The Berkeley Poetry Conference was an event in which individuals presented their views and poems in seminars, lectures, individual readings, and group readings at California Hall on the Berkeley Campus of the University of California during July 12–24, 1965.
The conference was organized through the University of California Extension Programs. The advisory committee consisted of Thomas Parkinson, Professor of English at U.C. Berkeley, Donald M. Allen, West Coast Editor of Grove Press, Robert Duncan, Poet, and Richard Baker, Program Coordinator.
The roster of scheduled poets consisted of: Robin Blaser, Robert Creeley, Richard Duerden, Robert Duncan, Allen Ginsberg, Leroi Jones (Amiri Baraka), Joanne Kyger, Ron Loewinsohn, Charles Olson, Gary Snyder, Jack Spicer, George Stanley, Lew Welch, and John Wieners. Leroi Jones (Amiri Baraka) did not participate; Ed Dorn was pressed into service.
July 12 – July 16, Gary SnyderJuly 12 – July 16, Robert DuncanJuly 19 – July 23, LeRoi Jones (scheduled)July 19 – July 23, Charles OlsonJuly 12, New PoetsJuly 13, Gary SnyderJuly 14, John WienersJuly 15, Jack SpicerJuly 16, Robert DuncanJuly 17, Robin Blaser, George Stanley and Richard DuerdenJuly 19, New PoetsJuly 20, Robert CreeleyJuly 21, Allen GinsbergJuly 22, LeRoi JonesJuly 23, Charles OlsonJuly 24, Ron Loewinsohn, Joanne Kyger and Lew WelchJuly 13, Robert Duncan, Psyche-Myth and the Moment of TruthJuly 14, Jack Spicer, Poetry and PoliticsJuly 16, Gary Snyder, Poetry and the PrimitiveJuly 20, Charles Olson, Causal MythologyJuly 21, Ed Dorn, The Poet, the People, the SpiritJuly 22, Allen Ginsberg, What's Happening on EarthJuly 23, Robert Creeley, Sense of MeasureJuly 13, Gary Snyder, introduced by Thomas Parkinson.July 14, John Wieners, introduced by Robert Creeley.July 15, Jack Spicer, introduced by Thomas Parkinson.July 16, Robert Duncan, introduced by Thomas Parkinson.July 17, Robin Blaser, George Stanley, Richard Duerden, introduced by Robert Duncan.July 18, Young Poets: Jim Boyack, Robin Eichele, Victor Coleman, Bob Hogg, Stephen Rodefer, David Franks, introduced by Victor Coleman.July 19, Special Poetry Reading: John Sinclair, Lenore Kandel, Ted Berrigan, Ed Sanders, introduced by Allen Ginsberg.July 20, Ed Dorn, introduced by Robert Creeley.July 21, Allen Ginsberg, introduced by Thomas Parkinson.July 22, Robert Creeley, introduced by Robert Duncan.July 23, Charles Olson, introduced by Robert Duncan.July 24, Ron Loewinsohn, Joanne Kyger, Lew Welch, introduced by Robert Duncan.July 25, Young Poets from the Bay Area: Gene Fowler, Jim Wehlage, Eileen Adams, Doug Palmer, Sam Thomas, Gail Dusenbery, Drum Hadley, Lowell Levant, Jim Thurber, introduced by Gary Snyder.There was a reading by David Bromige, David Schaff, James Koller and Ken Irby, but the tape has been lost.
During this event, Charles Olson was designated President of Poets, and Allen Ginsberg, Secretary of State of Poetry. Robert Creeley remarked, "There will never be another poetry conference in Berkeley; Berkeley is too bizarre."
