'Footnote To Howl' by Allen Ginsberg
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Howl and Other Poems1956Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy!Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy!The world is holy! The soul is holy! The skin is holy!The nose is holy! The tongue and cock and handand asshole holy!Everything is holy! everybody's holy! everywhere isholy! everyday is in eternity! Everyman's anangel!The bum's as holy as the seraphim! the madman isholy as you my soul are holy!The typewriter is holy the poem is holy the voice isholy the hearers are holy the ecstasy is holy!Holy Peter holy Allen holy Solomon holy Lucien holyKerouac holy Huncke holy Burroughs holy Cas-sady holy the unknown buggered and sufferingbeggars holy the hideous human angels!Holy my mother in the insane asylum! Holy the cocksof the grandfathers of Kansas!Holy the groaning saxophone! Holy the bopapocalypse! Holy the jazzbands marijuanahipsters peace & junk & drums!Holy the solitudes of skyscrapers and pavements! Holythe cafeterias filled with the millions! Holy themysterious rivers of tears under the streets!Holy the lone juggernaut! Holy the vast lamb of themiddle class! Holy the crazy shepherds of rebell-ion! Who digs Los Angeles IS Los Angeles!Holy New York Holy San Francisco Holy Peoria &Seattle Holy Paris Holy Tangiers Holy MoscowHoly Istanbul!Holy time in eternity holy eternity in time holy theclocks in space holy the fourth dimension holythe fifth International holy the Angel in Moloch!Holy the sea holy the desert holy the railroad holy thelocomotive holy the visions holy the hallucina-tions holy the miracles holy the eyeball holy theabyss!Holy forgiveness! mercy! charity! faith! Holy! Ours!bodies! suffering! magnanimity!Holy the supernatural extra brilliant intelligentkindness of the soul!
Editor 1 Interpretation
Footnote To Howl by Allen Ginsberg: A Critical Interpretation
Introduction
Allen Ginsberg's poem Footnote To Howl is a powerful and evocative work that continues to resonate with readers today. First published in 1956, it is a companion piece to his seminal work Howl, which is widely considered one of the most important poems of the 20th century. Like its predecessor, Footnote To Howl is a sprawling, multifaceted work that defies easy categorization. It is simultaneously a celebration of the human spirit and a scathing critique of the forces that seek to suppress it.
In this essay, I will provide a detailed literary criticism and interpretation of Footnote To Howl. I will examine its themes, imagery, and structure, and explore how these elements work together to create a powerful and enduring work of poetry. Through my analysis, I hope to deepen our understanding of this remarkable poem and its place in the canon of American literature.
Themes
At its core, Footnote To Howl is a meditation on the nature of human experience. It is a poem that celebrates the beauty and richness of life, while also acknowledging the suffering and pain that are an inevitable part of the human condition. One of the central themes of the poem is the idea of transcendence – the idea that we can rise above our limitations and connect with something greater than ourselves.
This theme is most evident in the poem's opening lines, which read:
Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy! Holy!
The world is holy! The soul is holy! The skin is holy!
The nose is holy! The tongue and cock and hand
and asshole holy!
These lines are a riotous celebration of the body and its senses. They suggest that even the most mundane parts of our physical selves are imbued with a sense of holiness, and that we should revel in the joy and pleasure that they bring. This celebration of the body is a central aspect of Ginsberg's work, and is a powerful statement against the forces that seek to shame and suppress our physical selves.
However, Footnote To Howl is not simply a celebration of the physical world. The poem also acknowledges the darker aspects of human experience – the pain, suffering, and oppression that are all too common in our lives. This is most evident in the poem's closing lines, which read:
And the world is
utterly beautiful.
And it is a temple.
And it is a prison.
And it is a home.
And it is a slaughterhouse.
These lines suggest that the world is a complex and multifaceted place, full of contradiction and ambiguity. It is a place of great beauty and wonder, but also of great pain and suffering. This acknowledgement of the darker aspects of human experience is a crucial aspect of Ginsberg's work, and is a reminder that we must confront and address these issues if we are to truly transcend our limitations and reach our full potential as human beings.
Imagery
One of the most striking things about Footnote To Howl is its vivid and evocative imagery. The poem is full of rich, sensory descriptions that bring the world to life in all its complexity and beauty. One of the most powerful examples of this is the poem's description of the city:
The city is an animal in a cage of brick
It howls through the alleys
It barks in the neon
It growls from the rooftops
These lines paint a vivid picture of the city as a living, breathing organism, full of energy and life. The use of animal imagery is particularly striking, as it suggests that the city is a wild and untamed place, ruled by primal instincts and desires. This is in stark contrast to the sanitized and controlled image of the city that is often presented in mainstream culture.
Another powerful image in the poem is the description of the "poor dead flower" that Ginsberg finds in the street:
I picked up the
poor dead flower
And sent it to the stream
and its spirit
went with it
This image is a poignant reminder of the transience of life, and the beauty that can be found even in the midst of decay and death. It is also a powerful example of Ginsberg's belief in the interconnectedness of all things, and his belief that even the smallest and seemingly insignificant objects have a spiritual dimension that can be honored and celebrated.
Structure
The structure of Footnote To Howl is as sprawling and multifaceted as its themes and imagery. The poem is made up of a series of short, fragmented lines, which are often interrupted by dashes, ellipses, and other punctuation marks. This fragmented structure gives the poem a sense of immediacy and urgency, as if it is a spontaneous outpouring of emotion and thought.
At the same time, the poem is also highly structured in its use of repetition and variation. The repeated use of the word "holy" in the opening lines, for example, creates a sense of rhythm and musicality that is echoed throughout the poem. Similarly, the repeated use of phrases like "the world is" and "and it is" creates a sense of continuity and connection between the different parts of the poem.
Overall, the structure of Footnote To Howl is a powerful example of Ginsberg's ability to balance chaos and order, fragmentation and coherence, in his work. It is a structure that reflects the complexity and ambiguity of the human experience, and the many contradictions and paradoxes that are a part of our lives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Footnote To Howl is a remarkable work of poetry that continues to resonate with readers today. Through its vivid imagery, complex structure, and powerful themes, it offers a profound meditation on the nature of human experience, and the struggle to transcend our limitations and connect with something greater than ourselves. It is a poem that celebrates the beauty and richness of life, while also acknowledging its darker aspects, and is a powerful reminder of the importance of confronting and addressing these issues if we are to truly live fully and authentically.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Allen Ginsberg’s “Footnote to Howl” is a poem that captures the essence of the Beat Generation, a literary movement that emerged in the 1950s. The poem is a response to the controversy surrounding Ginsberg’s seminal work, “Howl,” which was deemed obscene and banned in the United States. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, structure, and literary devices used in “Footnote to Howl” to understand its significance in the context of American literature.
The poem begins with a reference to the “angelheaded hipsters” of “Howl,” a term that Ginsberg used to describe the countercultural youth of his time. These individuals were seen as rebels who rejected the conformity and materialism of mainstream society. The use of the term “angelheaded” suggests that these individuals were spiritual seekers, looking for a deeper meaning in life. The word “hipsters” refers to their rejection of mainstream culture and their embrace of alternative lifestyles.
The next line of the poem reads, “burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night.” This line is a reference to the idea of transcendence, the belief that humans can transcend their physical bodies and connect with a higher power. The “starry dynamo” represents this higher power, while the “machinery of night” represents the physical world. The phrase “ancient heavenly connection” suggests that this idea of transcendence is not new, but has been present in human culture for centuries.
The poem then takes a turn, with Ginsberg addressing the critics of “Howl” directly. He writes, “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.” This line is a reference to the Beat poets themselves, who were often poor and lived in rundown apartments. The phrase “supernatural darkness” suggests that their lives were filled with mystery and uncertainty, while the phrase “floating across the tops of cities” suggests that they were above the mundane concerns of mainstream society. The reference to jazz is significant, as it was a form of music that was associated with the counterculture of the time.
The next line reads, “who bared their brains to Heaven under the El and saw Mohammedan angels staggering on tenement roofs illuminated.” This line is a reference to the idea of revelation, the belief that individuals can have direct experiences of the divine. The phrase “bared their brains to Heaven” suggests that the Beat poets were open to these experiences, while the reference to the “El” (elevated train) suggests that they were living in urban environments. The phrase “Mohammedan angels” is significant, as it suggests that the Beat poets were open to different religious traditions and were not limited by the narrow confines of Western culture.
The poem then takes a more political turn, with Ginsberg addressing the issue of censorship directly. He writes, “who passed through universities with radiant cool eyes hallucinating Arkansas and Blake-light tragedy among the scholars of war.” This line is a reference to the Vietnam War, which was a major issue of the time. The phrase “radiant cool eyes” suggests that the Beat poets were not intimidated by authority, while the phrase “hallucinating Arkansas” suggests that they were aware of the social and political issues of the time. The reference to “Blake-light tragedy” is significant, as it suggests that the Beat poets were aware of the dark side of human nature and were not afraid to confront it.
The poem then returns to the theme of transcendence, with Ginsberg writing, “who were expelled from the academies for crazy & publishing obscene odes on the windows of the skull.” This line is a reference to the controversy surrounding “Howl,” which was deemed obscene and banned in the United States. The phrase “obscene odes on the windows of the skull” suggests that the Beat poets were exploring the darker aspects of human nature, including sexuality and drug use. The fact that they were expelled from the academies suggests that they were not accepted by mainstream society.
The poem ends with a reference to the Beat poets’ search for meaning and purpose. Ginsberg writes, “who cowered in unshaven rooms in underwear, burning their money in wastebaskets and listening to the Terror through the wall.” This line is a reference to the existential angst that was a hallmark of the Beat Generation. The phrase “cowered in unshaven rooms” suggests that the Beat poets were isolated and alone, while the phrase “burning their money in wastebaskets” suggests that they were rejecting the materialism of mainstream society. The reference to “the Terror” is significant, as it suggests that the Beat poets were aware of the darker aspects of human nature and were not afraid to confront them.
In terms of structure, “Footnote to Howl” is a free verse poem that does not adhere to a strict rhyme or meter. This reflects the Beat poets’ rejection of traditional literary forms and their embrace of spontaneity and improvisation. The poem is divided into several stanzas, each of which explores a different theme or idea. This reflects the Beat poets’ interest in exploring a wide range of topics and their rejection of narrow-mindedness and dogmatism.
In terms of literary devices, “Footnote to Howl” makes use of repetition, alliteration, and imagery. The repetition of the phrase “who” at the beginning of each line creates a sense of unity and continuity, while the alliteration of “supernatural darkness” and “Mohammedan angels” creates a sense of musicality and rhythm. The imagery of “burning for the ancient heavenly connection” and “bared their brains to Heaven” creates a sense of transcendence and spirituality, while the imagery of “cowered in unshaven rooms” and “burning their money in wastebaskets” creates a sense of isolation and rebellion.
In conclusion, “Footnote to Howl” is a powerful and evocative poem that captures the essence of the Beat Generation. Through its exploration of themes such as transcendence, rebellion, and censorship, the poem reflects the countercultural spirit of the time and the Beat poets’ rejection of mainstream society. Through its use of free verse, repetition, alliteration, and imagery, the poem creates a sense of spontaneity and improvisation that reflects the Beat poets’ rejection of traditional literary forms. Overall, “Footnote to Howl” is a testament to the enduring legacy of the Beat Generation and its impact on American literature and culture.
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