The Poetry Of Confessional Poetry

For as long as it can be remembered people have used multiple forms of literature in order to gain knowledge, entertain, and even express a certain idea. Poetry is in fact one of those forms of literature, and before people began to write it, it was known to be told verbally by many. A person would tell a tale and those who listened would memorize it, what eventually caused poetry to spread around. Still to this day, many come to fall in love with the magic poetry possesses. It is the writer’s decision to either have a specific rhythm to it or just have a simple list of words. This essay argues that poetry is a creative way of expressing one's emotions and that it should be, not only preserved, but celebrated, even by those who have not considered themselves poetry fans in the past.

Ginsberg addressed the inner workings of his complicated mind through his poetry, but he also inspired his readers to do so as well. Ginsberg was notorious for representing a variety of controversial issues, but he was also a part of the drug scene as a means of expanding personal exploration towards questioning the human condition. In his travels alongside his partner, Peter Orlovsky, Ginsberg was inspired by a variety of psychedelic drugs and the peaceful acceptance of Eastern religions to develop a “global consciousness” that challenged his native society (Schumacher). In the same way rock music of the counterculture combined different types of music, Ginsberg's poetry uniquely combined styles of poetry, religious influences, and drug-induced creative thought processes to question his reality living in a Christian-dominated society. One passage of “Howl” in particular reads, “I’m with

In today’s modern view, poetry has become more than just paragraphs that rhyme at the end of each sentence. If the reader has an open mind and the ability to read in between the lines, they discover more than they have bargained for. Some poems might have stories of suffering or abuse, while others contain happy times and great joy. Regardless of what the poems contains, all poems display an expression. That very moment when the writer begins his mental journey with that pen and paper is where all feelings are let out. As poetry is continues to be written, the reader begins to see patterns within each poem. On the other hand, poems have nothing at all in common with one another. A good example of this is in two poems by a famous writer by

Lee notices that Ginsberg’s use of anaphora questions “the historical origins of both social afflictions and collective resistance in Howl.” The “origins of both social afflictions” and “collective resistance” stems from America’s need to impose unrealistic expectations on young people. Ginsberg idealizes America’s youth by celebrating their imperfection. Ginsberg “blurs” his “central objects of identification” by finding a connection between the insanity that Carl Solomon and Naomi Ginsberg share. The “blighted hopes and wasted intellects” of America’s past and present generation are subject to

Poetry is a very misunderstood form of writing, however one of the purest and beautiful forms of writing. It is a sense of the beautiful; portrayed by a love of beauty and expressing thus through words. It is an art, but like art it is very hard to define because it is an expression of the authors thoughts and feelings and may take any form the author wishes.

Imagery is initially used to appeal to the readers sense of sight when Ginsberg describes the blurry visions of the “best minds of his generation” under the influence of peyote, a drug typically used to achieve hallucinogenic effects. He states, “Peyote solidities of halls, backyard green tree cemetery dawns, wine drunkenness over the rooftops, storefront boroughs of teahead joyride neon blinking traffic light” (Ginsberg 13). Through this use of imagery, Ginsberg makes it appear that those under the influence are quickly flashing from place to place. And although his descriptive language allows the reader to briefly imagine each location, readers are generally left feeling discombobulated and unsure of how to comprehend the situation, much like the hallucinogenic experience a drug user might have. Ginsberg drives home this point by inserting short, contrasting phrases, such as “peyote solidities” in order to illustrate how the pillars of society--the “solidities”--were misconstrued by their desire for higher meaning through a more perfect society.

Although often associated with two completely different eras in American history, both Allen Ginsberg and Walt Whitman share a great deal in common as two of America’s most famous poets. When it comes to the craft of poetry, both men grew to become extremely influencing figures both within the field and within American society. For example, as mentioned in his biography by Ed Folsom and Kenneth Price, Whitman has had such an influence on others that, “Poetic responses to Whitman sometimes fall into his cadences and in other ways mimic his style” (Folsom and Price). Additionally, Whitman has also influenced, “fiction, film, architecture, music, painting, dance, and other arts” (Folsom and Price) and is known world-wide. Likewise, Ginsberg influenced poetry, for “the Beats”, “encouraged a break from traditional values, supporting drug-use as a means of enlightenment”

uses the repetition of certain words to sound almost robotic-like. This repetition speaks very strongly to his intensely communist views on capitalism as a machine. The use of syntax is the poem also speaks very strongly to Ginsberg’s public abuse of drugs and alcohol. The entire piece reads in the same mixed up order as if the speaker was inebriated or suffering from some sort of mental illness, also a commentary on Ginsberg’s opinion of insanity as a form of genius.

Howl for the Subjection of our Individuality: Allen Ginsberg Reveals Corruption of Institutions Within America Allen Ginsberg: a poetic genius or lunatic? When reading Howl for the first hundred pages, Ginsberg’s sanity does not seem very apparent. Though, after time and deep interpretation, it shows raw truth, Ginsberg bares his soul within his poem, Howl. We are born, a soul into a body, genuinely each one-of-a-kind. Though, it seems America and its powerful institutions, tend to rip away layer by layer of individuality until there is nothing left.

This poem is sometimes referred to as a violent “howl” of human anguish. It attacks the forces of conformity and mechanization that Ginsberg believed destroyed the best minds of his generation. This poem has no real structure or rational connection of ideas, and the rules of grammar are abandoned in order to pack imagery into one line. The poem points the way toward a new and better existence, chronicling the pilgrimage of the “mad generation” toward a reality that is timeless and placeless, holy and eternal.

Poetry is about the emotions or feeling of a person. Poetry always follows a rhythm to keep the poem organized. The words used in poetry are always specific whether they are good or bad words. People may decide to write poetry because they can freely choose their own words without caring about the reader’s reaction. Although, Poetry is mostly interesting to read, it can sometimes end up being a shock to the readers.

The acts of disobedience and rebellion by Ginsberg and the Beat Poets prove them to be passionate yet theatrical. It is clear that Ginsberg views religion as a box that he refuses to be restricted in. His longing to be free from this institution can be described in the book 1959: The Year Everything Changed. “Ginsberg, too, saw the connection between freedom from structures in poetry and freedom from structures in all of life. The difference was that Ginsberg yearned for both freedoms” (Page 35). With the help of The Beat Poets, he is able to illustrate his spirituality and rejection from American institutions through the poem

Allen Ginsberg’s revolutionary poem, Howl, is a powerful portrayal of life degraded. It represents the harsh life of the beat generation and chronicles the struggles of the repressed. Howl is a poem of destruction. Destruction of mind, body, and soul through the oppression of the individual. Using powerful diction, Allen Ginsberg describes this abolition of life and its implications through our human understanding of abstractions like Time, Eternity, and self. The poem’s jumbled phrasing and drastic emotion seems to correspond with the minds of the people it describes. Ginsberg uses surprisingly precise and purposeful writing to weave the complex

“The world gives you so much pain and here you are making gold out of it.” (Kaur, 185) This excerpt from Rupi Kaur’s collection of confessional poems, Milk and Honey, shows her feelings towards poetry as an art. It explains how the confessional style of poetry allows artists to transform their pain and feelings into art. Art is always changing, new ideas are brought about, artists create with different purposes. The art of poetry is constantly evolving, poets introduce different ideas and styles based on the message they are trying to portray. The confessional style of poetry is one that allows the poet to speak freely; it is personal and allows the author to share emotions, thoughts, and feelings. Within the last decade the confessional style of poetry has changed because of the growth of certain social issues. It has become a way for poets to express their feelings towards topics like these or describe their personal experiences in a poetic way. Writing in the confessional style of poetry has allowed poets to have more freedom in recent years to discuss and write their feelings towards specific, pressing topics such as feminism and mental illnesses.

There are many similarities between Whitman’s “Song of Myself” and Ginsberg’s “Howl”. Whitman’s influence can be noticed in Ginsberg’s work which range from a similar style of format, structure, a concern with the general population of America, and the impact that these two great writers had on the rest of the literary world. Another significant influence that Whitman has for Ginsberg is the fact that Whitman had been considered an outcast from the literary world of his era. Whitman appeared as a plainly dressed working man rather than a fancy high societal poet. His long winded style, free verse, and sexual exposure made Whitman stand out from the rest of the other poets. Ginsberg was also not accepted among the poets of his generation. His literary works were banned from the public’s eye. Another similarity was between the two was their subject matter. In the introduction of leaves of grass, Malcolm Cowley said, “Its subject is a state of illumination induced by two (or three) separate moments of ecstasy”.