Lowell

No question abt it. Gordon Cairnie adored Robert Lowell. Every post card or note from Cal was news to everyone who came in the Grolier Book Shop.

The silouette portrait of Lowell I took in Arthur Friedman’s apartment on Mass. Ave. one night when Arthur was having a party: Bob Creeley and Bobbie Creeley were in town. Fanny Howe too.

The other pictures were taken in the Grolier. I had written to Lowell to ask him if i cd take a picture or two when he came by the Grolier. He had tipped off Gordon he was going to be in Cambridge. I was there huddling in a corner, trying to be subtle w/ my 2 1/4″ camera. You can see that Lowell was pretty much himself. He had NEVER read my postcard to him.

Years later Ginsberg and Lowell swapped ties while Lowell was visiting Allen at home on the Lower East Side. It was a gesture of friendship. Allen loved to wear that striped tie and to tell the tale to whomever.