Stargazer.

For those who do not know.

P.P.S

;)

P.S.

Within the first two chapters, the narrator references the image of a "madonna" twice. Here is my favorite rendering of a madonna. This is a lithograph of Edward Munch's famous painting. Enjoy.

Crash

J.G. Ballard's Crash is a novel that somehow, no matter how many times I re-read it, ables itself to contort my facial expressions (on both axis of disgust and delight) from one extreme to the other. Ballard's imagery deforms my mouth and eyes repeatedly to a point where my peers (if present) must check on me to assure themselves that I have kept my sanity.

Along with how repulsed and enchanted I am by this book, I have found an obsession with reading certain passages over-and-over again. What excites me to the point of this re-reading are the constant allusions of gore-to-sexual pleasure. Whether it be from "buboes of gas bacillus infections" (registering in my head [in my "crash-state-of-mind"] as luscious breasts), or simply the eroticism of wounds which the narrator speaks so highly of, I feel myself slowly morphing into the narrator's character. His fantasies become mine (until I close the book, of course). Not many writers have the capability of transfiguring me into their characters, but Ballard has a vivid way of alluring me into his sickening world.

My only question about the book so far takes place when the narrator recalls a "nightmare" that he has where his wife gives birth to a "devil's child" while her breasts squirt liquid feces. What confuses is me is what distinguishes a "nightmare" from one of his revolting fantasies? Is it purely the demonic presence that frightens him? Is he just unaware of the abhorrence of his fantasies? Surely, this question cannot be answered by anyone besides the narrator himself, but I felt someone may be able to guide me in the correct direction of an answer.

accompanying music for a cut-up poem

The views and beliefs expressed within this song and previously posted cut-up poem are not relevant whatsoever to mine. I was merely listening to a marvelous album which just so happened to apply to my poem. Enjoy :)!

cut-up #2

slit upwards, maggoty priest

escape your church

and replace fear

with hydrogen

desecrate your hallelujahs 

within breaks of circulation

burn your pseudo-rectitude

your "syntax"

your awkward sermons

and engineer something decent

a coherent successor for your raring idol 

Burroughs

        William S. Burroughs' Naked Lunch is one of the most memorable reads from my youth. Surely, what drew me to read this book was the fact that it sat on my brother's desk for weeks until I grew curious enough to ask what it was about. He told me, "Drugs," so I read it. This does not take anything away from what an insightful and important piece of literature it is. It deals with an array of important societal issues including (what struck me most) at such a spongey, young age, internal and external power struggles.
        After reading the assigned interview with Burroughs I was delighted by some of his blunt responses. My favorite of these responses is where the interview asks Burroughs about whether or not he hates politicians. His response of. "I'm bored by politicians, is exactly what I find myself saying when engaged in political conversations (yipeeee)
       As for his "cut-up" poems, I could care less about the actual poems themselves. In theory, the idea behind these poems (similar to an artist's collage) is quite innovative, but actually sitting down and reading these poems does nothing for me.
       In honor of my feelings about these cut-up poems, I have decided to make a cut-up poem out of the interview we were assigned to read. Here it is:

coming in out
narcotics
photography
clockwork orange; adolescence
kafka
i thought it was very funny!

and acupuncture
decreased tolerance, lomotil
it is quite unpleasant


Thanks!

Doug