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Poetry and the Blue Moon in Seattle

© Jerri Brooker

From Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) to Richard Hugo (1924-1982), Washington's past is riddled with famous writers and poets who at one time or another lived in or visited our state. Many of them performed at or visited the famous Blue Moon Tavern on 45th Street in the University District of Seattle.

Never heard of the Blue Moon?

Founded in 1934 it was a popular hang out for college students who by state law could not drink on campus, so they walked a mile away from campus to get their beer at the cultured watering hole. Then in the 50's and 60's it became a hangout for the literary crowd and the tavern's clientele enjoyed the works of many who made a name for themselves via poetry, song or writings.

Like who, you say?

Well, I mentioned Dylan Thomas and also Richard Hugo, who was born in White Center.

Thomas is famous for his notebook writings, which he began when he was 15, other poetry, essays and plays. He continued his notebook until he was 19, then wrote books from the works later. Read excerpts from the The Notebook Poems, 1930-1934. I imagine folks were enamored with him when he visited the Blue Moon.

Hugo studied at the University of Washington and worked as a technical writer for Boeing, but he is known for his poetry. Richard Hugo House, a Seattle writer's retreat, was founded in the spirit of Hugo's fondness for the overlooked places prevalent in his writings. It is another place where poetry and other writing has and is being explored and shared in the Seattle area. Be sure to visit the link and read about it.

But back to the renowned tavern's guests.

It also saw the likes of Theodore Roethke (1901-1963), Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997), Carolyn Kizer (b. 1925), David Wagoner and Stanley Kunitz (b. 1909), but they are only a tip of the iceberg when you think of Washington State poets.

Woody Guthrie, singer and songwriter emigrant straight from the dust bowl of Oklahoma to California, was a Seattle resident at one point in his life and played his guitar on Seattle streets. He is famous, too, for writing the Washington State Folk Song "Roll On Columbia, Roll On." I'm not sure if any of his performances were at the Blue Moon.

Here are selected works from two of the poets I mention: Roethke and Ginsberg.

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