THE ART OF INCLUSION: Charles Rammelkamp considers this intriguing mix of memoir, tribute and poetry anthology compiled and edited by John Lavin, Aaren Perry & Eleanor Wilner
The Art of Inclusion
John Lavin, Aaren Perry & Eleanor Wilner (eds)
Moonstone Press, 2024
ISBN: 978-1-963912-18-0
300 pages $27.95
Larry Robin has been filling a role somewhat like the Lawrence Ferlinghetti of the Philadelphia poetry scene: he has been a mentor to many local poets; he is owner of Robins Bookstore and founder of Moonstone Press; and he has spent decades supporting the literary community and working for leftwing causes. The similarities to Ferlinghetti, City Lights and San Francisco are obvious. Subtitled “The Story of Larry Robin and Moonstone with a deluge of tributes”, the anthology The Art of Inclusion includes contributions (verse and prose) from about 140 poets and writers, including such well-known authors as Amy Barone, Charles Carr, g. emil reutter, and Diane Sahms, all bestowing praise and encomiums for a life of purpose well lived.
Indeed, in his opening essay, “What Makes Larry Run?” (after Budd Schulberg’s What Makes Sammy Run) Robin tells of attending Ferlinghetti’s Philadelphia readings after the publication of his collection, A Coney Island of the Mind. It “changed everything.” His stepfather, Larry Konisberg, was a poet, so naturally he had hated poetry! No longer! But he confesses: ‘I tend to say it is not poetry I liked, but words.’ Amy Barone’s “He Isn’t a Poet” begins:
But Larry Robin loves words,
brave writers, and truth tellers.
He sees haikus as the “essence of poetry”
and poetry as the “essence of language.”
Like Ferlinghetti, Robin not only nurtured and promoted the literary community, but has also been engaged in social activism. Larry began early, still a teenager. Robin’s Bookstore started in 1936, established by his grandfather David. In 1960 the store moved from North 11th Street in downtown Philadelphia to North 13th and was run by Larry’s father Herman. Larry joined the family business. His coffee shop had already been shut down by Frank Rizzo, when the future mayor was still a police captain. The Robins again defied the Philadelphia District Attorney in 1964 by selling Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer. Over the years, Robin’s Bookstore hosted such notable artists as Maya Angelou, Ernest Gaines, and Sonia Sanchez, among others.
With his wife, Sandy, a visual artist, Larry Robin has championed African-Americans, gays, Native Americans and a lot of other marginalized communities. They opposed the war in Iraq even when that was an unpopular stance, patriotic fervor dominating the nation. For two decades Robins Bookstore hosted an annual celebration of Black writing. They also hosted a Paul Robeson festival for many years, as well as a week-long festival promoting democracy, in honor of Salvador Allende.
Sandy Robin studied sculpture at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the anthology also includes reproductions of both Larry’s and Sandy’s visual art – paintings, sculpture, drawing. In 1983, Larry and Sandy created Moonstone, a non-profit that sponsored Sandy’s preschool art programs and Larry’s reading events and programs.
The anthology includes dozens of poems with titles like “The Canticle of Larry Robin” (Faith Paulsen), “Tribute to Larry Robin” (Prabha Nayak Prabhu), “Hey, Larry!” (Tim Seibles), “Poem for Larry” (Karen L. Smith), “Thank You, Larry” (Mary Tarantini),”Salute to Larry” (Eleanor Wilner), “In Honor of Larry Robin” (Samantha Wright), and “Larry Robin: A Poet’s Poet” (Daniel Zehner). MaryAnn I. Miller’s “Haiku for Larry Robin” reads:
whiskey atlas
a righteous weight of poets
stand on his shoulders
Truly loved and admired by generations of poets (full disclosure: Moonstone published my own chapbook, Sparring Partners in 2021), the tributes are all heartfelt. An appendix lists the cultural icons that have informed Robin’s thinking and action, including books (Studs Lonigan by James T. Ferrell and The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver among them) films, music (Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” as well as others), and visual art.
The Art of Inclusion is the perfect title to capture Larry Robin’s philosophy and art. This is an inspiring, comprehensive anthology that spells it all out: maybe f-e-r-l-i-n-g-h-e-t-t-i.
Dec 5 2024
THE ART OF INCLUSION
THE ART OF INCLUSION: Charles Rammelkamp considers this intriguing mix of memoir, tribute and poetry anthology compiled and edited by John Lavin, Aaren Perry & Eleanor Wilner
Larry Robin has been filling a role somewhat like the Lawrence Ferlinghetti of the Philadelphia poetry scene: he has been a mentor to many local poets; he is owner of Robins Bookstore and founder of Moonstone Press; and he has spent decades supporting the literary community and working for leftwing causes. The similarities to Ferlinghetti, City Lights and San Francisco are obvious. Subtitled “The Story of Larry Robin and Moonstone with a deluge of tributes”, the anthology The Art of Inclusion includes contributions (verse and prose) from about 140 poets and writers, including such well-known authors as Amy Barone, Charles Carr, g. emil reutter, and Diane Sahms, all bestowing praise and encomiums for a life of purpose well lived.
Indeed, in his opening essay, “What Makes Larry Run?” (after Budd Schulberg’s What Makes Sammy Run) Robin tells of attending Ferlinghetti’s Philadelphia readings after the publication of his collection, A Coney Island of the Mind. It “changed everything.” His stepfather, Larry Konisberg, was a poet, so naturally he had hated poetry! No longer! But he confesses: ‘I tend to say it is not poetry I liked, but words.’ Amy Barone’s “He Isn’t a Poet” begins:
But Larry Robin loves words, brave writers, and truth tellers. He sees haikus as the “essence of poetry” and poetry as the “essence of language.”Like Ferlinghetti, Robin not only nurtured and promoted the literary community, but has also been engaged in social activism. Larry began early, still a teenager. Robin’s Bookstore started in 1936, established by his grandfather David. In 1960 the store moved from North 11th Street in downtown Philadelphia to North 13th and was run by Larry’s father Herman. Larry joined the family business. His coffee shop had already been shut down by Frank Rizzo, when the future mayor was still a police captain. The Robins again defied the Philadelphia District Attorney in 1964 by selling Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer. Over the years, Robin’s Bookstore hosted such notable artists as Maya Angelou, Ernest Gaines, and Sonia Sanchez, among others.
With his wife, Sandy, a visual artist, Larry Robin has championed African-Americans, gays, Native Americans and a lot of other marginalized communities. They opposed the war in Iraq even when that was an unpopular stance, patriotic fervor dominating the nation. For two decades Robins Bookstore hosted an annual celebration of Black writing. They also hosted a Paul Robeson festival for many years, as well as a week-long festival promoting democracy, in honor of Salvador Allende.
Sandy Robin studied sculpture at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the anthology also includes reproductions of both Larry’s and Sandy’s visual art – paintings, sculpture, drawing. In 1983, Larry and Sandy created Moonstone, a non-profit that sponsored Sandy’s preschool art programs and Larry’s reading events and programs.
The anthology includes dozens of poems with titles like “The Canticle of Larry Robin” (Faith Paulsen), “Tribute to Larry Robin” (Prabha Nayak Prabhu), “Hey, Larry!” (Tim Seibles), “Poem for Larry” (Karen L. Smith), “Thank You, Larry” (Mary Tarantini),”Salute to Larry” (Eleanor Wilner), “In Honor of Larry Robin” (Samantha Wright), and “Larry Robin: A Poet’s Poet” (Daniel Zehner). MaryAnn I. Miller’s “Haiku for Larry Robin” reads:
whiskey atlas a righteous weight of poets stand on his shouldersTruly loved and admired by generations of poets (full disclosure: Moonstone published my own chapbook, Sparring Partners in 2021), the tributes are all heartfelt. An appendix lists the cultural icons that have informed Robin’s thinking and action, including books (Studs Lonigan by James T. Ferrell and The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver among them) films, music (Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” as well as others), and visual art.
The Art of Inclusion is the perfect title to capture Larry Robin’s philosophy and art. This is an inspiring, comprehensive anthology that spells it all out: maybe f-e-r-l-i-n-g-h-e-t-t-i.