There are few poetic spires as high and important as Ginsberg's Howl and Other Poems. It was my love of the work of Bob Dylan that lead me to Ginsberg. I was fourteen buying volumes of Ginsberg poetry... taking them home... reading them alone in my room... having my sheltered mind expanded and blown. The first time I read Howl I thought, "maybe I shouldn't be reading this." Because, for all the R rated movies with nudity, violence, and profanity that I had seen...this was truly adult with nothing hidden. It put a lot of things in perspective. It also opened me to a new way of writing, much to the consternation of my high school english teachers.
Then I found this record at a rummage sale. Again blown away at hearing Ginsberg's voice for the first time. The cadence and rhythm of his voice. This was vocal a cappella rock'n'roll with as much venom and rebellion as any punk rock I'd ever heard, maybe more. It's worth noting that I think the ability to record sound (and video) of historical figures is a great accomplishment of the 20th century.
America I've given you all and now I'm nothing.
America two dollars and twenty-seven cents January 17th, 1956.
I can't stand my own mind.
America when will we end the human war?
Go fuck yourself with your atom bomb
I don't feel good don't bother me.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.