Anselm Hollo

I will miss him. I never had the opportunity to take his class and I'm sad about that, but he had one wicked sense of humor, and his voice, with his finnish accent, was fabulous. I could listen to him read a phonebook. (as the saying goes).
(I stole the banner from the Coffehouse Press website.)

Official note from the University that arrived in my email:
Naropa University is very sorry to announce that Professor Anselm Hollo passed away this morning following a long illness. Anselm was one of the pillars of the Jack Kerouac School and a great friend to Naropa and beloved mentor to hundreds of students and inspiring poet to countless readers around the world.

“Naropa University has lost an extraordinary professor and friend,” shares Naropa President Charles Lief. “Anselm exuded European culture, Beat truth telling, and ordinary human kindness and grace; He was a fearless and outspoken poet-warrior and will be greatly missed by our community and the big world he so profoundly touched.

“Anselm Hollo arrived at Naropa in 1985 at a very key time in the development of our year-round MFA program. He brought his vast knowledge of surrealism, European poetics, experimental poetics, and translation to the classroom and deftly took students through those poetic paths,” says Anne Waldman, Core Professor, Co-founder of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, and Artistic Director, Summer Writing Program. “A much loved member of the large and distinct community of Front Range poets, we will all keep strong the memory of the twinkle in his blue eyes, his wry sense of humor, and deep and resonant laugh. We are in gratitude for the panoramic poetics wisdom he generously shared with us these many years. We loved him and his poetry.”

“Professor Anselm Hollo was an inspiring poet, translator, teacher. His work has influenced many writers both inside and outside the classroom. His engagement with the written word generated beautiful verse, humorous speech, and exceptional space around language,” says Michelle Naka Pierce, Director of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics. “The faculty, staff, and students of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics have lost a vivid example of a writer today. Anselm Hollo “fought the hungry ghosts here on Earth” and will be deeply missed.”

Anselm’s wife Jane Dalrymple-Hollo and children Kaarina and Tamsin were with him during what Jane described as a peaceful death. Naropa has lost another of our treasures, who will be greatly missed. A memorial for Anselm is being planned for some time next week. Details will be announced.