America

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1956

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Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Further Reading & Resources

Related Poems

“Howl” by Allen Ginsberg (1956)

Ginsberg’s most famous poem and one of the most important poems in American history, this anthem of the Beat Generation recounts experiences in Ginsberg’s life and touches on similar themes in “America.” Ginsberg speaks about alienation, American hypocrisy, consumerism, and mental health. In the poem, Ginsberg laments a loss of connection between people and the universal soul, and he blames this on Moloch, which stands for many issues Ginsberg had with the world, including consumerism and the Cold War. The poem is also famous for being banned upon publication and for its vivid and uncensored descriptions of many taboo topics in 1950s America.

“New Stanzas for Amazing Grace” by Allen Ginsberg (1994)

Ginsberg comments on the issue of homelessness and income inequality in this rewrite of “Amazing Grace.” This poem is interesting when compared to “America” and Ginsberg’s other work because it is one of his few poems that is written with a rhyme scheme and consistent meter. This is because he was rewriting a famous song, but Ginsberg is still able to incorporate his usual themes and preoccupations, speaking to similar issues he identifies in “America.”

“Plutonian Ode” by Allen Ginsberg (1978)

“Plutonian Ode” mirrors “America” in its use of apostrophe. While “America” addresses the country as if it is a living being, “Plutonian Ode” addresses plutonium, an element used in nuclear weapons. The poem uses mythological allusions, giving it an epic structure. It is much more of a direct protest poem than “America” is, though, and Ginsberg even used it as a defense when he was arrested for trying to block the transport of nuclear components by train.

Further Literary Resources

“Allen Ginsberg’s 1956 Poem ‘America’: A Lost Ending” by Jonah Raskin (2019)

This article goes over some of the composition history of “America,” and it discusses the original draft of the poem. Raskin is mainly interested in the fact that there is a first draft, as that seems to defy Ginsberg’s belief in spontaneous mind and first thought/best thought.

“Ginsberg’s ‘America’ Revisited” by Aaron Belz (2013)

This article focuses on two main issues: Ginsberg’s use of apostrophe in “America” and the poem’s relationship to Walt Whitman. Belz argues that “America” is influenced by Whitman’s “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry,” but he believes Ginsberg’s poem is better than Whitman’s. Belz argues Ginsberg’s use of apostrophe here is more authentic than other American apostrophe poems that tend to do nothing but glorify the country.

“Contradictions and Confessions in Ginsberg’s ‘America’” by Chacei (2019)

Chacei focuses on issues of identity in “America” and the relationship Ginsberg’s confusing poem has with the 1950s American political climate. Chacei argues that the poem is an example of an unreliable narrator, and this matches the confusing, chaotic tone of American politics in the 1950s. Chacei also mentions the poem’s queerness, which is not as prevalent as one might think it would be considering Ginsberg is the writer.

Listen to Poem

Allen Ginsberg reads “America” by Allen Ginsberg

Ginsberg’s poems are meant to be heard more than read, and Ginsberg was a prolific public reader. He was particularly good at reading with energy and varying his cadence to match his lines. The lines on the page serve the way he wants to read the poem.