Allen Ginsberg

1926-1997


Allen Ginsberg was born in Newark, New Jersey on June 3rd, 1926. His parents were Naomi and Louis Ginsberg. Allen grew up in Patterson, New Jersey with his parents and little brother Irwin. His mother,Naomi, was a Communist and she slowly started to go insane in her early adulthood. When Allen was older she was hospitalized, lobotomized, and died soon thereafter. Louis Ginsberg was also a poet, a Jewish Socialist and a school teacher. Louis incouraged Allen to become a lawyer. Allen followed his father's advice and attended Columbia University with the intentions of becoming a lawyer.

Little did he know that the friends he would make in college would ultimatly change his career path. He soon met Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady, and William S. Burroughs. Allen's circle of friends did not have a positive influence on his school work. They are thought to have provoked his rebellion into drugs, sex, and crime. It wasn't long before Allen was expelled from Columbia and he and his friends would seek what they called The New Vision (a poetic vision).

Allen's alternative lifestyle of homosexuality was a subject he included a great deal in his poetry. It made him risque and daring especially in the 60s and 70s. His poetry had a draw on the public. He could pull in crowds of people to hear him read his work, probably his most popular poem, Howl, is what he's remembered for the most today. Allen also took part in music, in the 60s he participated in the London underground scene with bands such as Pink Floyd. Later he took part in the punk movement working with The Clash. Even now his poetry is still remembered and recited by bands like Rage Against the Machine.

Allen experienced the height of his popularity during the Beat generation days and has often been assotiated with his friends and comrades, Jack, Neal, and William. They inspired each others work and lives and in turn inspired generations of people to believe in the power of poetry. They were great visionaries with great ideas. Allen's poetry was often dramatic, strange, and original to say the least. He never stopped participatting in poetry readings and stayed social untill his death on April 5, 1997.

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By Michelle Heath