Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

ret5hd

(22,685 posts)
Wed Jun 17, 2026, 07:40 PM 18 hrs ago

who here likes William S. Burroughs?

this one i keep coming back to every several years:
Soul Killer



There is intrigue among the souls, and treachery
No worse fate can befall a man than to be surrounded by traitor souls
Can any soul survive the searing fireball of an atomic blast?
If human and animal souls are seen as electromagnetic force fields
Such fields can be totally disrupted by a nuclear explosion
The mummy's nightmare, disintegration of souls
And this is precisely the ultra-secret and
Super-sensitive function of the atom bomb
A soul-killer, to alleviate an escalating soul-clutch
Scientists always said there's no such thing as a soul
Now they are in a position to prove it
Total death, soul death
It's what the Egyptians call the second and final death
This awesome power to destroy souls forever
Is now vested in far-sighted and responsible men
In the State Department, the CIA, and the Pentagon
Governments fall from sheer indifference
Authority figures, deprived of the vampiric energy
They suck off their constituents, are seen for what they are
Dead, empty mass, manipulated by computers
And what is behind the computers?
Remote control, of course
Look at the prison you are in, we are all in
This is a penal colony that is now a death camp
Place of the second and final death
Desperation is the raw material of drastic change
Only those who can leave behind
Everything they have ever believed in can hope to escape
Don't intend to be there when this shithouse goes up
Nothing here now but the recordings
Shut them off, they are as radioactive as an old joke
4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
who here likes William S. Burroughs? (Original Post) ret5hd 18 hrs ago OP
He hung out with my group of friends on a few occasions. blm 18 hrs ago #1
Burroughs fan here They_Live 18 hrs ago #2
I like hearing him read his work. CivicGrief 16 hrs ago #3
Burroughs fan here too. Wolf Frankula 13 hrs ago #4

blm

(114,822 posts)
1. He hung out with my group of friends on a few occasions.
Wed Jun 17, 2026, 07:48 PM
18 hrs ago

Nothing untoward to report. 😏

They_Live

(3,375 posts)
2. Burroughs fan here
Wed Jun 17, 2026, 08:02 PM
18 hrs ago

I really like hearing him reading his works. When I read the text of his books, I can hear him speaking the words because I've heard his readings.

Hearing his voice with backing tracks is interesting and sometimes works better than others.

In my opinion, anything that creates a larger audience for him is a good thing.

Full disclosure - I'm a Bill Laswell fan from way back.

CivicGrief

(381 posts)
3. I like hearing him read his work.
Wed Jun 17, 2026, 09:51 PM
16 hrs ago

A few years back someone on DU mentioned The Junky’s Christmas. I’ve watched it over the holidays almost every year since. It is a perfectly structured short story, and his narration and the claymation make it better.

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Music Appreciation»who here likes William S....