He, Leo

He, Leo investigates the life and work of Beat poet Lew Welch in a chronological fashion, structured around Welch’s own notion of how three main aspects of his life—The Man, The Mountain, and The City—were interdependent and how they informed the others in terms of creating his “life.” From his birth until his disappearance (and presumed death), Welch’s life was often defined by problems, both physical and emotional. He had a complex relationship with his mother, a long (and ultimately fruitless) struggle with alcohol, a fluctuating mental state that swung from manic to depressive. He was open and candid about everything, a fact that is evident in all aspects of his work. But for all that, he was also an important member of a significant American literary and cultural movement.  

Each of the three main parts of this biography include key poems, essays, and events—both personal and cultural—to help establish not only Welch’s importance as a key poet and figure during the San Francisco Renaissance, but also to show that his place within this literary movement was deserved. He is often seen as a “friend of” rather than a bona fide poet with a strong voice and message of his own. He was perhaps a victim of his own crushing self-criticism and reliance on others—aspects that Clark attempts to shed light on in order to understand his work on a more meaningful level.