Allen Ginsberg is one of the most complex poets I encountered so far. America is an intricate poem filled with political and cultural references. The stanzas are irregular and the lines have different lenghts sometimes lacking punctuation. It's characteristic to Ginsberg's style which I find difficult but compelling. Ginsberg starts his poem with incriminating statements and accusatory questions addressing America directly as if preaching to it, vehemently criticizing it. I was suprised by the ending of the second stanza:
"It occurs to me that I am America
I am talking to myself again"
I enjoyed the speaker's identification with America and changing from accusations and lamentations to an acceptance of his condition of being part of America.
The poem can be fully understood only if getting familiar with the political and economical history of America during the 50's. There are many references to the military, political, economical, cultural and religious issues in America at that time. Ginsberg creatively uses humor such as in the last line of the poem : "America I'm putting my queer shoulder to the wheel."
