Comments on: Thanksgiving Prayer

Thanksgiving Prayer

Rebis — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 10:28:40 -0800

William Burroughs--Thanksgiving Prayer Worth recalling, since today is Thanksgiving in the United States.

By: Fabulon7

Fabulon7 — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 10:34:20 -0800

Sometimes Burroughs was pure gold.

By: sir walsingham

sir walsingham — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 11:13:35 -0800

Usually he was pure crap- like this instance. He sounds just like the Puritan firebrands he decries- promoting guilt, espousing nihilistic sermons of our innumerable sins, chiding us for enjoying our lives and for having a nice, pleasant day with our friends and families. A heroin addict, wife-killer telling me about how dreadful I am for having a turkey and living in America? Amusing. Enjoy your day. Happy Thanksgiving to those of us in America.

By: chrid

chrid — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 11:33:10 -0800

Hmm. When that poem was written, it might have been terribly cutting and clever, but these days it reads like a Livejournal entry.

By: sudama

sudama — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 11:33:57 -0800

Thanks, Rebis.

By: Fupped Duck

Fupped Duck — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 11:42:31 -0800

I love the taste of bitterness

By: Satapher

Satapher — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 12:05:28 -0800

He didnt say any of that sir walsingham. Mefites : Quick to Conflict. Burroughs is cooler than Jesus.

By: Fabulon7

Fabulon7 — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 12:24:19 -0800

It doesn't read that well in print, and the words are not particularly awe-inspiring, but I can't read it without hearing Burroughs' weird drawl, and when he reads this prayer, it sounds fantastic.

By: zerofoks

zerofoks — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 13:04:09 -0800

Yeah, Burroughs must definitively be heard reading his own crap, threatening the crowd, yelling: "I'll take all of ya!" Does anyone know where to download mp3s?

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 13:10:18 -0800

(this thought prompted by the content of the poem...) Er, the USA has become extremely aware of -- and extremely guilty-feeling for -- its treatment of the Native Indians, hasn't it? I've seen more references to reservations, smallpox, theft, broken promises, and suchlike this past month than the past two years... It's cool that it's been recognized. Will anything come of it?

By: wobh

wobh — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 13:18:36 -0800

I guess I had better all get us off to an early start this year with this. (Bonus points for the good soul who first links to the movie).

By: chinese_fashion

chinese_fashion — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 13:35:43 -0800

right on, Sir Walsingham... While Burroughs has a point, I'm not going to let a wife-killing deadbeat dad spoil my holiday either. What a colossal asshole.

By: shoos

shoos — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 14:43:25 -0800

Worth recalling, since today is Thanksgiving in the United States. Yes, we all have william burroughs to be thankful for. And our boils, corns, warts and blisters, too. Now don't forget about those.

By: hama7

hama7 — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 14:54:37 -0800

He forgot the exploding owl! Whoooo!

By: clavdivs

clavdivs — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 17:39:55 -0800

i see we have alot of johnsons here today...

By: rhizome23

rhizome23 — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 19:54:55 -0800

shoos: You have the coolest bio on metafilter.

By: kozad

kozad — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 19:57:09 -0800

As Fabulon 7 said, it was much better read aloud by Burroughs himself. Although I had a perfectly nice Thanksgiving day dinner today, with an extended family, I have to say that WB's version of American history has a ring of truth about it (although the "laboratory AIDS"reference was Burroughsian paranoia.) I read "Nova Express" and was an instant convert in 1972. I remember going home and talking to my mom about the book. Turns out that HER mom was friends with Bill's parents, and that that wife-killing homo heroin kind of thing shocked even my liberal mom. Yeah, WB and I grew up in the same suburb -Ladue, MO - and I enjoy seeing references to the streets I uses to cruise...Price Rd....and others...

By: oissubke

oissubke — Thu, 28 Nov 2002 20:58:56 -0800

When that poem was written, it might have been terribly cutting and clever, but these days it reads like a Livejournal entry. You hit the nail on the head. Either the collective literary talent of the young weblogging community dramatically exceeds that of the world at large, or this piece was rubbish. I say that not because I disagree with it, but because it was simply uninspired. It made for boring reading.

By: 2sheets

2sheets — Fri, 29 Nov 2002 10:52:07 -0800

This makes baby jesus cry. Thanks for the post; not all North Americans are so friggin' defensive. I took a little time out yesterday to enjoy dinner with friends without swallowing the sugar-coated mythology that goes with the T-day.

By: shoos

shoos — Fri, 29 Nov 2002 16:01:58 -0800

Sugar-coated mythology? Ah yes, second grade, a lovely time. You'll enjoy high school. Just hang in there.