Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg (32 page)

Secondly, you know of course that great secrecy is desirable
vis-a-vis
your new relationship with MCA, particularly as there is still a delicate situation to be dealt with at A.A. Wyn. Solomon knows nothing of your recent activities. I have, by your express instructions, said nothing to him of any import on anything remotely concerning your present publishing position. So, if you do see him, and speak of this matter, or any other, I beg you for your own sake to breathe not a word about MCA. And certainly, if you wish to see him, avoid MCA as intermediary, until they say so.

I applaud your discrimination in choosing the method of praise which you have consented to accord to Mr. Lee's writings. I am sure that he, as well as myself as his agent, would be gratified by this instance of your esteem, were he apprised of the facts. He is, as you know, traveling in South America now and cannot be reached for consultation on matters of publicity. I have been proceeding carefully as possible on my own in his behalf, though mistakes are to be made and unmade I am sure.

A further question, perhaps to be decided by your agent: do you really feel the possibility of threat of persecution for drug reasons as a result of your contribution to the publicity? The pseudonym conceals the author's name as he confesses, as you know, to a number of statutory crimes. This does not involve a threat, except perhaps of social disapproval, to anyone who chooses to praise his writing.

A further word as to my own position: though your name is being cried on the streets for book trade reasons, I would not dream of participating in this particular request to you except for reasons of high literary seriousness. I have faith in the quality of the book I am dealing with. I would not, as well, make use of your name for any other purpose publicly. The motives of the publisher, A.A. Wyn, are, as far as I am concerned, for the most part beneath my interest; and I do not find it necessary for my purposes to concern myself with their motives except infrequently for tactical reasons. As evidence of the latter I adduce my paragraph consulting you to keep silent about your arrangements with MCA until MCA makes it public.

I cannot close this letter without thanking you once again for your paragraph which seems to combine all the proper elements and catch the spirit of admiration which I hope one day will be universally accorded to the work we are dealing with.

Yours most respectfully and in the spirit of strictest commerce,

Allen Ginsberg

 

P.S. Once again let me apologize for bothering you on this matter. I will of course follow your suggestion and clear such matters with MCA first, on this situation and on any others to come.

 

 

 

Jack Kerouac [San Luis Obispo, California] to
Allen Ginsberg [New York, New York]

May 7, 1953

 

Dear Allen:

Are you willing to take a chance with
Sax
and
Maggie Cassidy
primarily
Sax
. They're in the upper right hand drawer of my rolltop desk at 94-21 134th—If you agree to agent
Doctor Sax
(We disagreed over
ROAD
, not
SAX
, right?) I'll write and notify my Ma to give them to you when you call. Further, if Phyllis Jackson drops
T&C,
that would devolve to you too. I just don't see the sense of letting
Doctor Sax
rot in my desk. Send it anywhere—but just don't let every Tom Dick and Harry read it (
Sax
)—the first thing you know that style will begin to appear in
New Writing
and elsewhere—fuck Martha Foley's son
⁸⁸
and his excerpt shit—get
SAX
published nobly as the architectural creation and symphony it is, please—if you don't want to handle
Sax
(and also
Maggie
) let me know soon—I'm still miserable—in fact worse—my mind has begun to narrow in its spin, like the lip the throat of a whirlpool—I'm going going—But also I'm peaceful and work and sleep. How about you?

Neal [Cassady] got badly injured here—fell off, was knocked off a boxcar, fell on an iron end bumper, slashed his chest, cracked his foot back to touch his ankle—is now home on crutches—write to him—I saw him at the hospital—I haven't seen Carolyn yet but may go live with them—I am now in the mountains—braking—this summer I plan to go up into the wilderness and learn to survive by myself fishing and making Indian acorn mush and hunting etc. in preparation for when I won't be able to make it in culture and civilization any more.

What's with A.A. Wyn and
Maggie Cassidy
?

Well,—I hope you are well—Please give me Bill's latest address and ask him to—well I'll ask
him
, for Kells Elvins' address, he is in Frisco someplace, yachting—

I am so bored, aren't you?

Jack

 

 

Allen Ginsberg [New York, New York] to
Jack Kerouac [n.p., San Luis Obispo, California?]

May 13, 1953

 

Dear Jack:

I got your letter yesterday. I'll write to Neal immediately. I wrote to Bill today giving him your address. His is now: W.S. Burroughs c/o U.S. Consulate, Lima Peru. He'll be there another two weeks maybe. He's writing YAGE book.

I have a lot to tell you—got a job with a literary agency, got fired, am unemployed (though have money from work for brother) and full of ideas and writing. In next letter will explain all. I will write all summer, have book to put together (another) and a great new work founded on the imagination and new philosophy.
Dr. Sax
and
Maggie
are publishable and I will take steps immediately to publish them.

You must leave everything to me, or trust me, or something. Do the following things. Inform your mother that I will be out to see her (not bringing the monster) and will pick up both books. Send me a letter enclosing a note to Phyllis Jackson at M.C.A. saying:

“Please take whatever steps are necessary to publish
Dr. Sax
and
Springtime Maggie
(
Maggie Cassidy
or whatever) at your convenience as soon as possible. Allen Ginsberg will be able to speak for me and handle my affairs in connection with these two books during my absence from NYC.”

That's all the note should say. I have been on the telephone arranging things today. Wyn has rejected
Maggie Cassidy
.

Any further communications should be through me, Jack, please. I am sure that I know how to handle this situation completely.

I will operate through the facilities of M.C.A. who are willing to cooperate in the manner that I have arranged with them. If they cannot place it—though they are interested and will try—I will peddle it further myself, with their OK and goodwill.

Send me the above note to transmit to them, and don't get in touch with anybody till I tell you (anybody in publishing).

(Cowley
⁸⁹
doesn't know, incidentally, that you have any other ideas about
On the Road
, such as you expressed to me in N.Y. He is still friendly disposed professionally.)

I will write further tomorrow. Answer by return mail sending the note above.

All my love,

Allen

 

 

Allen Ginsberg [New York, New York] to
Jack Kerouac [n.p., New York, New York?]

July 2, 1953

Thursday Noon

 

Dear Jack:

“Just” a note on general plans:

1. Could you bring in other copies—carbons—of
Sax
and
Maggie
. This way I think it is good, we will also publish sections in
New Writing
, and several other large anthologies I have in mind (
Perspectives
). Circulate at same time and save time.

2. Do you have any short pieces at all around of any kind that you would like published in such (above places). Bring them too.

3. Will you make (yourself) a list of selections or excerptable sections from
Maggie
, and
Sax
, for above purposes? (As M. Lowry did)

4. Are there any parts of
On the Road
, Version I or II which you think will be in the final version or which you would like to see printed now? Bring those in.

5. Can you give me copies of
On the Road
I and II for my own use to study (for my own poetry) and for my projected essay:

INTRODUCTION TO THE PROSE OF JACK KEROUAC

 

which I have been thinking of for half a year and which I am ready to begin.

I am off all weekend from Fri. at 4:00 to Monday morning on account of the holiday. Walter Adams is supposed to come early evening Friday; and Alan Ansen invited me out to Woodmere Saturday night tentatively. I would like really to go away to shore or mountain for the days (I never get two days off as a rule—this is July 4) but I don't know where to go. If I could think of somewhere I would cancel all others and scram.

As ever, as Bill says,

Allen

 

In fact I may cancel others anyway on general principles.

 

 

Allen Ginsberg [New York, New York] to
Jack Kerouac [n.p., New York, New York?]

July 13, 1953

 

Dear Jack:

Business:

I finally picked up
Maggie
from Wyn & a letter of rejection, and delivered them to MCA. Hard as pulling teeth, they kept putting me off and evading, God knows why.

The following documents are necessary for me to have:

This makes three definite documents I need, and all supplementary ones you have around. This is very important. Mail them to me or bring them this week. If you haven't any one of the three let me know.

Carl [Solomon] shouldn't know any more (than he does) about present publishing plans. So if you see him or anyone likely to converse with him about you, don't say anything. As far as I said today was that I was trying to place
Maggie
and
Sax
, didn't talk about anything else. He knows about [Malcolm] Cowley etc. from last season but should not know an inch more, and further conversation on that score should be wrapped in confusion and obscurity. Unless you have alternative plans, of which please let me know. This too is very important. Delicate. Subtle.

MCA thinks the short piece in Cowley's hands is publishable
here
(or foreign), and will find out what he has done with it. He's away for last three weeks, be back in seven days.

I have a note from P.O. saying three registered letters are in (from Burroughs) at post office for me to pick up tomorrow. The continuation of
Yage
.

I am off Wednesday (so is Lucien that rat) so am free Tuesday evening, and Wednesday.

Finished
Confidence Man
. It's about the void between friends, the break in continuity of innocent faith, between man. Exploration of that skull “reality” which suicided
Pierre.

Began your essay.

Love,

Allen

 

 

Jack Kerouac [Richmond Hill, New York] to Allen Ginsberg
and William S. Burroughs [New York, New York]

Nov 21 53

 

Dear Allen and Bill:

Feel the need to write a letter to the two of you, sittin in front of my typewriter with goofball in, wine glass out—just wrote to [Malcolm] Cowley on business about
New World Writing
but threw in the following: “I see from the latest
New World Writing
where Libra or Gore Vidal is trying to tear you down to lift himself up to position of big new dean critic which is such a laff he's just such a pretentious little fag. They told me in 1950 that the homosexuals were very powerful in American Literature but since then what's troubled me is not that, so much as the certain dull individuals who happen to be homosexual who have grabbed off the limelight and therefore the temporary influence second rate anecdote repeaters like Bowles, pretentious silly females with flairs for titles like Carson McCullers, clever dramaturgists, grave self-revelers too naive to see the shame of their position like Vidal, really it's too much—think I'll come out soon and make a statement—every single original musical genius in America, for instance, “has been to jail or prison; I assure you the same holds true for literature”—How's that? and next line in letter reads: “This is the time”—(the musical geniuses like Bud Powell, Bird, Bill Holiday, Lester Young, Jerry Mulligan, Thelonious Monk)—So that's tellin em! hey? I'll fix that Vidal; I'll libra him; I'll ad astra that ass hole a?

Purpose of this letter is not to yak like this, tho, but serious necessity, to say, I had the Dolophine Visions now and after 48 hours of hi American chemical synthetic I am actually now junksick I guess and so lushing and barbitrating—but in the midst of that feeling such great tenderness and love for you two fellows, together or alone, wish there was some heavenly accolade I could lay on you or something you'd value—and soon we are going in three directions—but eventually and about a year probably we all probably be in Mexico City anyhow—but now I want to make a speech, an after dinner speech, a big successful fat cigar big steakdown after dinner speech, don't know really what to say, ain't no George Jessel, know you understand, etc. and just writing and mailing this letter and goofballs got me now, you boys okay, you boys gonna go heaven ya, you boys, coupla fine fellows, that what, tha wha, you bonna be do all right, okay, in heaven dog, love you.