6/3/2023 0 Comments Kaddish and other poemsAfter her death, a rabbi would not allow the traditional Kaddish to be read with Ginsberg’s Christian and Atheist friends, so he rebelled and wrote a Kaddish of his own. The traditional Kaddish contains no references to death, whereas Ginsberg’s poem is riddled with thoughts and questionings of death. This long poem was Ginsberg’s attempt to mourn his mother, Naomi, but also reflects his sense of loss at his estrangement from his born religion. The title ‘ Kaddish‘ refers to the mourning prayer or blessing in Judaism. She went in and out of mental hospitals and was treated with medication, insulin shock therapy, and electroshock therapy. Naomi suffered many psychotic episodes both before Allen was born and while he was growing up. Ginsberg wrote the poem about his mother Naomi after her death in 1956, who struggled with mental problems throughout her life. Along with Ginsberg’s ‘ Howl‘, Kaddish is said to be one of his greatest masterpieces. In the table of contents, the poem is titled ‘Kaddish: Proem, narrative, hymmnn, lament, litany, & fugue’. The book was part of the Pocket Poet Series published by City Lights Books. The lead poem ‘ Kaddish‘ also known as ‘Kaddish for Naomi Ginsberg (1894-1956)’, was written in two parts by Beat writer Allen Ginsberg, and was first published in Kaddish and Other Poems 1958-1960. “ Kaddish and Other Poems 1958-1960 (1961) is a book of poems by Allen Ginsberg published by City Lights Bookstore.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |