HOMAGE TO BRAUTIGAN

As one of Gerald Locklin’s publishers, I’m pleased that he followed the advice in a recent newsletter I wrote for authors who have published books to their credit: Be controversial. I’m astounded, though, at what it takes to be controversial these days. His poem “Homage to John Cage” is written in the style of Richard Brautigan’s “1891-1944” (same “text” as Locklin) from “Rommel Drives On Deep Into Egypt,” the “text” of which is claimed to be “original” by several of your readers. I’m willing to bet a cup of coffee that Locklin knew his poem was influenced by Brautigan, but that few of your other readers were aware of this.

D. H. LLOYD

LONG BEACH