Poet Jan Mirikitani Joins Ancestors at 80

Left to Right: Rev. Cecil Williams, wife Jan Mirikitani, Marvin X and Dr. Nathan Hare

photo Adam Turner

The transition of poet Jan Mirikitani has rocked San Francisco's literary and spiritual community. As she was someone dear to me, I am totally devastated. She was not only a fellow poet but when I entered drug recovery at Glide Church, Jan and Cecil literally saved my life as they did the plethora of drug addicts in San Francisco's Tenderloin. When I entered Glide's Facts on Crack, Jan and Cecil did everything to help me. Rev. Cecil Williams showed me so much love, Jan told her husband, "Cecil, we're just being Marvin's co-dependent!" And Jan was right because whatever dope fiend lie I told Cecil to get money for Crack, he acquiesced. But when Cecil was to be honored, he invited me and his assistant, J.B. Sanders RIP, to be guests at his table at Bimbo's 365 Club in North Beach. I told him a dope fiend lie that I needed money to get my clothes out the cleaners, instead we got loaded on Crack and didn't show. We had crossed the red line of Jan's patience. We had indeed disrespected her husband. When J.B. and I came to Glide the next day, Jan put her husband out of his office, closed the door and gave us a poetic ass whupping! She said we hurt her husband and she didn't like it. "If my husband didn't love you guys so much, I wouldn't do shit for you!" It took a long time for Jan and Cecil to heal from our failure to show. Still, Jan told people, "Marvin X woke me up to my ethnicity, but he's been a thorn in my side ever since!" We love you Jan! Thank you for the agape love you gave me and everyone who came to Glide Church!

--Marvin X

7/30/21