Quit Speed – Allen Ginsberg’s 1967 Plea to Peter Orlovsky

August 10 – Fifty years ago today. Allen in London, writing to his beloved, Peter (Orlovsky) in New York City, warning him, pleading with him, about amphetamines (“meth”) – “I’d rather be with you than without you. Stop meth, cool everything, come over here”

Dear Peter,

Irving (Rosenthal) wrote and Barbara (Rubin) wrote, said you were on meth, then, thinking house was afire, window moldings bugged or electrified, etc, and had begun taking them out . I don’t know how far you are into that thought process, but I am worried about the house, my manuscripts, etc. I can’t do much from here if things blow up. I wish you would quit playing with meth completely, you’ve seen in others it’s always created sensory or idea quirks that you didn’t like from the outside. There’s now so much craziness and chaos on all sides that I wish we two could be calm and not swept up into violence. I say, fix up the house, fix windows fast, quit all needles and all meth, clean up, and come over here to England.

Apparently, Julius (Orlovsky) is more talkative now. Let that responsibility slide off your shoulders. quit that as much as possible, let Barbara and others take care of him for the summer.

I’m just talking straight rather than avoiding facts to you. If you get in such state that you lose weight, are obsessed with spy-bugging, call fire dept. for imaginary fires, wind up with police in house and yourself temporarily at Bellevue – things is gone too far.

I’d rather be with you than without you. Stop meth, cool everything, come over here. Phone me collect at Panna’s [Panna Grady’s]. I’ll send you ticket immediately, Panna has big house, plenty room for both of us. My father and mother [step-mother, Edith] will be here August 15. I’ll take then for three weeks on continent you can stay here in England and groove with (Barry) Miles and others in big backyard artists’ studio that Panna has, she told me to tell you come over here. I come back after I see my father off and we can all go to Russia [sic]

Whatever you do please stay off meth. It’s always created problems bigger than can be cleaned up. It’s not a way of efficiency or accomplishment or getting things done, just the opposite.

That’s what I think is facts..

I give reading here tomorrow night. Went up to Wales and took lovely acid trip, nature, lambs, cows, fog drifting over mountain, immense float of air thru valley fanning the foxgloves and ferns. No worries. I fell on moist grass, it smelled like sweet brown vagina, and sighed with pleasure.

Sigh with pleasure and relax honey. I’ll write Barbara and Irving . Maretta (Greer) was here with her Tony (sic) , needed money to leave and camped in my bed for weeks, they left an hour ago.

OK- Love

Allen

 

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