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William S. Burroughs interviewed for Heavy Petting film memoir of youthful erotic initiations, his secretary James Grauerholz leaning forward observing discussion of sex world 1930 – 40s, final movie version cut out Bill’s queer loves. Obie Benz’s Soho loft, New York, December 21, 1986.

Allen Ginsberg
Credit: Gift of Gary S. Davis
1986
Gelatin silver print
2008.131.14
Image © National Gallery of Art, 2020

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Shambhu Bharti Baba, traditionally naked Naga Sadhu in sandy basement porch-shelter under Pilgrims' Guest-house above ancient Manikarnika Ghat burning-grounds at Ganges waterside in Benares, oldest cintinuously inhabited city on Earth. During six-months stay a few alleys down-river, I visited occasionally to smoke chilams, clay pipes as at edge of fire-pit, packed with ganja-tobacco mix & share Baba's silence vow along with small circle of his friends, devotees, local schoolteachers & clerks. One morning I brought camera, he invited me to take pictures rising to disrobe loin-cloth & G-string, stood nude beside Naga spear, brass waterpot & Shiva Trident. See Indian Journals, 1970, p.130. December 18, 1962, 10:30 AM.
Shambhu Bharti Baba, traditionally naked Naga Sadhu in sandy basement porch-shelter under Pilgrims' Guest-house above ancient Manikarnika Ghat burning-grounds at Ganges waterside in Benares, oldest cintinuously inhabited city on Earth. During six-months stay a few alleys down-river, I visited occasionally to smoke chilams, clay pipes as at edge of fire-pit, packed with ganja-tobacco mix & share Baba's silence vow along with small circle of his friends, devotees, local schoolteachers & clerks. One morning I brought camera, he invited me to take pictures rising to disrobe loin-cloth & G-string, stood nude beside Naga spear, brass waterpot & Shiva Trident. See Indian Journals, 1970, p.130. December 18, 1962, 10:30 AM.
Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Minsk, Belarusia, Soviet Union, a visit by U.S. Literary delegation, planned sightseeing, our yuppie-Russian interpreter left, novelist Wm. Gass second from Right, the rest of our writers & delegates had wandered away down marble halls.
Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Minsk, Belarusia, Soviet Union, a visit by U.S. Literary delegation, planned sightseeing, our yuppie-Russian interpreter left, novelist Wm. Gass second from Right, the rest of our writers & delegates had wandered away down marble halls.
Francesco Clemente taking a break from painting my portrait in oil, his first from life model, here working on background of imaginary Afric head, his studio Broadway & Great Jones Street. We'd done several illuminated books together (notably White Shroud 1984) & he'd published my Blake discourse "Your Reason & Blake's System" in his Palm-sized Hanuman Editions. Manhattan December 14, 1989.
Francesco Clemente taking a break from painting my portrait in oil, his first from life model, here working on background of imaginary Afric head, his studio Broadway & Great Jones Street. We'd done several illuminated books together (notably White Shroud 1984) & he'd published my Blake discourse "Your Reason & Blake's System" in his Palm-sized Hanuman Editions. Manhattan December 14, 1989.
William Burroughs on roof of apartment house East Seventh Street where I had a flat, we were lovers those months, editing his letters into books not published till decades later (as Queer, 1985) Lower East Side Fall 1953.
William Burroughs on roof of apartment house East Seventh Street where I had a flat, we were lovers those months, editing his letters into books not published till decades later (as Queer, 1985) Lower East Side Fall 1953.

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