in a mental institution in Rockland for killing 12 secretaries, and was only allowed to be visited by Ginsberg twice a week. This caused Ginsberg great grief. He had once spent 18 months in such a place, and thus understood the feelings of his lover. Each stanza addresses comments made to Ginsberg by Solomon in letters.“I’m with you in Rockland where you scream in a straightjacket that you’re losing the game of actual Ping-Pong of the abyss.” (Ginsberg 25)The subject of Ping-Pong comes up frequently in much of “Howl,” and it is believed to represent the emotions of Ginsberg in relation to his changing perspective of American society.In addition to the three parts of “Howl,” Ginsberg also wrote a footnote to the poem, which ironically was completed before the poem was. The footnote, barely two pages long, describes exactly what Ginsberg didn’t name as Moloch. These things are Holy, and many ‘Holy’ things in Ginsberg’s mind are people that he was closely associated with.“Holy Peter holy Allen holy Solomon holy Lucien holy Kerouac holy Huncke holy Burroughs holy Cassady holy the unknown buggered and suffering beggars holy the hideous human angels!” (Ginsberg 27) Allen Ginsberg, in this final part of “Howl” reflects on his life, and points out all the good things. It is ironically the happier end to a blatantly Hellish poem. In the 40th anniversary edition of “Howl and Other Poems,” Ginsberg’s good friend William Carlos Williams wrote:“It is the poet, Allen Ginsberg, who has gone, in his own body, through the horrifying experiences described from life in these pages. The wonder of the thing is not that he has survived but that he, from the very depths has found a fellow whom he can love, a love he celebrates without looking aside in [Howl]. Say what you will, he proves to us, in spite of the most debasing experiences...
