America

“America” (1956) by Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997) is a free verse Beat poem that captures the discontent and revolutionary, rebellious spirit of the Beat Generation and the burgeoning youth counter-culture movement that would come in the 1960s. In the poem, Ginsberg’s sprawling, manic, stream-of-consciousness mind wanders between contemporary politics, luminous ramblings, and psychoanalytic contemplations of his childhood to paint a picture of displacement and isolation in Eisenhower’s 1950s America. The poem perfectly captures Ginsberg’s poetic philosophy of first thought/best thought as it follows no set rhythmic or logical structure; instead, the poem weaves in a seemingly random way as Ginsberg explores the loosely connected images and thoughts that come to his mind at the moment, ultimately leading to a powerful condemnation of Cold War American bourgeois culture. “America” is one of Ginsberg’s most popular poems, and it has endured for decades as a rallying cry for those who seek to criticize the status quo and American consumer society.

Content Warning: This study guide quotes and obscures the poet’s use of the n-word. The source material includes other instances of racist, outdated language. There are also depictions of drug use and mental health issues.

Poet Biography

Allen Ginsberg was born in Newark, New Jersey to Louis Ginsberg and Naomi Levy.