by William S. Burroughs “Old Arch” first appeared in The Beatest State In The Union: An Anthology of Beat Texas Writings, edited by Christopher Carmona, Rob Johnson, and Chuck Taylor (Lamar University Press, 2015). It appears here on RealityStudio courtesy of James Grauerholz and the William S. Burroughs Estate. [Editor’s note: Arch Ellisor was a…
Tag: Texts by Burroughs
Crawdaddy Archive
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting CrawdaddyJune 1975 William S. Burroughs’ “Rock Magic“ CrawdaddyAugust 1975 William S. Burroughs’ “Beauty & the Bestseller” Collected in The Adding Machine CrawdaddySeptember 1975 William S. Burroughs’ “Ten Years and a Billion Dollars” Collected in The Adding Machine CrawdaddyOctober 1975 William S. Burroughs’ “‘I…
L’Internationale Hallucinex
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting L’Internationale Hallucinex (Maynard & Miles B 56) was published in 1970 by Soleil Noir in Paris. A box containing eight pamphlets, a French translation of William Burroughs “Invisible Generation” in the section titled “Manifestes de la Génération Grise et Invisible.” The pamphlet also…
Cleft
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting For more on Cleft, see Jed Birmingham’s essay on Burroughs and Scotland. Cleft 11963 Contains William S. Burroughs’ “Martin’s Folly” Download entire issue Cleft 21964 Contains William S. Burroughs’ “Distant Hand Lifted” Download entire issue Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio…
My Legs Señor
A Poem by William S. Burroughs attic room and window my ice skates on the wall the Priest could see the bathroom pale yellow wood panels toilet young legs shiny black leg hairs “It is my legs señor.” lustre of stumps rinses his lavender horizen feeling the boy groan and what it meant face of…
Untitled Text on Guy Harloff
by William S. Burroughs William Burroughs, Untitled text on Guy Harloff, Exhibition Catalogue, Paris, December 1961. (Note: This same text was published in Bizarre magazine in 1963.) Painting is a silent language of juxtaposition, is a form of writing — In the painting of Harloff isolated words used as objects remind the observer: words are…
Untitled Cut-Up from Takis Catalogue
by William S. Burroughs William Burroughs, “Paris 1960” (Untitled Text from Takis Catalogue), Howard Wise Gallery, New York, 1967 Song cut along typographical magnetic lines from Anibasis St. John Perse Illuminations Rimbaud “say only this should have been obvious from her fourth grade junk class”: song for her your heart the red night jargon muffles….
David Budd rencontre William Burroughs et Earle Brown chez Rodolphe Stadler
1964 Gallery Catalogue William S. Burroughs, Untitled Cut-Up in David Budd rencontre William Burroughs et Earle Brown chez Rodolphe Stadler exhibition catalogue. A SILENT SUNDAY TO THE POST OUR FLAT AT HALF MAST AGAINST TALL BLACK WINDOWS OF THE DORMITORY. / ‘I WILL SING FOR YOU AND I HAVE MAYBE UNDRESSED THERE AND I AM…
Untitled Text on Guy Harloff (Bizarre Magazine)
by William S. Burroughs William Burroughs, Untitled text on Guy Harloff, Bizarre 28, 1963. (Note: This text was first printed in the 1961 Guy Harloff exhibition catalogue.) Painting is a silent language of juxtaposition, is a form of writing. In the painting of Harloff isolated words occur used as objects remind the observer: words are…
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 20
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 4, No. 8, 32-34. London: August 1969 “The Voracious Aliens”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 20) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s Magazines and William Burroughs Appearances in Adult Men’s Magazines.
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 18
Reports from the Bibliographic BunkerJed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 4, No. 5, pp 52-54. London: May 1969 “I’m Scared, I’m Scared, I’m Not”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 18) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s Magazines and William Burroughs Appearances in Adult Men’s…
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 15
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 4, No. 1, pp 52-54. London: January 1969 “Rally Around the Secrets, Boys”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 15) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s Magazines and William Burroughs Appearances in Adult Men’s…
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 13
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 3, No. 10, pp 52-53, 62. London: October 1968 “Wind Die You Die We Die”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 13) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s Magazines and William Burroughs Appearances in…
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 12
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 3, No. 9, pp. 32-34. London: September 1968 “Oh God, Get Me Out of This!”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 12) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s Magazines and William Burroughs Appearances in…
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 11
Reports from the Bibliographic BunkerJed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 3, No. 8, pp. 28-29. London: August 1968 “Do You Remember Tomorrow?”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 11) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s Magazines and William Burroughs Appearances in Adult Men’s Magazines.
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 10
Reports from the Bibliographic BunkerJed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 3, No. 7, 52-54. London: July 1968 “The Academy’s Ultimate Offer — Immunity to Death”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 10) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s Magazines and William Burroughs Appearances in Adult…
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 9
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 3, No. 6, 52-54. London: June 1968 “Switch On and Be Your Own Hero”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 9) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s Magazines and William Burroughs Appearances in Adult…
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 8
Reports from the Bibliographic BunkerJed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 3, No. 5, pp 54-55. London: May 1968 “In That Year of 1969, Astonished Motorists Were Hustled at Random into the Death Cells for Parking Offenses”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 8) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also…
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 7
Reports from the Bibliographic BunkerJed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 3, No. 4, pp 32-34. London: April 1968 “The Fire Breaks Out”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 7) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s Magazines and William Burroughs Appearances in Adult Men’s Magazines.
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 6
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 3, No. 3, 54-56. London: March 1968 “By Far The Most Efficient and Precise Language We Possess is the Common Cold”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 6) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s…
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 5
Reports from the Bibliographic BunkerJed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 3, No. 2, pp 28-29. London: February 1968 “The Last Broadcast”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 5) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s Magazines and William Burroughs Appearances in Adult Men’s Magazines.
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 4
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 3, No. 1, pp 29-31. London: January 1968 “Scientology Revisited”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 4) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s Magazines and William Burroughs Appearances in Adult Men’s Magazines.
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 3
Reports from the Bibliographic BunkerJed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 2, No. 12, pp 54-56. London: December 1967 “Where’s Our Killer Whistle?”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 3) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s Magazines and William Burroughs Appearances in Adult Men’s Magazines.
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 2
Reports from the Bibliographic BunkerJed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 2, No. 11, pp 28-31. London: November 1967 “The Engram Theory”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 2) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s Magazines and William Burroughs Appearances in Adult Men’s Magazines.
Burroughs Academy Bulletin 1
Reports from the Bibliographic BunkerJed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting MayfairVol. 2, No. 10, pp 11-15. London: October 1967 “Interview” (transcript) “The Future of Sex and Drugs”(The Burroughs Academy Bulletin 1) Scanned by Jed Birmingham and published by RealityStudio in October 2011. See also Burroughs and Beats Men’s Magazines and William Burroughs Appearances in…
Pry Yourself Loose and Listen
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting “Not in Maynard and Miles” — the phrase is the siren’s song for Burroughs collectors. Obsessives like Eric Shoaf and Brian Shottlaender, spend much of their free time looking for these unicorns. Sometimes they are just narwhal horns, like “Wind Die, You Die,…
Introduction to The Fluke
Published and Draft Introductions to Jacques Stern’s The Fluke by William S. Burroughs Jacques Stern is a writer.. That is he is writing actual events and conditions.. He says he is far away and this is literally true.. He says he is in ice and this is literally true, far away.. He far now is…..
Cold Lost Marbles
A Poem by William S. Burroughs my ice skates on a wall lustre of stumps washes his lavander horizon he’s got a handsome face of a lousy kid rooming-houses dirty fingers whistled in the shadow “Wait for me at the detour.” river… snow… some one vague faded in a mirror filigree of trade winds clouds…
“Burroughs Is a Poet Too, Really”: The Poetics of Minutes to Go
by Oliver Harris Dismissed as Unreadable The long and intimate association of William Burroughs with poets is well known: Ginsberg, most obviously, as well as Corso, Creeley, Ferlinghetti, Leroi Jones, John Giorno, and so on. But to talk of Burroughs’ own material engagement with poetic form and poetics in relation to historical and contemporary practices…
Pistol Poem No. 3
by William S. Burroughs Power Is Often Very Quiet Power Is Often Quiet Very Power Is Very Quiet Often Power Is Very Often Quiet Power Is Quiet Often Very Power Is Quiet Very Often Power Often Very Quiet Is Power Often Very Is Quiet Power Often Quiet Is Very Power Often Quiet Very Is Power…
Pistol Poem No. 2
by William S. Burroughs Who Controls The Control Men Who Controls The Men Control Who Controls Control Men The Who Controls Control The Men Who Controls Men The Control Who Controls Men Control The Who The Control Men Controls Who The Control Controls Men Who The Men Controls Control Who The Men Control Controls Who…
Fear and the Monkey
A Poem by William S. Burroughs August 1978 This text arranged in my New York loft, which is the converted locker room of an old YMCA. Guests have reported the presence of a ghost boy. So this is a Oui-Ja board poem taken from Dumb Instrument, a book of poems by Denton Welch, and spells…
Where Flesh Circulates
A Poem by William S. Burroughs Its so hard to remember in the world – – Weren’t you there? Dead so you think of ports – – Couldn’t reach flesh – – Might have to reach flesh from anybody – – And i will depart under the Red Masters for strange dawn words of color exalting their falling on my face impending attack satellite in a Gold and perfumes of light city red stone shadows brick terminal time wet dream flesh creakily the the last feeble faces fountains play stale spit from crumpled cloth Weimar youths on my face bodies where flesh circulates Masters of color exalting their dogs impending attack of light unaware of the vagrant shadows on the Glass and Metal Streets silver flying scanning patterns electric dogs dark street life “Here he is now” staring out from the dawn he strode toward the flesh jissom webs drifting where identity scarred metal faces masturbating “Who him?” spitting blood laugh on the iron afternoons ejaculates wet dream flesh in red brick Terminal Time red nitrous fumes under the orange gas flares grey metal fall out on terminal cities to the shrinking sky fading color sewage delta caught in this dead whistle stop post card sky dead rainbow flesh and copper pagodas flickered on the in a city of red stone black skin work fish smell and dead eyes in doorways red water words spitting blood laugh sharp as water reeds fish syllables stirring this Moroccan sunlight vagrant noon station spent in the mirror dawn jissom webs drifting rainbow speeded up from afternoon’s slow ferris wheel flesh. Originally published in Floating Bear 24 in September-October 1962. Republished by RealityStudio in August 2010.
Spain & 42 St.
A Poem by William S. Burroughs Language like muttering pant smells running silver scanning Passed down the Arab Street in the gutter patterns Translucent medium from its like i talky you of a place the vacuum of silent panic …
Dead Whistle Stop Already End
A Poem by William S. Burroughs Ahab to his companion falling over there in any out from the dawn skin staring stirring unbelief he strode towards a long…
Cut-Up Poems from Minutes to Go
Cut-Up Poetry by William S. Burroughs CANCER MEN. . . THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE MARKED FOE. . . at land coccus germs by a bacilmouth Jersy phenicol bitoics the um vast and varied that specific target was the vast popul – – – – the vast cancers that surgery and Xrays C In the United States…
The Poetry of William S. Burroughs
An Ongoing Attempt to Collect the Poetry of William S. Burroughs William S. Burroughs is generally considered a novelist. To make the case that he was also a poet is neither revisionist nor perverse but absurd. After all, Burroughs paid about as much obeisance to genre or medium as he did to the law. His…
Tangier Cut-Up (from Esquire)
by William S. Burroughs The September 1964 issue of Esquire features a photo-essay titled “Tangier.” Alongside pictures by photographer Robert Freson, William Burroughs provided captions and the following text. See also Jed Birmingham’s essay, “William S. Burroughs, Esquire, and New Journalism.” In these foreign suburbs here, a map of Tangier on a flaking plaster wall….
Jan Herman as Publisher of Nova Broadcast Press
Nova Broadcasts Ray BremserDrive Suite Nova Broadcast 11969 Download Complete Broadcast Wolf VostellMiss Vietnam Nova Broadcast 21969 Download Complete Broadcast Dick HigginsA Book about Love & War & Death Nova Broadcast 31969 Download Complete Broadcast Liam O’GallagherPlanet Noise Nova Broadcast 41969 Download Complete Broadcast William BurroughsThe Dead Star Nova Broadcast 51969 Download Complete Broadcast Norman…
William Burroughs and David Solomon
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting I have a theory that if you dig deep enough, take the time to ask the right questions, and do diligent research, everybody is interesting. It is my spin on Andy Warhol’s fifteen minutes. I guess I see the silver lining in the…
William S. Burroughs’ “Abstracts”
The “Abstracts” As an Attempt to Write the Immediate Image By Dave Teeuwen The “Abstracts” of 1969 are a series of seven writing experiments which William Burroughs developed in the writing of his novel The Wild Boys. He published these “Abstracts” that year in small-press journals and underground newspapers, his usual testing ground in the…
Bulletin from Nothing (Issue 2)
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting Bulletin from Nothing 2Front cover Bulletin from Nothing 2Front Endpaper Bulletin from Nothing 2Front Endpaper Bulletin from Nothing 2William Burroughs Bulletin from Nothing 2William Burroughs Bulletin from Nothing 2William Burroughs Bulletin from Nothing 2William Burroughs Bulletin from Nothing 2Roxie Powell and Claude Pélieu…
Bulletin from Nothing (Issue 1)
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting Bulletin from Nothing 1Front cover Bulletin from Nothing 1Endpaper Bulletin from Nothing 1Claude Pelieu Bulletin from Nothing 1Claude Pelieu Bulletin from Nothing 1Claude Pelieu Bulletin from Nothing 1Mary Beach Bulletin from Nothing 1Claude Pelieu Bulletin from Nothing 1Claude Pelieu Bulletin from Nothing 1Jeff…
Abstract (Lip 1969)
A Text by William S. Burroughs With an Introduction by Dave Teeuwen In 1969 William Burroughs published seven short pieces titled “Abstract” and sent them out to various small-press literary magazines and underground newspapers. Throughout the 1960s Burroughs was extremely active with the alternative press. Bibliographies of his work show that he was published hundreds…
William Burroughs in January 1960 Mademoiselle
W.S. Burroughs is an American in Paris whom the Saturday Review describes as “a writer of great power and artistic integrity.” Cable: “What do you want in the next decade for world, not self” Reply: Chere Mademoiselle: I am placed by you in the otherworldly, selfless and detached position of a losing better [sic] before…
William Burroughs’ Word in Swank
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting Q: What is with all the men’s magazines? A: Oh, I read them for the articles. Really? In part. Take exhibit A: the July 1961 issue of Swank. For anybody interested in the textual history of Naked Lunch, this issue proves to be…
Burroughs’ Statements at the 1962 International Writers’ Conference
William S. Burroughs In 1962 William S. Burroughs appeared at the International Writers’ Conference in Edinburgh. He read statements at the panels on Censorship and on The Future of the Novel. RealityStudio has not yet been able to obtain a transcript of the conference (can anyone help?), but later that year the Transatlantic Review published…
Burroughs and Beats in Men’s Magazines: William Burroughs Appearances in Adult Men’s Magazines
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting This list is by no means comprehensive, although I attempted to make it as complete as possible. I combed through Maynard & Miles and Eric Shoaf’s Checklist marking down all the men’s magazines with William Burroughs fiction, essays, or interviews. I took adult…
Time
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting Recently, I received an email asking me about a copy of Time, a limited edition collage piece published by C Press. According to its copyright page, Time was published in 1965 in 1000 copies. 886 copies comprised the trade edition. These copies were…
APO-33
Reports from the Bibliographic Bunker Jed Birmingham on William S. Burroughs Collecting I spent some more time on Dave Moore’s page of Burroughs covers the other night. An interesting piece could be written on the cover art and external packaging of Burroughs’ work over the past five decades similar to the essays that have been…
Burroughs Blurbs
A Compilation of Book-Jacket Blurbs by William S. Burroughs It’s always hard to know exactly what to make of the blurbs that authors contribute to the jackets of books written by other authors. Are they sincere endorsements of the quality of a book? Are they fragments of sham praise extorted from friends? Are they recommendations…
Mind Parasites by Colin Wilson
Reviewed by William S. Burroughs “The human race is being attacked by a sort of mind cancer. Something is sucking the human mind dry and has been sucking it for the past two hundred years.” That is the shattering discovery made by Professor Gilbert Austin. Who or what is responsible? Mind parasites, malignant beings who…
Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1986
William S. Burroughs For John Dillinger In hope he is still alive Thanks for the wild turkey and the Passenger Pigeons, destined to be shit out through wholesome American guts — thanks for a Continent to despoil and poison — thanks for Indians to provide a modicum of challenge and danger — thanks for vast…
William S. Burroughs On Scientology
(Los Angeles Free Press, 06 Mar 1970) William S. Burroughs In view of the fact that my articles and statements on Scientology may have influenced young people to associate themselves with the so called Church of Scientology, I feel an obligation to make my present views on the subject quite clear. Some of the techniques…
Electronic Revolution
William S. Burroughs (Expanded Media Editions, 1971) FEEDBACK FROM WATERGATE TO THE GARDEN OF EDEN In the beginning was the word and the word was god and has remained one of the mysteries ever since. The word was God and the word was flesh we are told. In the beginning of what exactly was this…
The Mayan Caper
(Excerpt from The Soft Machine) William S. Burroughs Joe Brundige brings you the shocking story of the Mayan Caper exclusive to The Evening News — A Russian scientist has said: “We will travel not only in space but in time as well” — I have just returned from a thousand-year time trip and I am…
The Death Dwarf in the Street
(Excerpt from Nova Express) William S. Burroughs Biologic Agent K9 called for his check and picked up supersonic imitation blasts of The Death Dwarfs — “L’addition — Laddition — Laddittion — Garcon — Garcon — Garcon” — American tourist accent to the Nth power — He ordered another coffee and monitored the café — A…
Crab Nebula
(Excerpt from Nova Express) William S. Burroughs They do not have what they call “emotion’s oxygen” in the atmosphere. The medium in which animal life breathes is not in that soulless place — Yellow plains under white hot blue sky — Metal cities controlled by The Elders who are heads in bottles — Fastest brains…
The Man Who Taught His Asshole to Talk
(aka “The Talking Asshole Routine” from Naked Lunch) William S. Burroughs Did I ever tell you about the man who taught his asshole to talk? His whole abdomen would move up and down you dig farting out the words. It was unlike anything I ever heard. This ass talk had sort of a gut frequency….
Dr. Benway Operates
(Excerpt from Naked Lunch) William S. Burroughs The lavatory has been locked for three hours solid…. I think they are using it for an operating room…. NURSE: “I can’t find her pulse, doctor.” DR. BENWAY: “Maybe she got it up her snatch in a finger stall.” NURSE: “Adrenalin, doctor?” DR. BENWAY: “The night porter shot…
Introduction from Queer
William S. Burroughs When I lived in Mexico City at the end of the 1940s, it was a city of one million people, with clear sparkling air and the sky that special shade of blue that goes so well with circling vultures, blood and sand–the raw menacing pitiless Mexican blue. I liked Mexico City from…