Spring Break
Coalition to perform Allen Ginsberg's Howl
Samantha Salas
Issue date: 10/3/07 Section: News
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SJSU's Poets and Writers Coalition, the university's first student-run writing community, will publicly perform "Howl" by Allen Ginsberg.
Today 10 students, faculty members and poets will come together to perform this poem - originally banned in 1957 for its obscenity - in its entirety, completely uncensored.
Coalition Secretary TJ Flores said this event will illustrate the "sheer culture shock-and-awe" this poem brings and its validity across generations.
"To perform this has been a dream of mine ever since I realized I enjoyed performing poetry," Flores said. "'Howl' is just as socially and politically relevant today as it was when initially released."
Kate Evans, Center for Literary Arts co-director and "Howl" performer, said, "The 'Howl' reading is a great opportunity to draw people's attention to the ways in which literature is and has been banned and censored.
"This is not just an historical reality - it's a current reality," she said.
When describing "Howl", Flores said each line is long enough to make the reader run out of breath.
"It's like a machine gun," Flores said. "It's a visceral experience, and 10 different voices doing it is going to make it come alive."
Coalition Treasurer Peter Bosel wrote in an e-mail that the coalition was created in part to put on events like this one.
"We try to support the literary arts whenever we can," Bosel said, "whether that means inviting an outside speaker to read from his or her own work or just setting up a mic and having everyone share a little something."
Coalition members said they expect the reading to attract a large crowd.
"The interest is out there," Bosel said. "Banned books usually possess a kind of sexy appeal with a literature audience."
Kevin McGee, vice president of the coalition, said while he isn't performing, he is excited to be attending the event.
"The struggle to ensure its publication needs to be remembered," McGee said. "It's an opportunity to remind students that censorship isn't some relic of the past.
Today 10 students, faculty members and poets will come together to perform this poem - originally banned in 1957 for its obscenity - in its entirety, completely uncensored.
Coalition Secretary TJ Flores said this event will illustrate the "sheer culture shock-and-awe" this poem brings and its validity across generations.
"To perform this has been a dream of mine ever since I realized I enjoyed performing poetry," Flores said. "'Howl' is just as socially and politically relevant today as it was when initially released."
Kate Evans, Center for Literary Arts co-director and "Howl" performer, said, "The 'Howl' reading is a great opportunity to draw people's attention to the ways in which literature is and has been banned and censored.
"This is not just an historical reality - it's a current reality," she said.
When describing "Howl", Flores said each line is long enough to make the reader run out of breath.
"It's like a machine gun," Flores said. "It's a visceral experience, and 10 different voices doing it is going to make it come alive."
Coalition Treasurer Peter Bosel wrote in an e-mail that the coalition was created in part to put on events like this one.
"We try to support the literary arts whenever we can," Bosel said, "whether that means inviting an outside speaker to read from his or her own work or just setting up a mic and having everyone share a little something."
Coalition members said they expect the reading to attract a large crowd.
"The interest is out there," Bosel said. "Banned books usually possess a kind of sexy appeal with a literature audience."
Kevin McGee, vice president of the coalition, said while he isn't performing, he is excited to be attending the event.
"The struggle to ensure its publication needs to be remembered," McGee said. "It's an opportunity to remind students that censorship isn't some relic of the past.
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