Ginsberg Howl Translation

Ginsberg’s reputation as the leader of the beat poetry movement began in the 1950s and he is widely recognized across the world as one of the most notable figures in 20th century literature. He was born on June 3rd 1926 in Brooklyn, NY and attended prestigious Columbia University. Yet, even with his east coast Ivy League establishment roots, Ginsberg lived the majority of his life on the fringes of society espousing the values of eastern religion and the ideas of the Marxist counter culture. He faced massive opposition by mainstream America, yet Ginsberg fused his Buddhist philosophy with his poetry and lifestyle to give him the strength to become a major voice in the Global social justice movement. At the height of Ginsberg’s fame his experimental beat poetry was considered subversive. Ginsberg’s book Howl was banned and put on trial for obscenity. His poems are highly autobiographical, and he often writes about his homosexual lovers, beatnik friends, and his mother. His book Howl was cutting edge and over fifty years later his poems still reflect the pain and struggles of humanity living …show more content…
Whereas many of the translations by others clearly express the concept of the poem’s literal translation, it was Ginsberg who added the onomatopoeia where almost everyone else did not. I think Ginsberg’s translation of the poem hits closest to the mark. It expresses the poems description of a sound, as the actual sound of the splash itself. It took a poet like Ginsberg to finally connect with Basho, the pond, and the splash of the frog. Ginsberg’s sensibilities as a Buddhist and as a Beatnik Poet give him the ability to write in the language of the “now” and “break the silence.” What is the sound of one frog splashing? I am fairly sure Ginsberg got it right when he determined the answer was

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