Thoughts on Portland Punk Rock and Homelessness

A cultural exhibit staged at the newly renovated downtown Portland branch of the Multnomah County Library System beckoned. The exhibit’s subject? Portland’s seminal punk rock scene circa 1979-1982.

The library had recently reopened after a year of renovations. She had been an old friend to me over the decades. I read periodicals in my broke 20s there and spent many hours researching the Vortex I rock festival story via microfilm.

I parked a block away. Approaching the library, I saw dozens of homeless people populating the famous outdoor concrete benches named after authors renown in the era of the building’s original construction in 1913. These benches were always one of my favorite spots in the Rose City. I ate many lunches sitting upon them back in the day.

When I say populated I mean men and women sleeping, passed out, whacked out, conferring, laughing, fiddling on phones, fixing things, snacking, drinking and whatever people do on the streets to survive.

I walked around the library before entering and surveyed the scene. I estimated 50 homeless people congregating at the benches. One in particular arrested my attention. She was young, alone, sitting on the Alexander Dumas bench in direct sunlight. Her face was scarred but not vacant. We made eye contact and she sort of smiled and I nodded in return. She wanted to say something but didn’t or couldn’t. I pushed through the glass doors into library and climbed the palatial two flights of marble stairs to the exhibit. I could not get the sight of a homeless woman sitting on bench named after Alexander Dumas, a great champion of the wronged and downtrodden, out of mind. It was a crushing juxtaposition. It made me dream of an American Dumas writing on the crisis of American homelessness. How would such a writer approach this tragedy?

The punk rock exhibit was outstanding, enlightening and free! So many of the pioneers from that scene are dead and they barely got into their 50s or 60s. I saw many of these men and women perform in the late 80s and early 90s when rock music was important to me. It sure isn’t anymore.

I know there’s still an underground punk scene in Portland and my first question is: has it taken on Portland’s homeless crisis with music and art and zines? Even pop up shows at encampments? Surely it must, although I’ve yet to read anything along these lines.

It’s right there, everywhere. Many people playing in Portland punk bands probably are homeless or were once homeless or verge on being homeless. There is fiery material in that, I would think. Either on the Left or Right and yes, there were/are Right wing punk rock groups. It was skinhead, white power, anti immigration anger and Portland was a major part of that dangerous PNW scene in the late 80s and early 90s.

After viewing the exhibit, I walked around the library again. I saw a man splayed on the James Fenimore Cooper bench who was contorted beyond description, or at least my powers to describe. For a moment I considered sitting down on a bench, perhaps the Hart Crane or Charles Dickens one, and just stay there for ten minutes and observe, see what happens. But all the benches were full.