Allen Ginsberg reading “Howl” in Washington Square in 1966. Associated Press

'Howl' is quintessential. Quintessentially American. Quintessentially Beat. Quintessentially poetic. Fun fact: fellow poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, of the famous Beat bookshop City Lights Books, was charged disseminating obscene literature after publishing Ginsberg's poem. In 1957, Judge Clayton W. Horn ruled that the book had 'redeeming social importance' and was thus not obscene. Thank god for that redeeming social importance, hey? Yet, in 2007, a planned broadcast of the poem was pulled for fears its content would see the station fined by the FCC. Yes, in 2007.

Did you also know that 'Howl' is now an amazing graphic novel by Eric Drooker?

 The mood and atmosphere of Drooker's artwork is perfect.

Copyright E. Drooker http://drooker.com/books/howl_pages.html

Buy Howl: the Graphic Novel by Eric Drooker at Fishpond.