Many years and decades even have passed since a certain researcher sat as a resident
in a small folk singing establishment in Pinellas Park Florida. That establishment has moved but it still has a place in many hearts.

The proprietor of this establishment had converted a three story wood frame hotel next to the tracks into a place to celebrate art and folk singing.

Back in 1971 that researcher sat in a third floor apartment typing his poems. Meanwhile
on the first floor the acoustic guitars rang out as little known talent from all over would perform. Sometimes the owner would even give them free lodging in exchange for these performances. Then between sets they would sit in the chess room with
their long hair flowing around their shoulders gulping down soft drinks from a can and writing more songs. The proprietor
also had a liscence from ASCAP so they could perform
songs like
Suzanne by Leonard Cohan
.............
Fire and Rain by James Taylor
.............or
Pride of Man by Hamilton Camp.

During periods when selling tickets, everyone had to enter through the front. After the performances were over this would be locked and the garden gate would provide access.

In 2006 an editorial in a magazine for writers spoke about how they could only use citations from songs before 1923 as newer ones were covered by copyright. Now how a law written fifty-five years later can work retro-actively like that I don't know. What I do know is something is lost in the flavour of places like Beaux Arts when you can talk about the warm-up room where the artists tuned up but cannot say what they were singing. And I suppose you could talk about the films being shown there but could not quote any of them.

The proprietor of the place was openly gay in a time when that was still taboo. I was openly christian so nobody accused me of being gay(which I'm not) they just accused me of being a Narc and excluded me from visiting rooms where I might find a joint lying around.

Occasionally the proprietor would allow the researcher to bring his poems down and read them on stage between sets.

This place named Beaux Arts burned down in 1988 and was moved closer to a local Community College.