HOWL

The following poem, Howl, was subject, in 1957, to obscenity trials on the basis of its contents, including illicit drug use and sexual references, both homo- and heterosexual. These claims were brought to an end on October 3rd, 1957 with Judge Clayton W. Horn's ruling that it was not, in fact, obscene but actually had "redeeming social importance," as verified by the testimonies of nine literary experts. The poem gained extreme popularity and helped spawn an era in which people became less afraid of their natural bodies and more worried about their own encroaching egos. It didn't take long, though, for people to once again couch themselves comfortably inside their egos again and rally against the blasphemy of their own tainted nakedness. Anyway, the poem is long, and as I said, it contains words and ideas that some have considered "obscene." Close your eyes and enjoy hearing it straight from the poet's mouth.

HOWL by Allen Ginsberg