Many folks across the Internet have a poem or two by Ginsberg on their home pages. With this wealth of samplings available, I have chosen not to put any poems up on my own site. This section links only to those already existing in cyberspace.
This page is NOT intended to take the place of any printed editions! Allen has an extensive and powerful body of work, of which the poems below are only a tiny sampler. Think of this page as an appetizer... The real feast is in the print editions! For that reason, I will lead off this page with information on where on line you can purchase the texts. Enjoy!
Sources to Buy On-Line:Most Ginsberg material is readily available from local bookstores. But if you like the convenience of shopping on-line, here are a few of the best sources:
The Ginsberg Book Listing: From 1-800-Kerouac. Includes pages on Snapshot Poetics. (Photography book by Ginsberg), Howl, and Kaddish. Links courtesy of 1-800-Kerouac.[PM001,A,B,C] **OUT OF SERVICE - 2/18/1998**
The Ballad of the Skeletons: The new EP of Ginsberg's poem. This work is a collaboration with Paul McCartney, Philip Glass and Lenny Kaye. It includes three versions of the poem, set to music, and a wonderful rendition of "Amazing Grace". Link courtesy of Newbury Comics Interactive. [PM002]
The Ballad of the Skeletons: Is also available directly from Mouth Almighty Records. Link courtesy of Mouth Almighty Records. [PM040]
The Lion for Real: Allen considered this bis best recording, and it would be hard to argue. As an introduction to his work, it covers the gamut. It is available directly from Mouth Almighty Records. Link courtesy of Mouth Almighty Records. [PM041]
Cosmopolitan Greetings: Link courtesy of Open Book Systems. [PM003]
Booksmith Ginsberg Page. An excellent commercial site! Events, biography, available books and CDs, related links. Good stuff! Link courtesy of Booksmith. [PM004]
The Essential Media Counterculture Catalog. A collection of Ginsberg books and videos are available. Link courtesy of Essential Media.
Page numbers are indicated for
the following editions:Many other editions of Ginsberg's work are available, but these three will cover nearly all (but the most recent) published material.
CP: "Collected Poems - 1947-1980"; Harper and Row Publishers, 1984 (the biggest and best single volume)
WS: "White Shroud - Poems 1980-1985"; Harper and Row Publishers, 1986
CG: "Cosmopolitan Greetings - Poems 1986-1992"; Harper and Row Publishers, 1994
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who howled on their knees in the subway and were dragged off the roof, waving genitals and manuscripts...--from "Howl", 1955 |
New, to be classified
Early Poems
The Terms in Which I Think of Reality. Patterson, Spring, 1950. (CP 50) Link courtesy of Jodi. [PM005]
An Asphodel: Fall, 1953. (CP 88) Link courtesy of Alex Vigdor. [PM006]
Wild Orphan: New York, April 1952. (CP 78) Link courtesy of Alex Vigdor. [PM007]
Wild Orphan: Link courtesy of the Psychedilic 60's New Home Page.
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"HOWL" and Other Poems,
San Francisco Bay Area, 1954-1956Song: San Jose, 1954. (CP 111) Perhaps my favorite short poem of Ginsberg. Link courtesy of Alex Vigdor. [PM008]
In Back of the Real: San Jose, 1954. (CP 113) Link courtesy of Alex Vigdor. [PM009]
Howl: San Francisco, 1955-56. (CP 126) Ginsberg's first masterwork, "Howl" made him famous around the world. Link courtesy of Alex Vigdor. [PM010]
Howl: Another copy, nicely laid out, and includes "Footnote to Howl". Berkeley, 1955. (CP 134) Link courtesy of Edna. [PM011] **OUT OF SERVICE - 2/18/1997**
Howl: Part I only. [PM012]
Second Reading: (995k)An audio file from the second reading of Howl. Only the first few verses, of course. The complete version of this excellent reading is available on the Holy Soul Jelly Roll CD set. Link courtesy of Enterzone. [PM013]
Howl: WAV sound file: (970k) This doesn't seem to work for me. Let me know if you have better luck! Link courtesy of Edna. [PM014] **OUT OF SERVICE - 2/18/1997**
Don't forget to check out my HOWLings section on the Links page!
Footnote to Howl: Berkeley, 1955. (CP 134) Howl is not complete without this piece, which brings it out from the darkness and into hope. Link courtesy of Alex Vigdor. [PM015]
A Supermarket in California: Berkeley, 1955. (CP 136) Visions of Whitman, "poking among the meats in the refrigerator and eyeing the grocery boys..." Link courtesy of Alex Vigdor. [PM016]
A Supermarket in California: Link courtesy of the Psychedilic 60's New Home Page.
A Supermarket in California: WAV sound file: (930k) This doesn't seem to work for me. Let me know if you have better luck! Link courtesy of Edna. [PM017] **OUT OF SERVICE - 2/18/1997**
Sunflower Sutra: Berkeley, 1955. (CP 138) The Sunflower shall never be a locomotive, forget me not! Link courtesy of Alex Vigdor. [PM018]
Sunflower Sutra: A bit harder to read, as it's all italicized. Link courtesy of Literary Kicks. [PM019]
Transcription of Organ Music: Berkeley, September, 1955. (CP 140) Link courtesy of Alex Vigdor. [PM020]
America: Berkeley, 1955-56. (CP 146) One of Ginsberg's funniest and most poignant poems. If you can, catch him reading this on the "Holy Soul, Jelly Roll" boxed CD set. He milks it for all it's worth. Link courtesy of Al Filreis. [PM021]
America: Jackie Montana's annotated text is worth checking out. [PM022] **OUT OF SERVICE - 6/30/1997**
Course Materials on "America": A site constructed by Nick Evans and students in his American Literature Survey course, University of Texas. Includes an analysis of the poems by students, and a transcript of a class discussion. Some interesting points of view. Links courtesy of Nick Evans. [PM023]
America: Link courtesy of the Psychedilic 60's New Home Page.
In the Baggage Room at Greyhound: May, 1956. (CP 153) Link courtesy of Alex Vigdor. [PM024]
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Excerpts from "Kaddish"
Kaddish: As an extra treat, check out Levi Asher's analysis. His discussion of "Insanity and Art" is especially interesting. Link courtesy of Literary Kicks. [PM025]
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The Sixties, Man!
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The Best of the HomoeroticPlease Master: May, 1968. (CP 494) One of Ginsberg's most wonderful and erotic poems. Ted has a wonderful story to go with it. Link courtesy of Ted. [PM026]
More coming soon, especially love poems to Neal Casaday and Peter Orlovsky!
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More Recent WorksNothing Personal... May 1971. An interesting (and obscure) facsimilie page and accompanying text. Link courtesy of The Little Magazine.
Under the World There's a Lot of Ass a Lot of Cunt. April, 1973. (CP 598) Link courtesy of EOB. [PM027]
Yes and it's Hopeless. March 10, 1973. (CP xxx) Link courtesy of Jodi. [PM042] **OUT OF SERVICE - 6/30/1997**
We Rise on Sunbeams and Fall in the Night. December, 1974. (CP 632) Link courtesy of EOB. [PM028]
Who Runs America. Braniff Air, Denver-Dallas, December, 1974. (CP 628) Link courtesy of EOB. [PM029]
Hospital Window. May 1975 (Mayaguez Crisis). (CP 634) Link courtesy of EOB. [PM030]
Love Replied. Boulder, June 18, 1977, 5 AM. (CP xxx) Link courtesy of Jodi. [PM043] **OUT OF SERVICE - 6/30/1997**
Nagasaki Days: Boulder, Summer, 1978. (CP 699) Link courtesy of Juan. [PM031]
CIA Dope Calypso: January, 1972. (CG 55) Link courtesy of Covert Action Quarterly. [PM032]
Hum Bom!: New York, June 16, 1984. (CP 568) Link courtesy of Open Book Systems. [PM033]
Sphincter: March 15, 1986. (CG). Link courtesy of Al Filreis. [PM034]
Is About: 1996. Link courtesy of Al Filreis. [PM035]
Put Down Your Cigarette Rag (Don't Smoke): Audio file, part one. [PM036]
Put Down Your Cigarette Rag (Don't Smoke): Audio file, part two. [PM037]
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Other Prose WritingsAllen Ginsberg on Timothy Leary. A reminiscence, shortly after Leary's death in 1996. Link courtesy of High Times. [PM038]
The Vomit of a Mad Tyger: Ginsberg wrote this piece for Shambhala Sun. In it he recounts his journey toward Buddhism, including lots of interesting history of other Beat figures from the 40s and 50s. QUOTE: "I understand, the proper etiquette is to wait until somebody asks you three times. But you can always suggest to them that they ask you three times." Link courtesy of Shambhala Sun. [PM039]
Coming Soon: Excerpts from Ginsberg's Journals. Selections will include material from the fifties, as well as his time in India and Mexico. Also coming soon: Letters to Peter Orlovsky, William S. Burroughs, Neal Casaday and Jack Kerouac.
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