(Untitled)

[beraht]

"They danced down the streets like dingledodies, and I shambled after as I've been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones that never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn,

Comments

[ex_rachaelh]

That's a super famous quote from the book. :) I know a girl who had the roman candle bit tattoo'd on her forearm.

[beraht]

Yeah, I faintly recognized it. I'm always late to the party on books, TV, and movies, though.

[ex_rachaelh]

I tend to be kind of out of the loop on that kind of stuff too, but the tat was memorable. :)

Also, since the book definitely does have a 1st-year-art-school-student aura to it, it's popular because it's in the BEGINNING of the book too, imho, hahaha. Seriously. Hard to finish that one. For me at least.

[stateofwonder]

Classic :)

I also had a hard time finishing that book, though I really loved parts of it. Did you know that his name at birth was Jean Louis Kerouac? His parents were Quebecois!

If you like Kerouac, check out Allen Ginsberg. He's my faaaavourite of the beat poets.

[beraht]

Will do. Eliza suggests "Howl". You have any particular recommendations?

[stateofwonder]

Howl is his most famous work and it is exceedingly awesome. The poem "America" is also great. I'd check out Howl first as an introduction and seek out a collection if you like his stuff. Course, most of it can be found online too... but it's nice to have a physical book.

[moonblisser]

Yep, one of my favorite quotes ever. I agree with Kat... Ginsberg is the best! Check out "Howl."

[a_neonta]

I recommend as supplemental reading MINOR CHARACTERS by Joyce Johnson, Kerouac's (one time) girlfriend.

[elenia28]

Moths often get burned in the flame.

[beraht]

That is why I said “try”.

[elenia28]

It is a beautiful and bittersweet imagery , and one that is predominant in many forms of Hindu and Urdu poetry. It's also a personal favorite. "Shama" is candle, or flame, and "parvana" is moth.