Book of Blues by Jack Kerouac Page A

ravenous X, the raving ache,
    â€”the moon Sittle La
    Pottle, teh, teh, teh,—
    The tatata of thusness
    Twatting everywhere—
    The poets in owlish old rooms
    who write bent over words
    know that words were invented
    Because nothing was nothing
    In use of words, use words,
    the X and the blank
    And the Emperor’s white page
    And the last of the Bulls
    Before spring operates
    Are all lotsa nothin
    which we got anyway
    So we’ll deal in the night
    in the market of words

29TH CHORUS
    And he sits embrowned
    in a brown chest
    Before the palish priests
    And he points delicately
    at the sky
    With palm and forefinger
    And’s got a halo
    of gate black
    And’s got a hawknosed
    watcher who loves to hate
    But has learned to meditate
    It do no good to hate
    So watches, roseate laurel
    on head
    In back of Prince Avolokitesvar
    Who moos with snow hand
    And laces with pearls
    the sea’s majesty

30TH CHORUS
    The little bug thrasheth
    on the table
    Hungry to burn in the candle
    of flames
    Jerks at the gate-bottoms
    of wax cold hide
    Albions and Albans
    to his little sight
    Leaps to be browned
    in the roast rite
    Soars & tries to reach
    dizzy height
    Falls in the temples
    and quivers & slaps
    Playin like a schoolboy
    in the valleys
    Of silver & ivory hate

    ELEVEN VERSES OF GARVER
31ST CHORUS
    I
    I had a slouch hat too one time
    The old slouch hat
    I just keep walkin around
    And he keeps walkin around with me
    Around and round that necktie
    counter we went
    When it rained I wore my old
    slouch hat
    It was a good felt that
    I had to carry through many
    rainy day, late fall
    and the early spring
    Perhaps it was a rainy day
    And the house dick mighta saw
    My hat
    Each tie on that ring
    Worth six bucks, Brooks Brothers,
    Sixty bucks wortha ties
    Slacks with peculiarities
    I couldnt even find a pair of slacks
    I thought it was suitable to wear

32ND CHORUS
    II
    Wrapped one pair around me
    And pinned it with a safety pin
    And pulled up my trousers and
    Went out looked at myself in the mirror
    â€˜O no, those wont do’
    And I walked out
    Wrap the slacks around my waist
    Took two other pair
    went to the mirror
    threw them at the salesman
    â€˜No those wont do—good
    afternoon’ and walked out
    The slouch hat I got at Harvard
    Club, Yale Club, Princeton Club
    one or the other
    Dartmouth Club
    University Club
    Always barred the Yatch Club
    because it was a little over
    my kin

33RD CHORUS
    III
    The doorman knew that only
    Mr Astor Mr Vanderbilt
    Mr Whitney belonged
    He couldnt say ‘Good morning
    Mister Astor’ because
    he knew I wasnt Mister
    Astor
    I always figured a way to heel
    into those other clubs
    Not only a member of Who’s
    Who but a Who’s Who
    also have to be a member
    of Who’s Who in New York
    in the special clique of Who’s
    Hoo—slouch hat!
    I get in the Athletic Club
    many time

34TH CHORUS
    IV
    And I’d go up in the Billiard Room
    And I would wander back around
    The room, hands in back,
    And every coat rack I backed
    Up against feel for the wallet
    One day I walked
    Outa there with ten wallets
    Bellboy lookin me over
    Pretty soon a very dignified looking
    gentleman came up and buzzed
    the bell boy
    He says “Who?” and I says
    â€œMan told me his name, while
    We’re drinkin at the bar,
    And told me to meet him
    In the billiard-room
    of the Athletic Club
    I dont see him—so I best I
    better go”

35TH CHORUS
    V
    â€œTell me about the old slouch
    hat”
    One of my numerous trips
    to one of the numerous clubs
    in New York City
    The hat finally was left
    in the hotel
    which I had to leave
    rather hurriedly one night
    never to return
    so the hat was given
    to the castoffs of the hotel
    which they collect
    and rummage sells
    May now be worn by one
    Of the members of Skid Row
    New York City—the Bowery
    â€œI seen that hat
    by moonlight”

36TH CHORUS
    VI
    I had a pointed mustache
    and I mean pointed
    half inch from here
    Double