“I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix, angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection   to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night”

Ginsberg, Allen.’Howl.’ Collected Poems 1947-1980. Harper Row, 1984.

https://thepeaceresource.com/2023/05/25/beat-poety/

Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s ‘Wild Dreams Of A New Beginning’

“The washed land awakes again to wilderness

the only sound a vast thrumming of crickets

a cry of seabirds high over

in empty eternity

as the Hudson retakes its thickets

and Indians reclaim their canoes. . .”

Ferlinghetti, Lawrence. ‘Wild Dreams of a New Beginning.’ Poetry Soup.

A poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, ‘Wild Dreams of a New Beginning’ describes a massive destruction of the current order and a return to the past. A poet, painter and activist, Ferlinghetti is best known in San Francisco as a founder and owner of City Lights Booksellers, a notorious headquarters for the Beat poets to convene and write. City Lights Booksellers is also best known as the publisher of works from famous authors such as Charles Bukowski, Neal Cassady and William S. Burroughs

After all the recommendations were made and the votes counted for 2023, these individuals were added to the long list of Beat Poets Laureates already representing the organization. Our family of Beat Poets Laureate keeps growing each year as we continue to write and carry on the tradition set by the original Beat Generation, but also evolve, to write and reflect the times we live in today with our writing. It is with extreme pride I name this years awardees.