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WORD AUTHORITY MORE HABIT FORMING THAN HEROIN
by William Burroughs
[From the book 'Brion Gysin Let The Mice In', by Brion Gysin, edited by
Jan Herman, with texts by William Burroughs and Ian Sommerville; Something
Else Press, Inc., 1973. Originally printed in 'The San Francisco
EARTHQUAKE', No. 1, 1967 (ed. Jan Herman).]
[Transcribers note: This e-text typed in exactly as it is printed in the
book, including the typewriter symbols, which are positioned accurately
underneath key words in the text. The margins are as printed in the book
also, except that the right margin of text is typeset justified in the
book; in this e-text they are unjustified. The several consecutive lines
with nothing but typewriter symbols (no text above them), are also
margined according to the book (which was naturally typeset right-
justified since the symbols are all run together with no spaces); in this
e-text they look narrower because they aren't typeset. The original
manuscript, however, written on a typewriter, was probably not margined
the same, except for the "I am right you are wrong" permutations (with
their accompanying typewriter symbols), which have their own narrow
margins. Apologies if there are any typos in this e-text; please correct
them and re-release this file.]
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Word author-
ity more habit
forming than heroin no this is not the old
power addicts talk I am talking about a certain excercise of authority
through the use of words authority words habit more forming than
heroin that is the use of these words engrams words colorless words
form the user more than heroin and he must have more and more
heroin authority words more habit than forming that is the words of
narcotics control as used by the American Narcotics Dept. more habit
forming than can be maintained which is why they must continually
spread the problem "authority" more habit forming than word 'heroin'
that is the particular authority derived from the enforcement of nar-
cotics laws is more habit forming than the word heroin. What are
heroin words? Ally engrams its going to be all right you are all right
and comfortable so comfortable but the words of withdrawal of ally
engram is more habit forming than the ally engram notice they need
not a few addicts getting it steady they need a lot of addicts always
short sick addicts a frequency more habit forming than heroin is the
frequency of sick addicts words forming authority in occupation word
authority more eristic banal reporters than heroin men of shadows im-
potently flailing anachronic consensus nevermore addict talk bubbling
about a certain uxorious urubu beneath innavigable umlaut of author-
ity dim words ukase over decorticated canines jerky pretext colorless
tin far away habit heroin's logomachy supine societal eschatology infra
sound called these words engram words colorless words form the user's
canine perspectives word authority more habit forming latterly en-
demic than heroin anachronic experiments with blue infrasound I am
talking established drug authority about a certain irrefrangible exercise
of authority through necessities ill informed pulp of words that is the
particular authority banal reporter's camera derived from enforcement
men of shadows anachronic narcotics law more habit forming than
perparations bubbling 'heroin' beneath innavigable umlaut shallow and
unworthy what are heroin words? dim ally engram colorless far away
and comfortable so comfortable canine dance floor flickering latterly
endemic American friend feeding canine preparation the Countess
Repulsive obligatory blue bubbling about a certain uxorious urubu
investiture died when their batteries on sham rage enforcement men
of shadows he enjoys quality job gave out you're fired by any reputably
informed obmutesence his young eyes narrowed to grey slits...au-
thority deadlier than cocaine he must have more and more...battle
a pretext thin hero words colorless dim words I am sure control ma-
chine ukase over decorticated canine preparations lighted length of
time I am talking about a certain irrefrangible authority the torn palato-
gram fell into our hands pretty baby please engram words colorless
flower flesh inert words engram words form the user obligatory have
more and more from the users abrasively incondite control...you're
fired endemic encumbrancer the clock has stopped old urubu on the
darkened 23rd hour the golden stars flailing they must continually
incubus's interpositional contagonist spread the problem word 'heroin'
justiciar congruent that is the particular authority congruently flailing
latterly endemic derived from enforcement of decommissioned encum-
brancer's anachronic narcotics laws habit forming flower flesh shadow
ally obligatory obscurant effluvial notice they need not a few addicts
epidemically obligatory such investiture a frequency more habit form-
ing abrasively incondite than heroin is immeasurably impacted ende-
mic encumbrancer's uxorious frequency of sick addicts incubus's word
forming authority's prefigured eschatologist decommissioned exter-
nalized investiture shallow and unworthy.
I am right. you are wrong.
. " * : + @
you are wrong. I am right.
: + @ . " *
I am right? you are wrong.
. " * : + @
you are wrong? I am right.
: + @ . " *
I am cop kicks in door right flashes his dirty rotten hunka tin you
. " * :
dragged away in handcuffs are wrong man has cornered a rat I am he
+ @ . @
raises a heavy stick right you the rat gives a squeak of terror are the
" * : +
rat bares his yellow teeth wrong stick falls dying rat twitches I am
+ @
right cop clubs man in riot scene you are he kicks him into the wagon
. " * : +
wrong he slams door I am executioner enters death cell right with two
@ . "
guards you come along are strapped into electric chair wrong smoke
** : +
curls up from electrodes 'I pronounce this man dead' wrong Harry S.
@ .
Truman decides to drop first atom bomb I am right you people in
" * : .
Hiroshima are wrong film shows burned children I am cop breaks
+ @ . "
through door 'I am a police officer right enough.' mixed time and place
* * :
he was looking for a teen age drug party. He has strayed into Dillin-
ger's hideout you are Dillinger covers him with sub machine gun wrong
+
copper raised hands terror I am right he holds gun on cop's stomach
@ . " *
1914 movie two men arguing outside bar coats off I am right man 1
.
knocks man 2 down you are wrong man 2 gets up I am right he throws
" * : + @ . "
right to jaw sequence repeated up down fade out The End. The gen-
*
eral is making a difficult decision in the Pentagon dim jerky far away
"
he paces up and down the office buries his face in his hands he looks
up at the American flag he picks up phone you are wrong Commies
* :
atom bombs fall on Moscow Moscow in ruins I am right counter
+ @
missiles whistle you are wrong Pentagon blows up mushroom cloud
" * : + @
Am I right? you are wrong.
" . * : + @
Are you wrong? right I am.
+ : @ * . "
Right I am. Wrong you are.
* . " @ : +
Right? Wrong? I am? Are you?
* @ . " + :
Right our wrong: I am you.
* + @ . " :
Wrong are you right? I am.
@ + : * . "
I am you right or wrong.
. " : * + @
Wrong you are. I write. Am.
@ : + . * "
I write you are wrong. Am.
. * : + @ "
Wrong eye am right? you? our?
@ . " * : +
Our right eye am wrong you.
+ * . " @ :
Right or wrong you am I.
* + @ : " .
Am wrong right? you are I?
" @ * : + .
I am right youarewrongwrongwrong IIIIamamamamrightrightright
. " * : + @ @ @ .... " " " " * * *
youyouyouyouareareourorareareourwrongyouorrightamIIIrightamor
: : : : + + + + + + + @ : + * "... * " +
wrongyou
@ :
."*:+@....."""""*****:::::+++++@@@@@*:*:*.
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.....:@:@:@:@:@::":"::""":*@*@*@"@"@"@"@.*
.*.*.*.*.."."."."."."...:.:...:::"::@:@@:@