Allen Ginsberg, “Howl,” Original Draft Facsimiles, Middlesex, England, (August 30^th, 1955)

Throughout the transcript, a series of annotations reveal a genuine insight to Ginsberg’s style and technique. The title, scripted in legible red ink at the top “Howl for Carl Solomon,” portrays the influence Solomon had on Ginsberg’s timeless poem. Annotated side notes like “drained of brilliance” and “hysterical” demonstrate the writer’s literary approach. Insight on Ginsberg’s method of composing poem makes it an indelible turning point for American freedom of speech. Ginsberg’s touches on sensitive social matter, making the original draft facsimile a footstep into the future of the counter culture movement. The iconic line “I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness,” conveys an intimacy between Ginsberg and the poem – ironically, revealing himself as mad as a Beat generation icon. Ginsberg’s persona – a non-conformist and forward thinker – comes out in his writing of topics of post-war cynicism, sexual discovery, and racial discrepancies that reveal societies flaws.