7 Must-Read Allen Ginsberg Poems

Allen Ginsberg was an American poet who was one of the primary leaders of the Beat Generation. His work opposed militarism and sexual repression and is often compared to other writers of the period like William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac. His best-known poem, ‘Howl,’ denounced the forces of capitalism in the United States. Despite his role in the 1960s counterculture, Ginsberg is now regarded as a canonical American poet whose works helped bring poetry back into broader society.

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Howl

‘Howl’ is Allen Ginsberg’s best-known poem and is commonly considered his greatest work. It is an indictment of modern society and a celebration of anyone living outside it.

Ginsberg's poetry is often characterized by its candidness and unflinching portrayal of human experience. In 'Howl,' he uses free verse and raw imagery to critique society and celebrate the beauty of the individual.

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,

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Velocity Of Money

‘Velocity Of Money’ by Allen Ginsberg uses irony and satire to make a powerful critique on the forces of capitalism.

This poem by Allen Ginsberg underscores the poet's skill with irony. It also displays his breathless verse and ability to wrangle a diverse array of images and symbols together to create something manic but also cohesive. Every side-winding line leading you back to the speaker's vaulting praise of money and the acerbic commentary that lies between every line.

I’m delighted by the velocity of money as it whistles through the windows

of Lower East Side

Delighted by skyscrapers rising the old grungy apartments falling on

84th Street

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A Supermarket in California

‘A Supermarket in California’ by Ginsberg seeks America’s essence and Whitman’s spirit amid consumerism’s glow.

Allen Ginsberg’s poem 'A Supermarket in California' is one of his most well-known works, though not as famous as 'Howl'. It gives readers a more personal and reflective look at Ginsberg’s thoughts, especially his connection to poets of the past like Walt Whitman. While it may not be his most widely quoted piece, it remains a favorite for how it gently questions modern life and shows the poet’s feelings of isolation and longing for something deeper.

What thoughts I have of you tonight, Walt Whitman, for I walked down the sidestreets under the trees with a headache self-conscious looking at the full moon.

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A Western Ballad

Ginsberg’s ‘A Western Ballad’ explores love’s complexities through a non-traditional ballad, blending sorrow with enduring affection.

When I died, love, when I died

my heart was broken in your care;

I never suffered love so fair

as now I suffer and abide

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America

Allen Ginsberg’s ‘America’ deals with the turbulent times in America. It was written during and focused on the period after the Second World War.

America I’ve given you all and now I’m nothing.

America two dollars and twentyseven cents January 17, 1956.

I can’t stand my own mind.

America when will we end the human war?