I remember being awed by Oscar Wilde’s gravesite on Père Lachaise. It’s massive. In 2011, his descendants cleaned the tomb of the many lipstick marks left there by admirers, and a glass barrier was installed to prevent further marks or damage. That didn’t seem to stop admirers, because one of them climbed an adjacent monument to get closer, and caused it to crumble. Can you imagine?! Also Balzac and Gertrude Stein are there. I left my poetry chapbook “Dear Jim” at Morrison’s grave.
Patti Smith was one of the first people I'd heard of who visits the graves of famous people. It's strangely moving though. We visited May Sarton (I brought a beautiful rock with me to leave there) and also Robert Frost, a few years back. Your own pics and list remain very impressive.
Graves are great places, imho, to mull our connections to the giants on whose shoulders we stand. My favorite perhaps is Jane Addams (included in the IL book I wrote). Thanks for the mullings.
I remember being awed by Oscar Wilde’s gravesite on Père Lachaise. It’s massive. In 2011, his descendants cleaned the tomb of the many lipstick marks left there by admirers, and a glass barrier was installed to prevent further marks or damage. That didn’t seem to stop admirers, because one of them climbed an adjacent monument to get closer, and caused it to crumble. Can you imagine?! Also Balzac and Gertrude Stein are there. I left my poetry chapbook “Dear Jim” at Morrison’s grave.
Love this story!
Patti Smith was one of the first people I'd heard of who visits the graves of famous people. It's strangely moving though. We visited May Sarton (I brought a beautiful rock with me to leave there) and also Robert Frost, a few years back. Your own pics and list remain very impressive.
Yes. Smith visits them all the time. I don't want to imply I've been to all these graves. But certainly, Dylan Thomas'. That was a trip of a lifetime.
Graves are great places, imho, to mull our connections to the giants on whose shoulders we stand. My favorite perhaps is Jane Addams (included in the IL book I wrote). Thanks for the mullings.