ENGL 3072 : Ginsburg's "America" Study Guide
Document Summary
Poem with 4 stanza"s written in free verse, follows patterns of spoken speech, Written (1956) and set in america in the 1950"s almost a stream of conscious complaining. America by allen ginsberg (leader of the beat movement) Disregard for grammatically correct structure (run-on sentences, lack of punctuation used as rhetorical effect of disregard for respect of society/america) Rant about frustration with america (as a whole) Commentary on politics, war, sexuality, culture, society, history, literature, censorship, oppression. Introduces conversation with a personified america (addressing an abstract idea is called an apostrophe) & his feelings of dissatisfaction. A cool reading i found my ginsburg over no church in the wild . America i"ve given you all and now i"m nothing. America two dollars and twenty-seven cents january 17, 1956. I won"t write my poem till i"m in my right mind. America after all it is you and i who are perfect not the next world.
