moon traveller herald

Writes to William S. Burroughs, February, 1958 …. “…writing every night by candlelight, with windows open to moony yards & trees of Muckland Central Florida in Febiary…..” Little known but Kerouack had a home in Orlando . On hard ground under a dome of cypress trees After On the Road. Before the Deluge. About the time He’d hit some money. Of late the historically & literary minded people in the area bought the home to create a writers retreat. In homage to Jack. It’s a regular neighborhood. A simple street. I got up there this year and got by at the end of day. Back then. Seemed like the next place for him. But definitely UnKerouacian. The place is northwest of downtown Orlando & far from today’s DisneyWorld & Universal Studios. The screen door opens & the bebop negros are singing The blues & jazz & Jack half winking is thinking golden eternity. It wasn’t happy - The time in Orlando - So far from Lowell. The grinding cicadas. Looking at the Falstaff - ...

I used to ride the train a lot between Boston and New York [sometimes further to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington], and there was a certain patch around Rhode Island before Connecticut that early in the foggy morning had a Moorish Hound of the Baskervilles’ quality. The quality evoked the work of a number of artists, but especially Edgar Allen Poe. When I read a biography, Dreadful Remembrance unto Death? – no, “ Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance ,” I learned that Poe’s trajectory mapped with the railroads of the day. Down from Boston, up from Virginia. To New York, Again to Boston, Down to Baltimore. So the ride had another level of world-weariness. And I took many stabs over the years at this one, which now is scattered in numberous fragments and versions. [What is it about that term ‘baltimore’?][Streets of Baltimore, etc] Poe is about mood to me. I offer one take . The only message here is ‘you, moved me, man!’ On a Baltimore trip I made it to Poe's Grave .

Blinking lights on the wing tips … spewed clouds apsiring .. the cities like ocean liners in the ark.... JetBlue flight over American night in 21 st century.. Went to Orlando. Again didn’t get to Kerouac’s house. Orlando is just a place I go to, hit the hotel, do the conference [this was Microsoft TechEd 2007 ], find a restaurant and go home. Got idea for future: Take an extra day and go to Cape Caneveral. [The picture at right is light on our bedroom window.. what I was glad to come home to. ] A lot of work. Did go out to dinner. Watched some television. Red Sox playing the Yankees on Sunday night. Stanley Cup Finals Monday night. Richard Serra on Charlie Rose show [Did see 30 sec of the penultimate Sopranos episode on HBO: Tony goes to bed in a cheap garret apt with a rifle on his breast. I guess the idea is: Tune in next week.] Yankees don't suck Yankee-Sox was a typical tight one. I turned it off when it got tied [for the second time, perhaps at 5-5]. Think Yankees won 6-5 on a...