Allen Ginsberg

Danny Errichiello

WRT-201-014

Process Essay 1

Most poems anyone reads will have imagery, symbolism, or metaphors. After reading the poems “God Bless America” by Sarah Jones (2000), “Facing West From California’s Shores” by Walt Whitman (1860), Allen Ginsberg’s “America” (1956), “Let America Be America Again” by Langston Hughes (1938), and Wislawa Szymborska’s “The Century’s Decline” (1986) I realized that even though they all talk about America , except Szymborska, the way they say it and how they say it makes very different poems. Sarah Jones wrote “God Bless America” in 2000. The country was established and immigrants from all over the world made their lives here, they’ve had children and grandchildren here. When Allen Ginsberg wrote “America” he was angry and fed up with all of the lies the government was spreading. He felt America was being told what to think and he was the only one who didn’t fit in. Walt Whitman’s “Facing West From California’s Shores” is spoken as a person who has traveled all around the worlds looking but not finding what he desires. 1860, when this was written, was the same year the Civil War began. Perhaps the man couldn’t find Freedom after traveling all throughout the world. Sarah Jones’ “God Bless America” Allen Ginsberg’s “America” and Walt Whitman’s “Facing West From California’s Shores” were three poems written very differently, while Ginsberg uses a lot of imagery and symbolism whereas Jones uses facts and a pattern and Walt Whitman tells a story from another man’s point of view.

Whitman’s and Ginsberg’s poems are more alike than they are with Jones’. Jones’ poem doesn’t have a lot of metaphors or imagery like the other two. Sarah Jones’ “God Bless America” has pattern and a rhyme scheme and this makes her poem very powerful and strong. “God Bless those who are proud of this colorful nation”(Jones Li. 31,32). Her Poem is proud and inspiring, proud to live with so many different races and creeds, and proud to feel that way. Because Jones decides not to use crazy imagery or fancy symbolism doesn’t mean her poem is bad.

Allen Ginsberg’s “America” has no patter or rhyme scheme. It’s basically like one long rant about everything that bothers him with amazing imagery. “America when will you be angelic? When will you take off your clothes? When will you look at yourself through the grave?”(Ginsberg Li. 8,9,10). Those three lines to me translates to when will America not be evil, when will I see what you really are and when will you realize what you are? “America the plum blossoms are falling”(Ginsberg Li. 25). This example of imagery really makes me visualize this picture