Poet and collagist Steve Dalachinsky (1946-2019) was born and grew up in Brooklyn. He was a quintessential autodidact, known for his involvement with free jazz. His books include The Final Nite Other Poems: Complete Notes from Charles Gayle Notebook, 1987-2007 (2007 PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Book Award winner), Where Night and Day Become One: French Poems, A Superintendent's Eyes, and, with French photographer Jacques Biceglia, Reaching into the Unknown. He collaborated with many musicians on albums and performances in NYC, France, Germany, Austria, and Japan. He also curated shows at the Knitting Factory, was a music critic for The Brooklyn Rail, and sold records on the street. He lived most of his life in Manhattan.

photo by Alan Nahigian