154 Drabble: I saw the best minds of my generation...

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

Title: I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked
Author: Rebcake
Rating: PG
Word Count: 100
Prompt: 154: Classic Lit (Howl by Allen Ginsberg)
Characters: Spike, Dru, Allen Ginsberg
A/N: Just to be clear, the title and the first line of this drabble are from the groundbreaking 1955 poem. No infringement is intended, just homage.


Angel-headed hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night.

Spike had idly wondered why Dru let that pinwheel-eyed doofus hang about that evening at Fugazzi's. Personally, he found the new breed of post-war American seekers endearing (and delicious, due to the recreational herbs and chemicals), but Dru was a traditionalist. The bespectacled gnome was not behaving like dinner or any sort of suitor, so Spike shrugged and left them to it. Their interaction had the look of an interview, of all things.

Now, listening to the fellow recite his poem, he understood.

FIN

Comments

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

Oh, I can so imagine this meeting! :)

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

I have plans to expand this into a follow-up to the yet-to-be-written 1958 Fiasco in Sunnydale fic. I figure they ran into Ginsberg in the early 50s in NYC, and finally put the face to the poem years later at a reading in San Francisco. I'm convinced that Spike would be interested in Beat poetry, and this was The Big One. Dru, I believe, would be interested in people of altered consciousness. :-}

[riccadonna.livejournal.com]

You're such a romantic! What's next, Kerouak? Leary?
Are you ever going to give me a Berlin piece with Iggy and David?

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

You're such a romantic!

Heh. Got me. I just think that the interesting thing about vampires is the longevity rather than the bloodthirstiness. Most vampires waste this by becoming moribund, but Spike finds the interesting stuff in every era and enjoys himself.

That said, the Berlin story I hope to eventually tell takes place in the '30s, not the '70s. Maybe they'll run across Iggy in Detroit, though! (Actually, they could have gone to Berlin again, later. Will think on it. Mmmmmmm. Velvet Goldmine: happy place.)

[whichclothes.livejournal.com]

Perfect! I can picture Spike and Dru hanging out at City Lights before snacking on a homeless person or two.

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

before snacking on a homeless person or two

Back then, we called 'em "winos". (Though I do feel compelled to point out that this happened before I was born. Ahem.) According to my kid the most common phrase these days is "hobo". Bringing back the classics!

But yes, I do think that Spike has this epiphany at City Lights! All sorts of hijinks to get up to in late '50s North Beach. If I ever get around to writing the expanded version...

Thanks for commenting!

[whichclothes.livejournal.com]

Oh, I remember calling them winos. I'm old.

I hope you do write an expanded version. I've always been able to really picture Spike in SF (and the fog is good for vamps!) and I've set several of my own fics there, although not in the '50s. I do have one fic that has a scene involving flirting with a cute Italian waiter in North Beach and Spike not liking The Stinking Rose, but then Spike gets to hang out at City Lights so that's okay. ;-)

Ah--I'm back to SF in two weeks and now I'm in the mood for espresso and beat poetry!

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

Molto bene! Have a great time in Our Fair City. The old broad's still got quite a bit of life in her!

[whichclothes.livejournal.com]

She does, and thank you. :-) I was just there this last weekend (I live near Modesto, so it's not much of a drive) and my friends and I had a great Sicilian waiter at Aliotos and I introduced my friends to the Musee Mecanique. SF's one of my fave ities in the world.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

When I saw the prompt for this week, which was yesterday because I just found this community, I thought of this story. So glad you posted it here!

Just so you know, you got me reading Ginsberg and I'm currently trying to memorize Sunflower Sutra, which is such an amazing poem.

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

I'm so excited you remember this from, oh, six months ago! I'm thrilled that it ignited your exploration of Ginsberg! Such an interesting cat! *dusts off hands* My work here is done. (Not really.)

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

:)

he found the new breed of post-war American seekers endearing (and delicious, due to the recreational herbs and chemicals)

Terrific homage to Spike's Woodstock mention in School Hard.

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

Back in the '60s, there was an advertising campaign for some chemical company depicting happy, smiling people above the tagline, "Better living through chemistry!" This was, of course, immediately co-opted by the fun-loving youth of the day, who really took the message to heart. Heh.

I do think that Spike would've found the Beats endearing for all sorts of reasons, beyond the "seasoning". And I think Dru has a thing for windmill-tilters, too.

Thanks for commenting!

[zoesmith.livejournal.com]

Amazing spru goodness! I can just see this happening!

xxx

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

I can just see this happening!

Oh, but it did! (In my brain.)

I'm glad you were amazed. (They just always are amazing, though.) *smek*

[bobthemole.livejournal.com]

Bravo! I would love to read the expanded version. Historical Spike and Dru are so much fun, like a pair of of demented time-tourists who leave bodies in their wake.

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

Hee! I'd like to read the expanded version, myself. Except, that means I'll have to write it first.

I've got loads of "Travels with Spike/Dru" over at my journal and on AO3, if you're ever in the mood for more pre-Sunnydale Spru. Sometimes they leave bodies (okay, usually) but that's rarely the point, for them at least.

Thanks for commenting!

[shapinglight]

I love this. I still Spike/Dru hard to grasp because we saw so little of their relationship except how it ended but you keep filling in the gaps.

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

I'm so happy you like it! I will endeavor to fill it all in until it makes perfect sense to you. For me, Buffy was delightful, but the moment in School Hard when Spike's vamp face melted into human to softly greet Dru, I was completely lost to the obsession. Television magic...

[shapinglight]

Yep. I'd have to agree with that. Until School Hard, the vampires in BtVS were boring, even Angel.

Spike and Dru make everything better even Angel.

[zanthinegirl.livejournal.com]

Oh, I can so picture that scene!

I've occasionally thought that Spike would have liked the beat movement. It just seems right up his emotional alley; so good call! And Drusilla would totally go for the recreational pharmaceutical. Hee!

And I'm picturing Spike with the tight suit and slicked back hair from Girl in Question. Mmmm...

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

Guh. I am now picturing Spike hanging out with Lenny Bruce (who is SMG's grandfather-in-law, although dead) at the Purple Onion. Weird.

Yeah, I think I will be doing more with Spike and Dru and the Beats. They all would've gotten along...until somebody needed a snack.

Thanks for commenting, sweetie!

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

This is great. Of course Dru would find the visceral poetry right up her alley! Was she a muse or were her words purloined?

I do hope you expand on this, I'd love to read what Spike and Dru got up to in late 50's San Francisco. I could see them drinking at Vesuvio's, chatting up Cassady and Keroauc!

[rebcake.livejournal.com]

Was she a muse or were her words purloined?

I was reading up on Howl and found that practically every line is a reference to somebody Ginsberg had met. So it is a poem with a multitude of muses! When I came upon the "angel-headed hipsters" line, it seemed as if he must have met Dru! My theory is that Dru doesn't care about poetry in any conscious way, though she does have a poetic nature. She is drawn to a certain type of windmill-tilting personality, IMO, which is how she found Spike. Ginsberg also had a really interesting "altered consciousness" approach to life that I think would have appealed to her.

Spike cares a lot, and Beat poetry would've been "manly" enough for him to admit to his interest. I can't help but think that these two would have thrived in the Beat era.

Thanks for commenting!