1. Beat Poetry San Francisco origins 1950’s Rejected materialism and conformity of the middle class lifestyle Free verse, surrealistic Introductory Video (a preview)

2. Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997) Howl Lawrence Ferlinghetti born 1919; 96 years old! City Lights Books in SF A Coney Island of the Mind Gregory Corso (1930-2001) Gary Snyder born 1930 Kenneth Rexroth (1905-1982) “Father of the Beats”

3. Influences: Jazz Zen Spirituality Native American Spirituality

4. Historical Six Gallery Event Friday, October 7, 1955 3119 Fillmore Street, San Francisco Many young poets read their work First public showing of the “Beat Generation”

5. A Supermarket in California by Allen Ginsberg Berkeley, 1955 link Away above a Harborful... by Lawrence Ferlinghetti link A Dent in a Bucket by Gary Snyder Hammering a dent out of a bucket a woodpecker answers from the woods

6. Last two stanzas of “1959” by Gregory Corso Egypt, Rome, Greece, and all such pedigree dreams fled. Cars are real! Eternity is done. The threat of Nothingness renews. I touch the untouched. I rank the rose militant. Deny, I deny the tastes and habits of the age. I am its punk debauche.... A fierce lampoon seeking to inherit what is necessary to forfeit. Lies! Lies! Lies! I lie, you lie, we all lie! There is no us, there is no world, there is no universe, there is no life, no death, no nothing—all is meaningless, and this too is a lie—O damned 1959! Must I dry my inspiration in this sad concept? Delineate my entire stratagem? Must I settle into phantomness and not say I understand things better than God?

7. Other famous poets of the Beat Generation Diane di Prima born 1934Anne Waldman born 1945 link Michael McClure born 1932 William S. Burroughs (1914-1997) Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) Neal Cassady (1926-1968) link