Poetry in Literary History Post Modern: Beat Generation Howl, Part I – Allen Ginsberg (1956) I Am Waiting – Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1958)

The Poems I Am Waiting Howl, Part I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVGoY9gom50 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2JvdcbkgtY

Era: Post-Modern Post-WWII Deconstruction of typical poetry structures Frequent themes of “taboo” subjects: sexuality, drug use, poverty, criticism of government, etc. Cold War/McCarthyism, consumerism, Civil Rights Movement, beginning of sexual liberty Experimentation with new literary techniques and hallucinatory substances

The Beat Generation Centered in San Francisco in the 1950s Deconstruction of typical literary structure (rhyme, rhythm, narrative) Themes of spirituality, sexuality, anti- materialism, drug use – considered taboo at the time Inspiration for much of “hippie” culture Allen Ginsberg: core figure, wrote lots of the definitive poetry for the Beats Lawrence Ferlinghetti: owner of City Lights Bookstore, publisher of much Beat literature Taken by Diana Church at the Cafe Trieste in North Beach in 1975. Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Minelte Le Blanc, Peter Le Blanc, Allen Ginsberg, Harold Norse, Jack Hirschman & Bob Kaufman.

Howl, Part I First presented at the first Six Gallery reading Target of an obscenity trial in 1957 due to it’s graphic portrayal of homosexuality – judge ruled in favour of the defendant Heavy themes of drug use/madness, sex, and anti- conformism Rhythm established by the “who” at the beginning of each line Experiment in “long line” – each line a single breath unit – representation of the exhaustion described in the poem

I Am Waiting Ferlinghetti was part of the Howl obscenity trial as he published it Owner of the City Lights Bookstore, so essential to the Beats despite not defining himself as one Themes of religion, disillusionment, hope Rhythm established by the “I am waiting” at the beginning of each line Bob Donlin, Neal Cassady, Allen Ginsberg, Robert LaVinge, and Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Importance Revolutionary era in literature – expansion of what is accepted, what can be explored, what we can talk about The Beats celebrated liberty, freedom – where would we be without them? The search for truth, visceral reactions, and the return of emotion to society The bottom line: literature is meant to make you feel something, and postmodern writers accomplished this. Indulge in their work.