The weight of the world
is love.
Under the burden
of solitude,
under the burden
of dissatisfaction
the weight,
the weight we carry
is love…
*Allen Ginsberg – Howl and Other Poems. TBH, I don’t know the work of Ginsberg or Kerouac or a host of those mid-century geniuses that were made so much of – because I have avoided them by choice, turned off by the ‘great white male writer/artist/human’ narrative. Years ago, seeing the film Pollack, I was also turned off, and by the very same thing. The idea that genius (white male genius) is tortured as well as entitled to all kinds of bad and stupid to the point of deadly behavior is abhorrent to me, is a lie, and a standard so low it crawls with cockroaches. And, this is evocative, ironically perhaps making me think of James Baldwin – a queer Black man whose mid-century brilliance is without question worth of note and investigation, which I have done a’plenty. His debates and Oxford appearances are available on Youtube, and well worth your time. And, yes, I admit, this is a powerful, brief piece of work. Maybe I’ll give Ginsberg a look-see? Maybe.