<P> Considered racy at the time, Kerouac's writings are now considered mild . On the Road mentions Neal Cassady's bisexuality without comment, while Visions of Cody confronts it . However, the first novel does show Cassady as frankly promiscuous . Kerouac's novels feature an interracial love affair (The Subterraneans), and group sex (The Dharma Bums). The relationships among men in Kerouac's novels are predominantly homosocial . </P> <P> The original members of the Beat Generation used a number of different drugs, including alcohol, marijuana, benzedrine, morphine, and later psychedelic drugs such as peyote, Ayahuasca, and LSD . They often approached drugs experimentally, initially being unfamiliar with their effects; their drug use was broadly inspired by intellectual interest and many Beat writers felt their drug experiences enhanced creativity, insight or productivity . The use of drugs was a key influence on many of the social events of the time that were personal to the Beat generation . </P> <P> Gregory Corso considered English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley a hero, and he was buried at the foot of Shelley's grave in the Protestant Cemetery, Rome . Ginsberg mentions Shelley's poem Adonais at the beginning of his poem Kaddish, and cites it as a major influence on the composition of one of his most important poems . Michael McClure compared Ginsberg's Howl to Shelley's breakthrough poem Queen Mab . </P> <P> Ginsberg's main Romantic influence was William Blake, and studied him throughout his life . Blake was the subject of Ginsberg's self - defining auditory hallucination and revelation in 1948 . Romantic poet John Keats was also cited as an influence . </P>

Who were the beats and what did they do