Michelle's post on Howl.

from the comments:

"What initially struck me about Allen Ginsberg’s reading of Howl was his use of a monotonous voice, further enhanced with severe repetition of words such as “who”, “Moloch” and “I’m with”. This establishes a constant beat throughout the poem, which contrasts greatly with the harsh and explicit nature of the poem, perhaps depicting his personal experience with drugs that can often be associated with times of ‘highs’ and ‘lows’. The use of this technique may be to illustrate a drug user’s dark life, which can never be satisfied. Ginsberg reads the poem with a gradual crescendo, although keeping the same dark tone, this method reminded me of sermons usually heard in Church setting, which reaches a final climax. Moreover, the language is complex, yet upon hearing the reading in which Ginsberg barely pauses for a breath, it could be deduced a tirade. However, one may appreciate the intricate expression of emotion once they have read the poem themselves."