Burroughs Requests a Kerouac Cut-Up

Burroughs Requests a Kerouac Cut-Up

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Kerouac arises as dream flower blossoms  

The American beasts stray Woof rages on

ink dropping Jack opens a brand new future

Beat change unfolds defeats 1950's serpents

 

The train rolls on jazz flower Water-wheels  

Kerouac and Cassady cross highway 61

Washing away America's non existent future 

Blown on by Coltrane, speed, and gas fumes

 

In church terror Pious souls begin praying

A poet trembles before a dark window pane

Kerouac watches the present fall into slumber   

In forgotten visions Beat freedom shines on

Wolf quarrels with the devil on a bed of lilies  

Lost world in terror descends shadows abyss 

Jack's mom makes apple pie for the fallen

Delivering pie to hell beings the crust burns

As America crumbles Jack asks mom for pie 

In his underwear drinking watches a static TV 

Kerouac's life fading he says "Mom I love you"    

From death freedoms blazing Beacon shines

*** 

I was minding my own business when Burroughs fell through the roof landing on my bed. "Bill, It's 5:30 AM and I'm trying to sleep." Burrough hands me a smoking bomber and say's "Wake up, it's time to Cut-Up Kerouac."

In a pot Burroughs mixes Kerouac poems, letters to mom and some Coltrane.

I say "Bill, there is no time for a proper Cut-Up. Can I sprinkle in some of my words so it will be quicker and I can go back to sleep? I will do a proper Cut-Up in the future."

Burroughs says no but I have a great idea. 

"Bill, if I can take this shortcut I will introduce you to my cat Leo." Bill perks up and I see love in his eyes. He says "Yes'' and starts crying about a cat that has gone missing. 

Burroughs wipes away his tears and says in the future there will be a series of pure Kerouac Cut-Ups to invoke aliens to slay the American beast and light up a pathway to freedom.

Burroughs fades into space and time. 

I do as he instructs and at 6:44 am return to sleep.

*** 

© David Penn Trinley Arndt 2022