Marc Oddo
Allen Ginsberg writes in the first person point of view in the poem “America”. He is speaking to an audience, and that audience is America as a whole. There is a strong tone of bitterness throughout the poem. It is first noticeable in the first few lines when Ginsberg states, “America I’ve given you all and now I’m nothing, America two dollars and twentyseven cents January 17, 1956,”. At this period in our nation’s history the government asked the people to help their country when in need. People asked more of themselves and of others to put more effort into the country and to be more generous human beings. Ginsberg feels as though he has put his life into the country at one point but got nothing in return and is now broke. “I can’t stand my own mind.” Ginsberg is saying that he can’t believe he did all this and feels some degree of regret for putting so much time into his country. He feels as though America is taking a turn in the wrong direction and is very disgusted with their decision making when he writes, “America when will we end the human war? Go fuck yourself with your atom bombs.” This poem was written in a period in time when atomic weapons had been used and there was still a threat of them being used again.
Ginsberg uses a transition by writing, “I won’t write my poem till I’m in my right mind.” He transitions his tone from being bitter to being very sarcastic. He asks, “America when will you be angelic? When will you take off your clothes? When will you look at yourself through the grave?” He is saying in the last question, “How soon will you kill yourselves off from the destruction you are putting yourselves through?” Also asking, “America why are your libraries full of tears?” He is saying to the reader that throughout our history there has been nothing but war, devastation, and horror. That we do not know how to be peaceful. More bitterness when he says, “I’m sick of your insane demands.” He is either talking...