Howl and Other Poems
Obviously, "Howl" dominates this collection. In length as well as notoriety. The first section is a testament to what can be done with words. The third section is also good stuff. Though the second section is less impressive. But it's a 4 1/2 star poem, even by my harsh standards."A Supermarket in California" and "America" are the two other pieces that stand out. The quartet of earlier poems are just that - the work of a poet who was still developing his talents.
Note: "America" (written in 1956) includes the line - "My ambition is to be President despite the fact that / I'm a Catholic."
