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ON THE HOUSE · SPRING 2019 · 13
Spring in Poetry and Photography
An Epistolary Ode to Spring
You asked me, Nelly, for a poem to greet the spring;
But the weather has been so harsh since the Equinox
And as I strive to sound hopeful and roundly sing
Sweet praises of springtime it rings with paradox.
Of course I could now write a time-worn ode
With derivative lines that echo the orthodox;
And steal from bards both old and new a code
at could only appeal to an inveterate philodox.
Here attached, then, is a poem I recently found
And have slightly revised, one that speaks of a serenity
And a sense of solace that are intimately bound
To nature and remind us of the daunting forces of eternity;
A short poem which, though not particularly vernal,
Was yet inspired by the manifest energy of that season;
For hope, no doubt, can truly spring eternal
As long as birds translate wind’s rhyme and reason.
Eric SELLINPhiladelphia, April 2019
A Midday Walk In May
We walk along the tow path through the college park,
Beside the indolent waters of an old canal,
Where, here and there, turtles lie along the banks,
On fallen branches, sometimes basking there two deep.
A quiet place it is, near the middle of the town,
Where we can yet walk in peace along this path,
Beneath a double helix of soaring, circling hawks.
Eric SELLINIndianapolis, May 2007
Photographs of Washington Square taken by Simon Roberts
14 · SPRING 2019 · ON THE HOUSE
ON THE HOUSE · SPRING 2019 · 15
Celebrate Walt Whitman in His Bicentennial YearJoseph Quinn
Icelebrate myself.” So begins Walt Whitman’s
most famous poem, “Songof Myself.”
is spring everyonecan celebrate Whitman,as we recognize the 200thanniversary of his birthin 1819. e Universityof Pennsylvania is the primary sponsor and organizer of the festivities,called Whitman at 200:Art and Democracy. ecelebration will culminatein Philadel phia on May31st with a public eventfeaturing proclamations,music, and birthday cake.(See the list of internetsites below for a link tothe full schedule of events.)
Some might consider allthis attention overkill fora man who never actuallylived in Philadelphia.Furthermore, he publishedjust one book of poems,Leaves of Grass. e firstedition was issued in 1855,and Whitman spent therest of his life updating, enlarging, and republishingit until a Deathbed editionwas released in 1892. ebook has since become oneof the most read and influ-ential in literary history,and his personality hascontinued to fascinatescholars and ordinary readers alike.
In June of 1873, after suffering a stroke and beingdismissed from his positionas a clerk in the U.S.Attorney General’s office,Whitman reluctantlymoved to Camden to livewith his brother, George.In March of 1884 hemoved into his own house
at 328 Mickle Street.He spent only 20 of his73 years as our neighboracross the Delaware.
He initially bemoaned finding himself in whathe called his “little Camdenshanty.” But he soon foundcompensations, in thefaithful domestic circlethat developed aroundhim at home, and acrossthe Delaware in cosmopoli-tan, artistically thrivingPhiladelphia.
Numerous contemporarysources documentWhitman’s life in Camdenand his connections toPhiladelphia. One invaluableresource is Walt Whitmanin Camden, based on volu-minous notes on the poet’sactivities compiled by ayoung disciple namedHorace Traubel.
Before suffering a seconddebilitating stroke in 1888,Whitman had many oppor-tunities to ferry over toPhiladelphia for businessand pleasure. He lecturedat the Chestnut StreetOpera House. He attendedplays at the Walnut Streeteater and went to theopera at the Academy ofMusic, where he enjoyed aperformance of Donizetti’sLa Favorita. Whitman expressed his love of opera,especially the florid bel cantoworks of Donizetti, Belliniand Rossini, in several passages of Leaves of Grass.He believed that “But forthe opera I could not havewritten Leaves of Grass.”
Along with thousands ofothers he toured the 1876Centennial Exhibition.He visited the Mercantile
Library, hung out withdock workers and streetcardrivers and, on occasion,idled in waterfront saloons.But gradually Whitman wasdrawn into a more genteel,professional, and artisticcircle of Philadel phians. Hebecame less the “hankering,gross, mystical, nude” bardof “Song of My self,” andmore the “Good GrayPoet,” as he was describedby his Washington friendand patron, WilliamDouglas O’Connor.
He was befriended by manyprominent Philadel phians,including publishers, news-paper editors, lawyers, mer-chants, scholars, and artists.e Philadelphia Press andPublic Ledger vigorouslysupported and defendedWhitman in their pages.
One of Whitman’s mostimportant Philadelphiacontacts was his publisher,David McKay. Starting
out as a bookseller for J. B.Lippincott, he establishedhis own business in 1882.McKay took over the printing plates from the infamous 1881 “banned inBoston” edition of Leaves ofGrass. anks in part to theobscenity controversy, thenew 1882 edition issued byMcKay became a bestseller.
Whitman met omasEakins in 1887, a year afterEakins was involved in hisown obscenity controversy.He was forced to resignfrom e PennsylvaniaAcademy of Fine Artsfor using undraped modelsin his mixed-gender lifedrawing classes. e twoestablished a close rapport,no doubt based on theirmutual admiration for thenatural, realistic presenta-tion of the human body,clothed and unclothed.ey spent a lot of time
continued on page 17
“
Whitman’s “little Camden shanty” at 328 Mickle Street
16 · SPRING 2019 · ON THE HOUSE
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ON THE HOUSE · SPRING 2019 · 17
together as Eakins workedon Whitman’s portraitthroughout 1887-88. Heclaimed that of all the por-traits made of him, he likedEakins’ best, saying “itcomes nearest to being me.”
But it has not been all praiseand adulation. During hislifetime he was dismissedby many, including somestaid Philadelphians, as apurveyor of immoral trash.The pious John Wanamakerbanned Leaves of Grassfrom his stores.
And locals may still recallthe controversy that eruptedin 1955 when the DelawareRiver Port Authority pro -posed naming a new bridgeconnecting South Philadel -phia with Gloucester, NewJersey, after the “Good GrayPoet.” Whitman’s fitnessfor such an honor wasquestioned, largely onthe basis of the sexualfrankness of some of hispoems, especially ones thatventured into the realmof homosocial/sexual
relations. Pro- and anti-Whitman forces battled itout in the local news mediafor two years until the initial proposal was finallyadopted and the bridgechristened in 1957.
Want to get personally involved in the Whitman celebration?
Visit the PhiladelphiaAcademy of Fine Artsto see Eakins’ moving, autumnal portrait ofWhitman.
Visit two easily accessibleWhitman landmarks.e home where Whitmanlived his last years in downtown Camden,which then was numbered328 Mickle Street, istoday’s 330 Mickle/MartinLuther King Boulevard.It is just three blocks fromthe Broadway stop of thePATCO line. e modestwood-frame house, main-tained by the New JerseyState Park Service, offersguided tours that give
visitors a chance to stand inthe room where Whitmanslept, worked, received visitors, and died.
His tomb is located inHarleigh Cemetery, a shortwalk from the PATCOFerry Avenue stop.Designed by Whitmanhimself to look like a smallstone house built into ahill, it contains not onlyWhitman’s remains,but those of his parents,brothers George andEdward, sister Hannahand George’s wife.
Finally, read the poems.Read and listen asWhitman howls his ”barbaric yawp overthe roofs of the world”(“Song of Myself ”).
Below are some internetsources where you can getmore information aboutWhitman at 200 eventsand about Whitman him-self, some of which I haverelied on for quotes and details in this article. n
Celebrate Walt Whitman in His Bicentennial Yearcontinued from page 15
Philadelphia’s remarkablehistory are determined tofind a new home for themuseum—a centrally located, bricks-and-mortarplace where visitors near andfar can come to look andlearn. One suggestion wasto convert the old FamilyCourt building on LoganCircle into a new museum.But that was scotched withword that the long-delayedconversion of that buildinginto a hotel is back on track.Its developer reportedly is
soon to start work on thatproject. An even more in-triguing, and possibly lesscostly, proposal is to clearmost of the rooms on theground floor of our vast CityHall to house the museum.Evidently, space exists else-where in facilities occupiedby city government forthe various offices whichnow use those first-floorchambers, many of whichare high-ceiling and ornate,representing Philadelphia’sgrand dream of itself a cen-
tury-and-a-half ago. eseshould make ideal settingsfor showing off our history.
Here is how this matterlooks from the viewpointof the writer. It wouldbe an enormous loss foreveryone who has regardfor Philadelphia if its history museum remainsunder wraps. Virtuallyevery world-class cityon the globe maintains amuseum of its own history.Philadelphia is such a city.
Not long ago, we werenamed the first WorldHeritage City in NorthAmerica. It would be contrary to everythingthat designation representsfor the city to give up onpresenting its history tothe world-wide public.To present that story atCity Hall seems a matchmade in heaven. All thatis needed is a determinedcitizen-led campaign tomake it happen. Volunteers anyone? n
Philadelphia History Museum’s Uncertain Futurecontinued from page 11
Whitman at 200: www.whitmanat200.org/
The Walt Whitman Archive: www.whitmanarchive.org/
The Walt Whitman Association: www.thewaltwhitmanassociation.org/
The Walt Whitman House in Camden, New Jersey:www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/historic/whitman/
Whitman designed this tombfor himself and his family.
Further Reading
18 · SPRING 2019 · ON THE HOUSE
AllanDombRealEstatePHILADELPHIA’S LARGEST SELLING CONDOMINIUM REALTOR® WE COOPERATE WITH ALL REALTORS®
1845 Walnut St. Suite 2200 Philadelphia 215.545.1500 allandomb.com [email protected]
Outof the37,000condoswe’vesoldover thepast38plusyears,HowmanywereatTheHopkinsonHouse?Well overa thousand.
Looking tobuyor sell ahomehere?Call us.We’re HopkinsonHousespecialists.
ON THE HOUSE · SPRING 2019 · 19
Suppose Ötzi the Icemanhad made it home,
wounded and bleeding.
“What happened to you??!”
“I went up the mountain,and those men from theother valley jumped me.”
“?&*#*! And then whathappened?”
e body of a mandubbed “Ötzi” was foundin the Alps in 1991—he had been killed some5,000 years ago. But hadhe survived his woundsand staggered back to hisvillage, we can easily imag-ine that his story wouldhave been in great demand,as much for information(Are their weapons betterthan ours?) as for entertain-ment around the fire.
Today, storytelling basedon the drama of real lifeis celebrated as an artform, accessible to anyone.Whether you yearn to tellyour own stories or simplylisten enraptured, you canfind right here in Phillya variety of places to getyour tale on live, tragedyor comedy.
The Moth StorySLAMsWorld Café Live3025 Walnut StreetEvery first Mondayevening, the mic is openfor all interested comerswho drop names into a bag.e ten selected randomlywill tell their true stories infive minutes without notes,while audience teams judgethem; winners qualify tocompete later in higher-level slams. Tickets go onsale a week in advance andsell out quickly. e non-profit Moth organization
hosts live storytellingaround the world as wellas putting out a podcast,books of stories, and theMoth Radio Hour.https://themoth.org/events
First Person Arts (FPA)e Playground at theAdrienne2030 Samson StreetCelebrating the “powerof the personal,” FPA holdsmonthly StorySlams, spe-cial customized programs,and an annual festival ofmemoir and documentaryart that includes classes.StorySlam winners receivecash prizes and qualifyto compete in the season’sGrand Slam. “We believethat everyone has a storyto tell, and that sharingour stories connects us witheach other and the world.”You can find FPA also onYouTube and by listeningto its podcasts.https://firstpersonarts.org
Patchwork StorytellingGuildMt. Airy Nexus510 Carpenter Lane“Patchwork remains dedicated to the survivalof the art form and
provides opportunitiesfor training, performance,and education, along withencouragement and anopen forum for storytellersand audiences to connect.”Regular story swaps areopen to all tellers and listeners; members may attend monthly coachingsessions. e Guild maintains a register of professional storytellersfor hire and is affiliatedwith the NationalStorytelling Network.https://patchworkstory-telling.org
Tell Me a StoryShot Tower Coffee542 Christian StreetTell me a story holds semi-monthly communitystorytelling events, withperformers curated fromstory pitches submitted
in advance. Each storytelleraccepted receives a 30-minute rehearsal priorto show date, and gets avideo of their story after-wards. ey also offercoaching and instructionfor storyteller wannabes, either in terms of personalperformance or for corporatefolks looking to “find acomfortable, confident,and energizing way to communicate with clients,colleagues, and customers”(substantial fees charged).You can browse past showson their Vimeo channel.www.tellmeastory.info/ https://vimeo.com/chan-nels/tellmeastory
Once Upon a NationStorytelling BenchesIndependence HistoricalPark plus nearby museumsand landmarks“History that speaks toyou.” From MemorialDay through Labor Day,professional storytellershang out at 13 StorytellingBenches throughout Phila -delphia’s Historic Districtand share short, entertainingtales about Philadelphiahistory. Did you knowthat Betsy Ross was also a munitions maker?www.historicphiladelphia.org/once-upon-a-nation/story-telling-benches/
Telling StoriesMartha Cornog
The Moth StorySLAMs
Once Upon a Nation Storytelling Bench
continued on page 21
20 · SPRING 2019 · ON THE HOUSE
For Sale by Allan Domb Real Estate
604 S. WaShingtOn SquarE
Allan Domb Real Estate has been sellinghomes at Hopkinson House for over38 years, and in that time, has soldmore homes in Hopkinson House
than any other REALTOR®.
If I can help you with the sale, rentalor purchase of your Hopkinson House
condominium, please call me directly at 215-545-1500 or email
me at [email protected] you,
Allan Domb Real EstatePHILADELPHIA’S LARGEST SELLING CONDOMINIUM REALTOR® WE COOPERATE WITH ALL REALTORS®1845 Walnut Street, Suite 2200, Philadelphia, PA 19103 Phone: 215.545.1500 allandomb.com [email protected]
Washington Square Facing One BedroomWashington Square Facing One Bedroom
on a high floor with a balcony offeringhigh end finishes including custom
built-ins and Stark carpet and a recently renovated bathroom. 843 sf | Offered for $329,900
Deluxe One Bedroom with Southern ViewsDeluxe One Bedroom on a high floor withsee-forever southern views, a beautifully appointed kitchen and bathroom, bonus
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South Facing One BedroomSouth Facing One Bedroom on a high floorwith balcony and see forever river viewswith wood floors, modern kitchen and
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;
SALE PENDING!
ON THE HOUSE · SPRING 2019 · 21
Philly Improv Theater(PHIT) 2030 Sansom StreetPHIT offers improvisa-tional comedy jams andperformances, many free orinexpensive and welcomingof walk-ins. Long StoryShort events present improv inspired by real life.A variety of classes instructabout improv, sketch com-edy, acting, and stand-up,some targeted to tweensand teens. One of the youthclasses, or PHIT’s improvcomedy summer camp forteens, would make a uniquegift for a young relative!phillyimprovtheater.com/
Good Good Comedy Theatre215 North 11th Street (11th & Race Streets)“We’re an intimate,BYOB black box theaterthat houses up to fourwildly different livecomedy shows per night.is includes stand-up,sketch, improv, storytellingand (especially) everythingin between..., live, mercilessly unpredictableindependent comedy.”Apparently no openmic events, butthey do offer classes in improv.www.goodgoodcomedy.com
Helium Comedy Club2031 Samson StreetHelium presents live showswith mostly professionalcomics. e Club also holdsopen mic events everyTuesday and provide bothcourses and workshops instand-up, improv, and sketchcomedy. An annual Philly’sPhunniest competition welcomes entries from any-one, first come, first served.www.philadelphia.heliumcom-edy.com/
ComedySportzPhiladelphia (CSz Philadelphia) e Adrienne eater2030 Samson Street
Two teams of improv co-medians compete for laughsand prizes, with audienceinput and participation. Alate-night, R-rated Blue Showis held monthly. CSz Phillyalso runs the PhiladelphiaSchool of Improv, a year-long curriculum of classesplus one-shot workshops. www.comedysportzphilly.com/
My personal addiction isthe Moth, where last yearone storyteller captured ourhearts with the tale of herson’s birthday party—planned around the themeof broccoli. And then whathappened? Wow, that wasa great story... n
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To Reserve SpaceSend an email to Terry Kowalski at [email protected] that reserving space in multiple issues will give you a discount.For more information, or if you have questions, please contact Terry Kowalski directly at 484-557-0945. Published the firstweek of the month in January, April, July, and October..
Telling Storiescontinued from page 19
22 · SPRING 2019 · ON THE HOUSE
Chefs’ Corner
Note: If you have a favoriterecipe, we would love to testit and put it in this column.Send your recipes or requeststo [email protected] you!
2 pounds jumbo lump crab meat
¾ roll Ritz crackers, crumbled
2 eggs, beaten
1½ tablespoons mayonnaise
1½ tablespoons wet mustard
1-2 tablespoons parsley,chopped
Few dashes Worcestershire sauce
Few shakes of Old BaySeasoning, optional
Vegetable oil, if frying
1 Carefully pick crab meatto remove all shells.
2 Beat eggs, add other ingredients, and gentlyfold in the crab meat.
3 Heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil in a fryingpan over medium heat.Fry crab cakes; turn onceuntil brown on bothsides. Crab cakes canalso be broiled.
4 Serve with cocktail sauce(catsup and horseradish)or tartar sauce (mayon-naise, pickle relish, mus-tard, and lemon juice)and lemon wedges.
Yield: 12-14 large crabcakes. Half the recipemakes about 30 small crabcakes, perfect as an appe-tizer. For small crab cakes,form balls of the mixturewith a round tablespoon.
My father-in-law’s familyran Callahan’s Seafood,which operated in the legendary LexingtonMarket in Baltimore
for over 50 years. Jim wouldoften make crab cakes forus in the summer, but wenever knew why they wereso good. One day, I watched
him carefully and wrotedown everything he did inthis very easy preparation.e key is good crabmeat:only use the best. n
Jim’s Famous Maryland Crab CakesJane Hickman
Maryland Crab Cakes
Photo by Jane Hickm
an
You are invited to join
Washington Square Citizens LeagueWashington Square Citizens League is a nonprofit organization with more than 140 members.
The vast majority of the members live in Hopkinson House.
Activities include: Monday Afternoon Discussion Group
Monthly Evening ProgramsBook Club
Reel DiscussionTheater Discussion Group
Socials, including potlucks and dinners at La Buca
Membership Fee: $10 per year.If you are not a member and would like to join,
contact Susan Tomita at (215) 925-8464, or [email protected] find a link to the membership form at https://thehopkinsonhouse.com/activities/
ON THE HOUSE · SPRING 2019 · 23
215-514-9884 – Cell
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215-627-6005 – Office
Hi Tech. Hi Touch. A Winning Combination–in Person and on the Web!
[email protected] www.rosemaryfluehr.com530 Walnut Street, Suite 480Philadelphia, PA 19106
HOPKINSON HOUSE #1716 - $2,695 (Includes Utilities) Upgraded 2 bedroom, 1 1/2baths on Northwest Cornerwith balcony off Living Areafacing Washington Square!1,200 Sq Ft. Washer/Dryerand Gas Cooking. Available Immediately.
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Buying? Selling?Please call or email your neighbor,
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Please Note –“I STILL have Cash Buyers for
L-Shaped Studios - 04 or 06 and2 Bedrooms 02 and 16 Units”
24 · SPRING 2019 · ON THE HOUSE
Some of our most recent sales at Hopkinson House114 | 303 | 506 | 511 | 516 | 517 | 612 | 711 |806 | 901
910 | 915 | 1006 | 1401 | 1516 | 1603 | 1604 | 1910 | 2010 2013 | 2203 | 2407 | 2702 | 2803 | 2907 | 2914 | 2917
Thinking about buying or selling a Hopkinson Housecondominium? Call us. We get the job done.
Selling Hopkinson House for 38 years!
Allan Domb Real EstatePHILADELPHIA’S LARGEST SELLING CONDOMINIUM REALTOR® WE COOPERATE WITH ALL REALTORS®1845 Walnut Street, Suite 2200, Philadelphia, PA 19103 Phone: 215.545.1500 allandomb.com [email protected]
@allanDombrealEstate @allanDomb @allanDomb
