Because The Night on the Finally Friday Freakout

I first saw Patti Smith photo on a book cover. I bought a book of her poetry. I was in a mainline inject it into my veins mode of poetry so this was a good fit. I could read it on the bus. I could sneak and read it in class.

I could lie in bed and try to figure out what was she talking about because there were patches in my cultural and sexual education. I was trying to understand. I didn’t get the pronoun confusion.

I knew nothing about the Punk scene. Wasn’t a blip on the radar at the time. That came later with Wendy O. Williams. I wouldn’t have understood Punk music anyway. With Wendy it was more about female emancipation. Patti wrote and sang from the heart and guts.

Patti Smith, I understood. The alienation. The need to write. Being different and searching for the other. Then when you find that person the realities of being with that person can be more than you can stand but you go for it anyway.


Love is an endurance test of your sanity at times. Still there is the night and occasional sanctuaries of mutual cooperation. This is a version of Because The Night with Patti rocking the lead.

Can a woman be heard with her voice and a guitar? What do I know now that I didn’t know then? How this song still resonates where I am at this moment?

What if we step forward in time to hear her sing it as a middle age woman? Does the need for love and sanctuary have any more or less meaning?

Too many questions with names for answers.

For more information, check out Patti Smith's website and find out what she is currently doing and thinking. To find out just how influential this woman has been to poets and rockers check out her Wikipedia page.