The following is more follow-up/continuation of the previously-published June 9 1975 Gregory Corso class (Gregory, sitting in for Allen Ginsberg at the NAROPA Institute), which we’ve been serializing here, here and also here.
The tape begins in media res
GC: …yeah that sucks, I don’t wanna (have) no “assistants” here. [to Student] You weren’t here last time?
Student: Yes I was.
GC: You were? Oh, wow!
There was a proposal that.. I give poetry readings, (but) there was a woman, always, in the front row, (who) went ssssssssss [Gregory hisses], and, the last shot, I got on her ass, I found out who she was, and I got on her.
Alright, now how much do you remember from last time?. Qu’est-ce-que c’est? [points to drawing of ankh]
Student: Sandal, sandal strap.
GC: Right, what they wear around their neck… [gesturing to the blackboard] – “wipe me off !” – that’s the fucker! – [re-draws on the blackboard] …it looks European, right?.. that’s why the people, they took it (as) symbolic. It’s not symbolic, it’s very concrete. The big toe goes through there [Gregory, addressing his own drawing, gets frustrated] – I can’t even draw – aw shit, something like that – it goes around like that (anyway).
Let’s see what else you remembered.
Student: (The “Two Shots”?)
GC: There were (actually) three I gave you.
The third, I’m a little embarrassed by, because I really didn’t give you a good shot on it – Asshole – I didn’t give you a good shot on Asshole. I thought I could, but I couldn’t. Alright, lets see..
[here follows a transcription of his, by his own confession “failed” Third Shot (from the earlier class)]
GC: …the third shot is gonna be a little funny, the third shot’s gonna be awkward, I wonder if I can handle it. The third shot is “Asshole”. Right [begins drawing again], right? – thinking about it – I’m not going to take a homosexual shot because I don’t know, but I’ll take the human shot [continues blackboard drawing]. (So) I was sucking this chick’s asshole, and loving it, and feeling great afterwards, but yet, when you think about it, what you’re getting down to.. and you get up, and like it, so there’s no pain, no weight, (getting your rocks off on all of it, I guess). So those guys who get locked up in prison and.. (are) doing (the) weird things, but you don’t say – ah!.. they’re the law-less, people, (they’re the..) What else about the asshole? (William) Burroughs can give you the best description about the asshole that I’ve (ever heard). He has a great routine, that I can repeat. He has “The Talking Asshole”!. – Nobody likes it, nobody wants to kiss it, nobody wants to talk to it – It’s a great routine.
Goofball bits of knowledge. What are the other bits, (the bits) in-between?.. there are a lot of variables..
[Gregory continues]
GC: Now what was the second shot, Gregorio?
Student(s): (The) Missing Link.
GC: Missing.. What’s the Missing Link?
Student(s): Morning glory.
GC: What is it?
Student(s): Morning glory.
GC: The Morning glory seed. The brain, right? When they first said… (Did) anybody check it out? Anybody here check it out? [greeted with silence, Gregory exasperated] – Good god almighty, you really embarrass me!
Hi William (Merwin). [referring to an encounter in the previous class]. We didn’t cross today! Poets – see, the poets can take it, they’re poets – then some guy says, “you’re not a poet”, and they get up-tight, and (then) they’re not!
Alright. So none of you fuckers checked me out. You took me for granted, right?
Check out the ankh, sandal (in) Ancient Egypt. It means “sandal” . The meaning of life means sandal strap!
Asshole, I’m gonna pass over today, today I’m gonna drop that.