Thanksgiving Prayer

November 28, 2002 10:28 AM

William Burroughs--Thanksgiving Prayer Worth recalling, since today is Thanksgiving in the United States.
posted by Rebis (19 comments total)

Sometimes Burroughs was pure gold.
posted by Fabulon7 at 10:34 AM on November 28, 2002

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.
posted by sir walsingham at 11:13 AM on November 28, 2002

Hmm. When that poem was written, it might have been terribly cutting and clever, but these days it reads like a Livejournal entry.
posted by chrid at 11:33 AM on November 28, 2002

Thanks, Rebis.
posted by sudama at 11:33 AM on November 28, 2002

I love the taste of bitterness
posted by Fupped Duck at 11:42 AM on November 28, 2002

He didnt say any of that sir walsingham.

Mefites : Quick to Conflict.

Burroughs is cooler than Jesus.
posted by Satapher at 12:05 PM on November 28, 2002

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.
posted by Fabulon7 at 12:24 PM on November 28, 2002

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?
posted by zerofoks at 1:04 PM on November 28, 2002

(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?
posted by five fresh fish at 1:10 PM on November 28, 2002

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).
posted by wobh at 1:18 PM on November 28, 2002

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.
posted by chinese_fashion at 1:35 PM on November 28, 2002

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.
posted by shoos at 2:43 PM on November 28, 2002

He forgot the exploding owl!

Whoooo!
posted by hama7 at 2:54 PM on November 28, 2002

i see we have alot of johnsons here today...
posted by clavdivs at 5:39 PM on November 28, 2002

shoos:

You have the coolest bio on metafilter.
posted by rhizome23 at 7:54 PM on November 28, 2002

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...
posted by kozad at 7:57 PM on November 28, 2002

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.
posted by oissubke at 8:58 PM on November 28, 2002

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.
posted by 2sheets at 10:52 AM on November 29, 2002

Sugar-coated mythology? Ah yes, second grade, a lovely time. You'll enjoy high school. Just hang in there.
posted by shoos at 4:01 PM on November 29, 2002