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- Was born on June 3, 1926, in Newark, New Jersey

- Son of an English teacher

- His mother was neurotic, which made his relationship with her complex

- He began experimenting with drugs while in college; this led to persistent substance abuse later on

- He was arrested for burglary in college, but pleaded insanity and spent several months in an asylum instead

- He moved to San Francisco in 1954, when the Beat movement was beginning to develop

- His  political viewpoints (he was a strong supporter of Modernism and an advocate of sexual freedom) and outspoken nature often got him in trouble with authorities

- He died of liver cancer in 1997

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- His first major publication was  Howl and Other Poems (1956)
- "Howl" was extremely vulgar; its publisher, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, was arrested because of its explicit and controversial nature, and there was a court case to determine if its content was acceptable
- "Howl" became an icon of anti-censorship

-“Kaddish",  which is written in the form of a Hebrew prayer, explores his relationship with his mother

- The topics of his poems are the
rejection of materialism, the imperfect human condition, experimentation with psychedelic drugs, and sexual liberation

- Much of his poetry was written under the influence of drugs

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- Allen Ginsberg wrote in a way that is said to be the "language of the streets"

- He focused on topics that were seen as forbidden in poetry, such as religion and sexuality.

- He used metaphors to portray madness, politics, and visions of America

- His poems are raw and unrestrained

- His most famous poems are written in free verse

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- He is a respected Beat writer and acclaimed American poet. His candid tone and use of vulgar language distinguishes him from the other poems of his time

- However, his reputation is tarnished by his controversial beliefs

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Defender of NAMBLA, the notorious North American Man Boy Love Association

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Defender of NAMBLA, the notorious North American Man Boy Love Association

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"Attacks on NAMBLA stink of politics, witchhunting for profit, humorlessness, vanity, anger and ignorance. . . . I’m a member of NAMBLA because I love boys too — everybody does, who has a little humanity.”

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"When I died, love, when I died
my heart was broken in your care;
I never suffered love so fair
as now I suffer and abide"
-A Western Ballad