Howl

Howl is a long poem by Allen Ginsberg, first published in 1956, that protests a society which, in his eyes, strips people of their humanity. The work was caught up in censorship battles and obscenity charges, yet it became one of the most widely read poems of the twentieth century. The poem itself is made up of three parts followed by a footnote.

This annotated edition reproduces the poem alongside Ginsberg's own account of how he wrote it. His notes recount many anecdotes and offer a close look at the techniques he used as a poet, so readers can see the choices behind the lines.

Beyond the poem, the book works as a portrait of American life in the 1950s, seen from within the Beat Generation circle in which Ginsberg was a central figure.