Philosophy

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Allen Ginsberg’s most famous poem "HOWL". Yes, it does hold up, yes it is relevant, and yes, it continues to inspire.

Ginsberg was a man constant in his conviction. And while many did and do not agree with his views (most notably his support of NAMBLA) his belief in freedom of speech and expression remains a striking example for us in our era of the Patriot Act and 40% voter turn-out rates.

The Beat’s America, exhisted concurrent and in contrast to the "Leave it to Beaver" America. Any similarities? One would need to be blind not to see them. Give us some credit, give the viewers some respect, remember his humor, his irony, his heedless imagination. His vision of time…

Just take a few moments to check out some of these links:

Allen Ginsberg reads HOWL: http://ia300120.us.archive.org/3/items/naropa_anne_waldman_and_allen_ginsberg/naropa_anne_waldman_and_allen_ginsberg_vbr.mp3

Robert Frank’s 1959 "Pull My Daisy": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtmpcP65SFo

Dylan’s "Lovesick Subterranean Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-xIulyVsG8&mode=related&search=

Kerouac reads from "On the Road": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MjPtem6ZbE

Here are the first few lines of HOWL:

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving

  hysterical naked,

dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry

  fix,

angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the

  starry dynamo in the machinery of night,

who poverty and tatters and hollow-eyed and high sat up smoking in the

  supernatural darkness of cold-water flats floating across the tops of

  cities contemplating jazz,

Read the rest here: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15308