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emiliefox's review against another edition
3.0
I tend not to like things by writers who were brilliant in their careers and are writing at the end of their lives, in my mind trying to re-capture their early success or brilliance . . . jury is still out on this one, although poems about bodily functions (or lack thereof) as one ages seem like a ramble to me . . . but love love love several of these, including the one on identity . . . nehti, nehti . . . the library didn't have the collected poems, so I'll have to go back . . . .
losethegirl's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
2.0
Everyone who knows me knows that I’ll read anything Allen Ginsberg writes. I’ve always been a big fan of the absurdity and complexities of the Beat Gen — this collection lacked the complexity necessary for its absurdity to be meaningful. It’s hard reading a book that clearly displays one of your favourite authors’ decline in health, it’s even harder when that collection loses a lot of what made their earlier work so good.
dougsasser's review against another edition
2.0
The epilogue to this book contains a review of Ginsburg's creative process from one of his assistants. The poem were he imagined his funeral is the highlight of this book. All artist see themselves as in control of their legacy. This work reflects the final reflections of how this poet wants to be remembered.
jason_bruhvilez's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
3.0
thepentheimk's review against another edition
1.0
I, like so many others, adore Howl. It's not a very difficult poem to like. So I was excited that my boyfriend bought me a book of Allen Ginsberg's poetry for Christmas. Unfortunately, this was a collection of last poems before death, which often have a ragged, disorderly feeling to them. More than the organization of the poetry, however, it was the poetry itself that was so difficult for me to enjoy.
Ginsberg is a man who understands death is coming. It's threaded throughout his works. However, he is also a man whose poetry has regressed; the vast majority of the poetry contained within this collection is of a scatological or political nature. I certainly have no issue with the latter, but his stance on politics is so shallowly stated that it feels like they were written more by a poltical teenager than a seventy year old man. Lines such as "Native gooks work cheaper, rich get richer..." hardly enlighten.
I'm not sure what happened to Ginsberg's poetry. It's lost its edge, and, much more distressingly, the talent contained within his earlier works. Mostly, it feels like a lot of scribbled words anyone could write during their spare time, more than the final work of one of the great poets of the beat generation.
Ginsberg is a man who understands death is coming. It's threaded throughout his works. However, he is also a man whose poetry has regressed; the vast majority of the poetry contained within this collection is of a scatological or political nature. I certainly have no issue with the latter, but his stance on politics is so shallowly stated that it feels like they were written more by a poltical teenager than a seventy year old man. Lines such as "Native gooks work cheaper, rich get richer..." hardly enlighten.
I'm not sure what happened to Ginsberg's poetry. It's lost its edge, and, much more distressingly, the talent contained within his earlier works. Mostly, it feels like a lot of scribbled words anyone could write during their spare time, more than the final work of one of the great poets of the beat generation.
heypretty52's review against another edition
4.0
I love it-- to talk of shit and still have it be artful...
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