by K. Peddlar Bridges, Super Sunday tm Expo Poet Laureat, Connecticut Cruise News Columnist, and Columnist for mototorcyclegoodies.com and Harvard University Alumnis?

Rock and Roll, it may seem here that we are always pushing the Bikerpoetry envolelope toward its maximum limits. in trurth we are! Again, it may seem like a mighty wide strecth to some, the very thought of an old wild dog Bikerpoet drifting through Harvard Yard. That is, because, it is, a wild thought, (((( Bikerpeetry to Harvard, )))) but it is true! Now, I know in the last few years, our columns have asked ((( Their ))) readers to accept much: First, it was to accept Bikerpoets and BikerPoetry. Next, there were Bikepoet Laureates to accept. Then, we declaired August 2005 and every August there after, as National Bikerpoetry Month. And now, its Bikerpoets reading and writing Bikerpoetry in Harvard Yard? Oh, How, i love this Job! The only excuse I have, for this being true, is ((( this ))) is America, the land of opertunities and wonderful chances. And we all know Harvard University is the oldest Major University in the United States, so why would Harvard not be true to this Creedo, "Opertunity for all or Perhaps near all," for Havard prides itself in it believe or Social ((( Diveresiity ))) and surely bikerpoets come under the heading of ((( Sociall Diverseity ? )))

Now, the Part of Harvard University that I belong to is ((( The ))) Harvard Extention School. There has been much debate over the years as to, if the extenion School is realy part of Universiity or not? ((( WellI is ))) ((( part of Harvard. )) Harvard has over a dozen Schools, such as The Business School, The Law School, The Med School and so on. The Extension School is one of them. As part of Harvard Universesity, many of the Extension School's class's are held in the class Buildings in Harvard Yard. Many of the Instuctors also teach classes at Harvard College during the day. As a Harvard Extention student, I used and enjoyed the same Libraies as the day students. I also atended many events, lectures, concerts, that were open to the Harvard Community at large. I was even on the Harvard Radio Station's (WHRB) ( as pat of ))) news staff and worked for Harvard Student Resourses and worked in many of the Harvard buildings. I even read ((( ))) Bikerpoetry a few times at Cafe' Gato down in Harvard Yard and had a Bikerpoety poem published in The Dudley House Review, a Grad Student Publacation. (((( )))))

Bikers ((( going ))) to college is nothing new. Why it is so hard for the average person to accept anyone who rides and loves motorcycles as inteliget, is had to understand? A quick trip out to the parking lot or ((( )))) down to any bike event will show the kind of machinery and creativaty that is out there. You don't build machinery or create art work such as many of these fine exaples without a brilleint mind tucked behind your eyebrows. In my motorcycle Club, The Highway Poets, we have many college educated members. Here I will name two, JoeGo aka Jose' Gouviea and Colorado T. Sky, fellow co-founder of the highway Poets. JoeGo is working toward his MFA in writing at Heniker College in NH. JoeGo is also a Former Poet in Resadence at Cape Cod Community College. Colorado T. Sky at present is working toward his Doctorate and lecturing English classes at Franklin Pierce College in NH. Years ago when I published and edited "Wail" Magazine, I would stop in the same local book store every week and purchase the New York book review. ((( Then one week, ))) ((( the ))) woman working ((( at the store, ))) saw a story about my fellow editor publishers and I publishing the "Wail." ((( while ))) I was browsing the bookstore, the women told my friend, "Now I know why he buys the book review?" Why was it she could not understand the simple truth ... I bought it ... to read it!

We all know that Harvard has had its great share of the World's most brilient folks puruse through its gates. It has a long list of Writers and Poets, that is ((( a ))) Star stutted cast of who's who in the Writing World. John Updyke, Donald Hall, T. S. Eliot, E. E. Cummings, Robert Frost, and the list could go on and on and on. All these writers may now seem rather main stream, though some were seen as rather radacle in thier time. But, Mother Harvard is no stanger to the counter culture ellement, Jack Reed of "REDS" fame, Folk singer, activest, Pete Seeger, Beat Generation Writer, William S. Burroughs, and even bad Boy, Beat poet, Gregory Corso took his rommpe though Harvard Yard. You may say this is all very well, we ((( all ))) know Harvard has always had an aquintace and history with Writers and Poets, even counter culture Writers and Poets, but where do the motorcycles come in?

To be honest, just when thew first motorcycle ((( rolled ))) into Harvard Yard, we have no why of knowing. We can only guess? But a resonable guessamate would be by the mid-teens to earley twenty's of the last century. It was in the mid-teens that the first Laconia Bikeweek aka Gypsy Tour took place and motorcycles played a roll in the action of World War One. We can just envission, a side-car rigged, Harvard Football Pennent flying, Harley-Davidson with an undergrad riding it, rooling to a stop in Harvard Yard and the rider calling, "Honey I'm Home." Duing my years at harvard I have seen, (((( met and known ))) other motorcycle riding citizens of Harvard. At one time in my Harvard expearence, I kept a studio down off Mass Ave around MIT Park. For seecurity sake ((( , ))) I would leave my o'le fat-bobbed, flat black chopper under the over hang at the Harvard Sceince center, ( it was permitted then. ) I would often leave it parked ((( there ))) for days, for I had another I left up North. I always, placed Harvard Decals on my Fat-bobs ( insted of Harley (((decals ))), ) so there would no mis-understnding that this bike belongs to a member of the Harvard Community. There were always other bikes parked there beside it. There also two or three Harley-Davidson riding ((( security ))) offercers who would roll by (((( on ))) their big ol'e Police Dressers and give the , "nod." All though I never met another Harvard student, undergrad or Extension ((( , ))) who rode, I did meet several factulty and such that did ride. I say and such because there was a dude ((( named Gull, ))) who was a DJ at WHRB, who had an Early H-D EVO Softail, that he would ((( park ))) beside the studio door when the station was stll down in the Mermorail Building's basement. There was also a Big o'le long haired bearded patch wearing , Harley Riding Biker who rode an Evo semi-chop that was set-up like an old school Harley Pan. He worked in the william James Building, had a Docteate, spoke several langueges and was a computer experate long befor it became a clashay to be a omputer experate. Brilliant? If you turned off the light you could read by him, but that's common at Harvard. So much for sterio types. I also had a Photography Instuctor, Jonh ((( Ludders ))) Booth, that use to park his Beemer aka BMW Motorcycle behind the Carpenter Art Center. I believe Booth also had a Motor Guzzu. During one of the first Photography lectures Booth gave us , he showed us slides from the old Louden Moto Cross Track and sun-of-a--gun, I knew some of the folks in the slides. I also worked with Richard Egain who ((( was ))) the Director, " I believe ((( ))) at the Harard Student Resources. Egain rode a Beemer for years and later traded it for a late model metric. Rather then leave this ((( all ))) to this writer's memory, We can do Google Computer Search ((( ))) For, Harvard, Motorcycle, Riders, and find what comes up. Surprizing enough, the school that nets us the most recorded motorcycle enthuseast is the Harvard Bussiness School, and a good number of those are women riders . A Google Search will also show us a copy of a May 2nd 2002, Harvard Crimson article, (Riding With The Queen,) by Peter L. Hopkins, a Crimson Staff Writer. The story is about Hopkins taking his first motorcycle ride on the back of Marah C. Stith's Motortorcycle. Stith was also noted as the head of ( the then ), new, ( Harvard Motorcycle Club. ) We could go on with this list but, this a Biker poetry goese Harvard article. So, we should hunt dowwn some ties between Biker Poets / Writers and Harvard. The first ((( one ))) that come to mind is Richard Bissell, Harvard '36. Bissell wrote the Play, "The Pajama Game," and others. Later in his life, he wrote the book, "You can always tell a Harvard Man." The resonson this book comes to mind is on the back cover of the earley printings there is a picture of Bissell sitting on an old British BSA. Did Bissell ever ride or not I don't know? But (((( , ))) I do have several copies of the book (((, ))) because he is sitting on the bike. But, if we realy want to find some exciting and surprizing links between Harvard, Motorcycles, and Poets / Writers; we should head for the Google Search Engine again.

(((( Again, )))) the Google Search brings up several names. One: A clipping from ((( the ))) Harvard Magaazine's, Real life, section featuring the Biorgrapher, Writer and Editor, James Atlas '71. Atlas says of his Harvard years, "That he stuided poetry at Harvard with Robert Lowell, '39, Litt. D. '66, Eliizabeth Bishop and Robert Fizgerald, '33." The article also, says, "the Harvard years were a very "Chaotic" time," Atlas then says, "I was a cultural radical,- Long Hair, Gaoloises, Mototorcycle. I was going to be a poet and I even had a poem in the New Yorker when I was 19." So, that's one published Poet at Harvard with a motorcycle. Two: On Google we also find Robert E. Fulton Jr., Harvard '32. A whole book could be writen about Robert E. Fulton Jr. and still have two extra stories to tell. In Fact a Book was writen about him or by him to be more exact. ( One Man Caravan, ) by Robert ((( E? ))) Fulton Jr.. (One Man Caravan,) is (((( Fulton's ))) book, written in 37, about his motorcycle trip around the world. The ride was (((( made on ))) a borrowed Douglas Motorcycle, that he set up (((( )))) speacial for the journey. The Jouney's idea was given as a dare by the man who owned the Douglas. Fulton took the dare to impress the woman who was talking with. This is a Harvard Man! Fulton lived to be past 90, in his later years he created art work, painted and wrote poetry. Now that is two Harvard Men, who wrote poetry and rode motorcycles, and we are sure that there were more and there will be more, men and women in the future, to do the same. Am I the first Bikerpoet to head through Harvard Yard? At this time I have no real way of knowing? But, hopefuly, I won't be the last. Harvard has had a long time tie, to poets, writers and motorcycles. True Harvard has never as yet had a real kick butt bike show down in the Yard, or real out flat bikerpoetry reading and there has never realy been a bike Officialy bastomed with a Havard logo, (other then security.) But, who knows the future? A Harley-Harvard model perhaps? Even today motorcycles, scooters and the like can be found in and tucked around Harvard Yard. Such as Jerry from Secucurity's excellent metric 03 Yamaha R6. So thank you America and long may there be Harvard Yard, Motorcycles and Bikerpoetry. .......................................................... This article is dedacaded to the kind memory of Stephen McCombe ( 1946-2005 ) who worked Harvard Univerity Sercurity from the Old millinumun into the New. He is well missed.

POETS SPOTLIGHT SECTION ... I Tried to pick a poem or two to go with this column. To be honest, the one I choose, is one of my own. ( Scatter My Ashes in Harvard Yard. ) I hope this poem is not too Morbid or Modalin for I wrote it after being told my heart was 95% blocked and I needed open heart surgery within the next few days. I had, had, a heart attack during Laconia Bike Week in June and I was trying make it the full riding season befor having it done. I hit August and knew there were no more miles to run. The Surgen wanted to do it in three days. I wanted to Wait a week. "You Don't have a week," he told. We compromised at five days and I rode the day befor ((( my surgery.))) I would like to say it was a snap, but in truth it was like a long run through a constuction road, with bad shocks. Here I l((( would ))) like to thank the good doctors: Dr. Sheldon-Berkawitz. Dr. Rouso, and Dr. Poulan, ((a ))) Harvard Man ... "thank you ((( all ))) ." I got a few more riding seasons and a poem , for a Bikerpoet, it don't get no better then that. Rock On!

AND NOW THE POEM ===

Scatter My Ashes in Harvard Yard - By K. Peddlar Bridges Motorcycle Poet Laureate