Patti Smith Visits Ursinus, Reads from Memoir

By: Allison Nichols

COLLEGEVILLE, PA- Patti Smith gave the audience at Lenfest Auditorium a taste of her poetic talent, natural sense of humor, and laid back attitude on Tuesday when she read from her memoir, “Just Kids,” and sang a few of her songs.

            Smith is a rock musician, poet, artist, writer and friend of Robert Frank, whose photographs are the focus of Ursinus is Talking About this semester.   Smith first worked with Frank when he directed the video for her single “Summer Cannibals” in 1996. 

Patti Smith shares some of her memoir and songs with the Ursinus community.
(Photo courtesty of last.fm)

            “Just Kids,” Smith’s memoir and tribute to her “wonderful friendship with Robert Mapplethorpe,” is a New York Times bestseller and the winner of the 2010 National Book award. 

            Many excited fans of Smith’s, from students, to teachers, to community members, poured into Lenfest Theatre to witness Smith’s charismatic performance.

            From the moment Smith walked on stage and greeted the audience, she gave off a friendly aura that set an intimate mood for the presentation. 

            Smith began the evening with of a poem from 1970 in which she reflected on what it means to be American.  “I think about Robert Frank’s photographs – broke down jukeboxes in Gallup, New Mexico, swaying hips and spurs, ponytails and syphilitic cowpokes, hash slingers, the glowing black tarp of U.S. 285 and the Hoboken stars and stripes.”

Smith visited the Berman Museum of Art and Franks’ exhibit, Spaces, Places and Identity: Robert Frank "Portraits" earlier in the day. “It is a wonderful exhibit. I have seen pieces from the show before but have never seen them set up that way before,” said Smith.

            She then read an excerpt from “Just Kids” about her first trip to an art museum when she was twelve; when she became “hungry to be an artist.”  Smith told the story of her large family traveling to the Philadelphia art museum with descriptive detail and a poetic rhythm.  She spoke of Picasso’s work and how his “brutal confidence took my breath away.”

            Next Smith read a powerful excerpt about the summer of 1967 when she decided to move to New York City.  She told the story of “the summer I met Robert Mapplethorpe,” and “the summer of love,” with inspiring images of the events of the time period and the things that surrounded her. 

            The vivid detail included in Smith’s memoir, she later revealed, was made possible by her writings done in her dairy every day of her life.  “I know every time I cute Robert’s hair,” said Smith.

            One piece of her memoir that she shared told a story of her days living in the Chelsea Hotel, a historic New York City hotel that is known for being home to numerous writers, musicians, and artists including Bob Dylan, Virgil Thomson, Charles Bukowski and Janis Joplin. “I loved [the Chelsea Hotel] because every day you saw people who were giving us so much of our culture” said Smith.

            She also told an amusing story of a day spent in Washington Square Park when Smith and Mapplethorpe were young and in love.  A touristy couple encountered them and argued over whether or not they were worth a snapshot.  Their final answer was, “They’re just kids,” and gave Smith a name for her memoir. 

            Between readings, Smith shared a few of her poetic rock and roll songs. She played “Wing” and “Grateful.”  She also played “My Bleaken Years,” and revealed that these lyrics came to her in a dream.

 Smith shared some of her original lullaby’s by the request of the audience, and ended with her hit single “Because the Night.”  Her powerful but graceful voice brought the audience to its feet.    


Listen to Patti Smith read from "Just Kids."

Patti Smith sings her hit single "Because the Night."

(Video courtesy of youtube.com)