This small book gathers several poems by Allen Ginsberg. Some deal with sex – homosexual sex – in a very raw and explicit way, which can be striking. Many others focus on politics, capitalism, and the United States in the mid-20th century. The tone is frequently angry and ranting, even if much of what he criticizes still feels relevant today. That said, I should mention the final poem, “C’mon Pigs of Western Civilization Eat More Grease”, which I found quite hilarious. I must admit, it was not entirely my cup of tea. I already struggled with the title, and the poems themselves were no easier to grasp. An encounter with Ginsberg that I may have to revisit someday – if only not to leave things on this rather mixed impression.
“Eat Eat more marbled Sirloin more Pork’n gravy!
Lard up the dressing, fry chicken in boiling oil
Carry it dribbling to gray climes, snowed with salt,
Little lambs covered with mint roast in racks surrounded by roast potatoes wet with buttersauce,
Buttered veal medallions in creamy saliva, buttered beef, by glistening mountains of french fries
Stroganoffs in white hot sour cream, chops soaked in olive oil,
surrounded by olives, salty feta cheese, followed by Roquefort & Bleu & Stilton thirsty
for wine, beer Cocacola Fanta Champagne Pepsi retsina arak whiskey vodka
Agh! Watch out heart attack, pop more angina pills
order a plate of Bratwurst, fried frankfurters,
couple million Wimpys’, MacDonald’s burgers to the moon & burp…”
All the poems are taken from Collected Poems 1947-1997, first published in 2006