Punk poet Patti Smith says writing is her 'essential' art form

Bob Chiarito
Wed, November 2, 2022 


Her Godmother of Punk Rock icon status made her a household name, but for Patti Smith, it's writing where she finds her true artistic voice.

Along with her musical performance and literary pursuits, Smith is a painter and photographer, but if she had to choose one form?

"I'd pick writing."

"Writing is my most essential form of expression," the artist told AFP in Chicago, where she recently received the prestigious Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize.

Smith, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, is perhaps best known for her seminal punk album "Horses."

But poetry was an earlier love, and "Horses" begins with lines from a poem that she penned.

"Performing poetry, reading poetry was very strong in New York in the late 1960s and early 1970s," she said.

But "I had so much energy and was really a child of rock and roll, so standing there reading a poem was never satisfying to me," Smith continued.

"I quickly merged my poems with a few chords as something to propel me to improvise more poetry, and it sort of evolved into a rock and roll band."

While Smith's album and her band went on to critical acclaim, writing always was at its backbone, she said, pointing to her song "Redondo Beach" which was initially a poem.

"Throughout all my albums and even the prose that I write, poetry is still a thread," she said.

"Horses" is widely considered one of the best albums of all time, but for Smith it was her 2010 book "Just Kids" -- a memoir she promised her best friend and muse Robert Mapplethorpe that she would write hours before he died -- that became her life's greatest success.

"I'd never written a book of nonfiction, but he asked me if I would write our story," she recalled.

Mapplethorpe, a photographer, died at age 42. He and Smith shared a deep friendship, romance and lifelong creative bond.

"My greatest success in my life has been the book that he asked me to write and it almost makes me cry. Robert got his wish and I kept my vow and wrote the book as best I could."

"Just Kids" won The National Book Award and introduced Smith to an entirely new generation of fans, while outselling all of her music albums along the way.

She said young people used to tell her "Horses" changed their lives -- but "it was usurped by 'Kids.'"

"I think it's really opened up many doors for me," she continued. "Other books were examined and people read them and now when we have our concerts, it's a wonderful thing to step on stage and see a sea of people under 30, even under 25."

"To see all these young people who are interested in your work and giving of their energy, I'm so grateful for that."

- People power -

Smith, who turns 76 this December, said she has no plans to slow her output.

She's set to release "A Book of Days" later this month, a volume based on her Instagram account's musings.

She's also considering a serialized book entitled "The Melting," based on her Substack account posts.

Smith has maintained her prolific output for years but she says "things don't necessarily come easy."

"I've had to plug away my whole life."

She considers herself an optimist but she's "deeply concerned and heartbroken" about the state of the world right now, citing environmental crises along with the rise of nationalism globally and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"There's so many things happening simultaneously right now, it's overwhelming," she said. "But I have kids, so I'm always seeking in my mind ways to make the world better for them."

Persevering means writing daily and trying her best to help others.

"We just have to keep doing our work and find a way to keep ourselves healthy and just help one another. It seems so elemental but it's also required," she said.

Smith said she's working on writing a new song inspired by the women protesting in Iran, and still believes, like one of her famous songs, that people have the power.

"I absolutely believe it," she said. "It's just whether we choose to use it or not. That's what the women of Iran are doing."

"That's the only tool we have."

How To Write A Poem According To Patti Smith, The Ultimate Punk Poet

By:
María Isabel Carrasco Cara Chards - November 5, 2019


There are people who are so talented they can do whatever they want. One of these characters is Patti Smith, a woman that had no life expectations and that ended up being one of the most important rockstars of her time, considered a queen and a main representative of punk, as well as one of America’s finest poets. Why did she achieve all that recognition? Where does her talent come from, and how did she manage to overcome every tragedy in her life and transform it into beauty? She became very popular through her songs, especially with her album Horse (1975), and after some time touring, she just decided to take a break, not a short one, but a nine-year one. Why? There were mainly three reasons behind her decision. The first one was a terrible accident she had when she fell off the stage, breaking her back and her skull. Then she met and married Fred “Sonic” Smith (guitarist of MC5), and decided to move from NYC to devote more of her time to raise their kids. Finally, the last reason was that she realized fame and popularity were a void and corrosive atmosphere she didn’t really want to be part of. In that way, she went back to what she had actually dreamt since she was a little girl: becoming a poet. And, if you somehow share that passion with her, here is her own advice. So, take note.

Read whatever you can

“I think that it’s important that we learn from other poets before we abandon them and write our own.”

Not being able to do as much as a kid could do, she secluded herself in the many worlds books offered. Her father, a factory worker, was an avid reader who would always be seen with a book in his hands, while her mother, a devoted Jehovah’s Witness, instructed her family into the precepts of the Bible, which were of utmost importance. Naturally, all this literary influence helped her develop a sensitivity for words, giving her the knowledge and tools to create her own.

Look after yourself

“Live a life as full as you can so that you can do the work you want to do.”

Being the eldest daughter of Beverly and Gary Smith, she spent most of her childhood suffering from different medical diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis, and scarlet fever. From a young age she learned to live knowing that her life could end at any moment. Moreover, she lost her fear of death, and by doing so, she decided to make the most out of every moment of her life. Her suggestion also invites us to develop the ability to spot stories and characters in everyday situations.

Work hard

“You have to practice your gifts.”

At some point in her youth, she decided she wanted to make a life of her own to explore what she was capable of, and moved to New York to become a poet. One of the most inspiring episodes in her life was when she met photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, with whom she moved to a hideous apartment with no bathroom. They had almost no money, barely scraping by to survive and pay bills. Yet she describes those as very happy moments, when both would stay up all night working on their creations. So, you must work really hard, even day and night, to develop your skills. If you’re doing what you like, you won’t even be tired of it.

Communicate directly

“Our natural order is being destroyed, our natural way of communicating with each other is being altered.”

Talk to people face to face, forget about your gadgets for a while, and share with them any kind of experiences. Although she never thought of actually becoming a musician, once the opportunity arrived, she understood it was her chance to give a message for young people. She’s explained how at the time the world had already lost those representative voices that promised a change in society (Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X). In the same way, she’s stated that poetry can build a pure and direct bridge of communication. To achieve that sensitivity and power, you have to communicate directly with those around you.

Act

“We should be acting on it. That’s what we had rock and roll for, that’s what we had a cultural voice for.”

Being a social activist most of her life, she’s always focused her poetic vision on topics that concern the world. As it was mentioned in the previous point, she believes poetry, music, and art should be used as a link to expose what’s going on with the world. But that’s not enough. It must work as inspiration to make people aware and push them to act. As a poet your job isn’t only to write and inspire others. You must also lead by example. Moreover, only by engaging directly will you be able to portray the truth.

Probably her most prolific and deepest works were created in the last 20 years. Perhaps experience and the multiple tragedies she’s experienced throughout her life made her more acute to understand the human experience better. I don’t know. The truth is that, as you could see, she’s not giving a very specific guideline on how to write the best poem. She’s telling us how to experience life in order to have the tools needed to let our imagination run amok and channel it on the paper. As she says, “there’s no real rules. I don’t know anything more than anybody else”.

Sometimes listening to great representatives of each discipline in the art can give us hints of how they approached their visions. 

Patti Smith turns 75

Silke Wünsch

12/29/2021

December 29, 2021

An icon for over half a century, Patti Smith remains an enigma to those who try to pigeonhole her. At 75 years young, Smith continues to find poetry in unlikely places. Happy birthday to the reluctant Godmother of Punk!

https://p.dw.com/p/2V4Kh


Patti Smith's biggest hits

Patti Smith never wanted to be a punk rock icon, but her music had a strong influence on rock music in the 1970s. "Three chord rock merged with the power of the word" - that's how she described her style.

Poetry meets Rock'n'Roll

Patti Smith had French poetry and 1960s rock icons on her mind - a combination that became her very own style. Her songs were covered, mixed, and new lyrics were added all the time. By the means of poetry, she transported the wild, rebellious rock of the 1960s into a new era.

Gloria
Her best friend, photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, created this cover image for the 1975 album "Horses" - which became a veritable soundtrack for the anti-establishment sentiments of the 1970s. By no means did Patti aim to be a sexy rock star - she wanted to be a rebel. She made this more than clear in her own version of the Van Morrison song "Gloria."



Because the Night
Three years later, Smith's international breakthrough came with album number three, "Easter," featuring a pop song co-written with Bruce Springsteen. The track had nothing to do with radicalism but rather was somewhat of a declaration of love to guitar player Fred "Sonic" Smith. The cover of the single "Because The Night" shows a frail and feminine version of Smith.Image: Record Plant


Frederick
"Wave," Patti Smith's most commercial album, was produced by Todd Rundgren and released in 1979. "Frederick" is dedicated to her lover Fred: "Bye bye, hey hey, Maybe we will come back some day, now. But tonight on the wings of a dove, Up above to the land of love." The couple tied the knot one year later.

Dancing Barefoot
Also featured on the album "Wave," Rolling Stone magazine lists "Dancing Barefoot" as one of the 500 best songs of all times. It's a haunting description of the emotions and confusion that feelings of love typically seem to trigger in Patti Smith. "Rolling Stone" magazine that Smith masturbated to the album cover photo.

Smells Like Teen Spirit
On the 2007 album "Twelve," Patti Smith covers 12 songs, including a hit song by Nirvana, whose singer/song writer Kurt Cobain killed himself in 1994. Patti Smith successfully distills the essence of "Smells like Teen Spirit" and presents it in a plain, acoustic way, while still reflecting her signature poetic style of approaching lyrics.

A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
Patti Smith's good friend Bob Dylan helped her out of a major career slump at the end of the 1990s. On December 10, 2016, she reciprocated, attending the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony for absentee laureate Dylan, and singing one of his best-known songs, "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall."


Some have called her the Godmother of Punk, others the Grande Dame of Alternative Rock. But what Patti Smith really is, deep down in her heart, is a poet. Her music takes second.

Born on December, 30, 1946, in Chicago, Smith grew up in New Jersey together with three siblings. While her father was an atheist, her mother was a Jehovah's Witness, raising her kids to be religious.

She wanted to become a teacher. During her studies, she got pregnant and had the baby, but gave it up for adoption. Then she quit her studies, and — not even 20 years old — found her way to New York's art scene where she got involved in art, drugs, parties and music.

Back then, her idols were the poets Charles Baudelaire and Arthur Rimbaud, and the musicians Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones and Jim Morrison.
Poetry in a punk club

In clubs and bars, Smith opened for rock bands by reciting her poems on stage. She had her first big performance in February 1971. As part of a planned poetry series, Smith recited her work for New York stars like Allen Ginsberg, Andy Warhol, Lou Reed, Sam Shepherd and others, eventually publishing two volumes of poetry.

During that time she also jammed with guitarist Lenny Kaye and keyboarder Richard Sohl.

Patti Smith is seen here performing at the Rainbow Theatre in London in 1978Image: Imago/ZUMA/Keystone

"Our songs consisted of three chords," she told the US radio magazine "Fresh Air" in 2006, "so that I could improvise on them."

The three musicians kept playing around with Van Morrison's song "Gloria" for a long time until Smith decided to work in her famous poem "Oath" into that song:

"Christ died for somebody's sins, but not mine (...) Christ, I'm giving you the goodbye, firing you tonight. I can make my own light shine."

The reference to her mother's suffocating religiosity could not be overlooked.
The birth of garage rock

In 1975, the Patti Smith Group was complete. The first album, "Horses," was created with the help of producer and Velvet Underground veteran John Cale. On the cover, Smith looks androgynous with dishevelled hair — slim, clad in a men's shirt and jacket, and wearing a black ribbon looking like a loose tie.

The album contained pure poetry, sometimes loud and uncontrolled, sometimes intense and enchanting. Smith made full use of her voice, implementing melody, rap, recitations and improvisations.

"Horses" made it into the charts as the very first so-called new underground album. The magazine "Rolling Stone" included the disc in its list of 500 best albums of all time.
Godmother of Punk?

Reacting to Smith's wild performances, the music world put her squarely in the punk box, and even called her the Godmother of Punk. In an interview with BBC, she later said she regretted having been given all kinds of titles, like "princess of piss," or "wild rock 'n' roll mustang."

She also said she and her band were never really punk. And yet, Smith definitely played a key role in punk - at least in the US. Yet the essence of Smith's music wasn't anarchism and nihilism, but rather the firm belief that rock 'n' roll could change the world - just as her rock heroes of the 1960s had demonstrated.

Even today, "Horses" still stands for music that comes from the streets, transports dirt and feelings, and is ruthless, honest, unsparing and uncomfortable. Smith said she speaks to those who are like her - the disenfranchised, the mavericks - and tells them, "Don't lose heart, don't give up."
A break after 'Frederick'

The second album of the Patti Smith Group, "Radio Ethiopia" (1976), wasn't quite as successful. According to some observers, Smith was overdoing it a bit with her intensity that at times bordered on "extravagant confusion" ("Rock Rough Guide"). At the same time, though, the album was respected for its rough rock sound.

In 1978, the album "Easter" followed with Smith's first big commercial hit. She released "Because the Night," with some support from Bruce Springsteen. It became her international breakthrough, and was followed by even more hits. The album "Wave" (1979) contained two famous songs, "Dancing Barefoot," and "Frederick," both lacking some of Smith's original wildness.

After that, Smith's musical life came to an end - for a while, at least. With her husband Fred Smith and their children, she withdrew into family life. Once again, she wrote poems, and in 1988 she produced a record with her husband that nobody wanted to listen to.

The mid 1990s were a dark period for her, as, within a few months only, she lost her husband, her best friend, and her brother. She also went broke - but was not forgotten. After all, she always continued to fascinate musicians, among them Kurt Cobain and Michael Stipe of R.E.M. So she started to perform again, here and there, as old friends started calling on her once again.
And then came Bob Dylan

Finally, Bob Dylan brought her back into the limelight. Smith reactivated her old band, and before they knew it they were opening for Dylan's show. The audience was thrilled. Twenty years after the release of "Horses," the band returned into the studio to produce the album "Gone Again" - a collection of somber and touching songs in memory of her deceased husband.

Smith still continues to produce music today. Her hair has turned grey but the power of her songs hasn't diminished a bit. Whether she sings her old hits, attempts to cover rock classics like "Smells like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana, she remains a poet who transports her verses via music.

This story was originally written in German.