Allen Ginsberg’s Naropa class on Jack Kerouac’s Mexico City Blues continues, October 15, 1981. (“Visiting Poets” Class, Substituting for Gregory Corso). Transcript continuing from here
AG (to Student): Okay.. ad libitum, Latin.. Is that where we were? We were on “A vast cavern, huh?”” (which is the 33rd Chorus).
And could you get a list of everybody in the class that doesn’t have books?
Student: I will.
AG: Maybe when you send around the attendance sheet? When he (another student) sends around the attendance sheet? – or is it sent around already?
Student: It hasn’t been sent.
AG: Okay, when he sends around the attendance sheet, if you don’t have a (copy of the) book, just write “need book.”
“A vast cavern, huh?” Where did we get the cavern, do you remember? Does anybody remember where there was a cavern? Actually I think it was out of (Oswald) Spengler – the cave of the world. The world compared to a cave.
I stop & jump to other field/And you wander around/Like Jap prisoners/In Salt Lake Cities/Under San Francisco’s/Sewage disaster./”An explorer of souls/ and cities – ” – (I think that was (William) Burroughs‘ characterization of himself.) – “”A lowdown junkey”: – ( -that’s Bill Garver‘s characterization of himself) – “”Who has discovered/ that the essence of life/ is found only in the poppy plant/ with the help of odium/ the addict explores/ the world anew/ and creates a world/ in his own image/ with the help of Madame/ Poppy /I’m an idealist/ who has outgrown/ my idealism/ I have nothing to do/ the rest of my life/ but do it/ and the rest of my life/to do it”” – (which is “I have nothing to do but take junk for the rest of my life and I’ve got the rest of my life to do it.” This is Garver talking downstairs in the Orizaba.. 210 Oruzaba in Mexico. Garver discussing himself and Burroughs and their fates).
And then this (34th Chorus) is – I think he’s just continuing to quote Garver in the next ones:
“I have no plans/ No dates/ No appointments with anybody/ So I leisurely explore/ Souls and Cities/ Geographically I’m from/ and belong to that group/ called Pennsylvania Dutch/ But I’m really a citizen/ of the world/ who hates Communism/ and tolerates Democracy/ Of which Plato said 2000 years/ ago,/ Was the best form of bad government/ I’m merely exploring souls & cities/ From the vantage point/ Of my ivory tower built,/ Built with the assistance/ of Opium/ That’s enough, isnt it?””
So it’s just somewhat intelligent junkie talk. Garver had a kind of style of his own, which was carney American a little bit – a little bit of carnival talk and a little bit of hippie talk – hip talk of the ‘Thirties and ‘Forties – but as in ex-West Point drop-out and long-time junkie with a seedy gentility about him. His phraseology has a kind of seedy gentility about it, too.
Audio for the above can be heard here, beginning at the start of the tape and concluding at approximately three-and-three-quarter minutes in