The wheel of the quivering meat
conception
Turns in the void expelling human beings,
Pigs, turtles, frogs, insects, nits,
Mice, lice, lizards, rats, roan
Racinghorses, poxy bucolic pigtics,
Horrible unnameable lice of vultures,
Murderous attacking dog-armies
Of Africa, Rhinos roaming in the
jungle,
Vast boars and huge gigantic bull
Elephants, rams, eagles, condors,
Pones and Porcupines and Pills--
All the endless conception of living
beings
Gnashing everywhere in Consciousness
Throughout the ten directions of space
Occupying all the quarters in & out,
From supermicroscopic no-bug
To huge Galaxy Lightyear Bowell
Illuminating the sky of one Mind--
Poor! I wish I was free
Of the slaving meat wheel
and safe in heaven dead
Back to Jack Kerouac
To be able to leave a comment here you must be registered. Log in or Sign up.
Comments1I was really drawn to this poem, but found it kind of dark and confusing, too. The imagery seemed to focus a lot on nature and various animals, but there's also a feeling of existential struggle. Can anyone help me understand this better? What is the poet trying to say about life?