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Allen Ginsberg (June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997 / Newark, New Jersey)
Irwin Allen Ginsber was an American poet and one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation in the 1950s. He vigorously opposed militarism, materialism and sexual repression. Ginsberg is best known for his epic poem "Howl", in which he celebrated his fellow "angel-headed hipsters" and harshly denounced what he saw as the destructive forces of capitalism and conformity in the United States. This poem is one of the classic poems of the Beat Generation. The poem, which was dedicated to writer Carl Solomon, opens:
I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by
madness, starving hysterical naked,
dragging themselves through the negro streets at ... more »
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Quotations
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''who scribbled all night rocking and rolling over lofty incantations which in the yellow morning were stanzas of gibberish.''
Allen Ginsberg (b. 1926), U.S. poet. Howl (l. 51). . . Allen Ginsberg: Collected Poems 1947-1980 (1984) Harper and Row.
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Real holy laughter in the river! They saw it all! the wild eyes!
Allen Ginsberg (b. 1926), U.S. poet. Howl (l. 93). . . Allen Ginsberg: Collected Poems 1947-1980 (1984) Harper and Row.
the holy yells! They bade farewell! They jumped off the roof! to
solitude! waving! carrying flowers! Down to the river! i...
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''who cooked rotten animals lung heart feet tailborscht & tortillas
Allen Ginsberg (b. 1926), U.S. poet. Howl (l. 52). . . Allen Ginsberg: Collected Poems 1947-1980 (1984) Harper and Row.
dreaming of the pure vegetable kingdom,''
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''angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to
Allen Ginsberg (b. 1926), U.S. poet. Howl (l. 3. . . Allen Ginsberg: Collected Poems 1947-1980 (1984) Harper and Row.
the starry dynamo in the machinery of night,''
@Debbie Fein he was just a regular guy... He was a pederast and a member of the National Man Boy Love Association; a group that wants to eliminate the age of consent for sex with minors.
(In their case minor boys) .
Nothing regular about him and his poetry was laughably adolescent gibberish.
Hamish Morcom -his poems were wonderful. I dont think you understand poetry
I knew Allen up until around the time he passed away. My Uncle was his cousin and Allen would come over many times to my aunt and uncles house. Allen was so nice and down to earth. He never spoke about his poems - he was just a regular guy.
Hamish Morcom is an idiot.....On The Road would have never been published without the support of Ginberg and Howl.....Philistine