amy Lowell, Frank O'Hara, oh and my absolute idol, Patti fucking Smith.

When I was living in New York sometimes I would walk to St. Marks and sit outside with my book and read it. At the time I was blazing my way through Sin by Forough Farrokhzad. I would sit outside and imagine Patti Smith walking exactly where I was sitting, looking at the same thing I was. I took in the air around me and watched the doors with my book in my hand, but I never went in. I was too afraid. Week after week I would sit there, with a different outfit, another book I picked up on Mercer street, but I never went in. I lurked around the Bowery area as well; stopping in at the over-priced Puerto Rican coffee shop across the street, taking pictures of the building down the block that they used for the album cover of Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti. I still never went in to that goddamn church.

I did the same with the Chelsea Hotel. I walked by it multiple times, took pictures, I even stood outside it and lit up a cigarette, just staring at its beauty. Staring at the old yet vibrant sign, the address plaque numbered 222. I checked out Chelsea's community parks and thrift stores (speaking of which, in one store I found a 7-day prayer candle with Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter devotionally printed on the front). I never entered the hotel, or its cafe. Not that I had any godforsaken money for either, but I wonder what would have been different if I went in anyway.

If I had just gotten over my fear of... what exactly? Was it my fear of not knowing what to do when I went in? My fear of being approached and not knowing what to say? Or was it just my fear of other people knowing that I don't know what the hell I'm doing?

Published by Divinity

Divinity's Limbo, Entry 2 - In-The-Bowery

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