dial-a-poem

In 1969, John Giorno founded Dial-a-Poem, a 212 number anyone could call to get a quick poetry fix.

Millions called. "The busiest time was 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., so one figured that all those people sitting at desks in New York office buildings spend a lot of time on the telephone...The second busiest time was 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. ... then the California calls and those tripping on acid or couldn't sleep, 2 a.m. to 6 a.m."

Now we have the liberty of getting our Dial-a-Poem in mp3 version via the UbuWeb. Check out Frank O'Hara, Sylvia Plath, & Charles Bukowski (no acid required):

Frank O'Hara - Having a Coke with You

Sylvia Plath - Daddy

Charles Bukowski - Cloud Nine/I Live in a Neighborhood of Murder/Two Horse Collars

Via Bookninja