Ever thought about making your own literature work? No?
Yes. Me neither.
This is my very first poem-like literature work I made for Popular Writing's final exam assignment. Ginsberg's work amazed me, but mine wouldn't amaze him. To make it less self-humiliating, I did many research for this work. It takes one comprehensive reading day to finally understand that Ginsberg's work hides something that I personally want to reveal. I don't hope you guys enjoy and understand my work. Just read it and don't take it too serious ;)
P.S the hardest thing to do in writing this work is, we could not use any pronouns.
Companionlessly wandering on twilight night, these feet are sore and soon urged to rest. What to look around was nothing but mediocre perception. Rummages are here and there. The eyes catch no other lively figure. It was dingy alley with frosty vicinity. These monotonous sidestreets are as lonely as this prostrated rapacious body. Wait a minute: Was there nobody around? Was there nobody here who will lend their hand for me? Oh, what a pang! This is what modernization feels like!
Forced these shoeless feet to operate, but the head starts feeling tipsy. Tipsy! Tipsy! Where’s everybody? When the stomach and the head are not put in sync, this situation always recurs. The head says, hey, this sore won’t be long if my owner starts to spoil himself. Hand starts to examine the small pocket attached to that black sack suits, but there’s nothing left. It’s perfectly empty. See the positivity: At least it’s the most sterile spot!
Eyes ravenously looking around. Pictures of a plate full of oxtail soup and bowl of mac and cheese start monopolizing this old, conservative brain. Each step dreaming every bite of it. Each breath craving those things satiate this flavorless tongue. Blah! Blah! Stack all monthly income of this venerable self gets, still, it couldn’t be enough to reward those oral desires. It’s better not to promise anything if it can’t be fulfilled. My dear, once again, this is modern America! Being a big cheese is the key to earn money, while stay being eggheaded-men is the dumbest option to achieve American dream. Keep dreaming, American authors!
Finally, twenty-three steps after, these eyes caught one captivating super-market. Super! A Market! Perhaps, that’s where the name came from. A colossal, diverse, are usually rich mass shops in a market. It’s nothing like market that ancient generations visit on the weekend. This place has colorful groceries here and there—an enochlophobia would run away from this place! Or not! But hey! Here’s the faith: sometimes, the most colorful places hide the darkest secret. Remember, there is always peaches and penumbras!
Decided to gather with this capital masses for the entrance was free, but the exit gate would cost much as the basket will entirely be filled. Remember, shop for the eye! Not to fulfill desires! Promised it to self.
As these eyes start inspecting what’s inside, the brain murmurs, This is what modernization looks like! Wealthy men and women rushingly grab things to be put on their bassinet. Oh, taking the civilization in. Smiled a bit, knowing that they still like to eat fresh fruits and not the canned ones. Tomatoes, avocados, mangoes... what in the world does Garcia Lorca do here! Garcia Lorca! In a supermarket full of bourgeoises with no compassion! In watermelon section! In present-day illumunation! At the night occasion! This starts making the head shaky. Shaky! Shaky! Headbanging restlessly like a bullocky! At this time, things are started resembling blurry pictures.
This is modernization! This is America! But why it looks horrid! None of them notices what this poor ol’ outsider does!
Slowly losing its consciousness, the brain seizes another familiar figure. It’s a man with analogous clothes like what is detaching on this body. His wonted greyish beard, his poetic hands, his steady figure, his gay sights looking at the boy behind meatbar were too recognizable. O, Whitman! My Whitman! Walt Whitman, it is. The brain starts processing words, how will this mouth approach him?
Saying, Walt Whitman! This deceased soul was looking for you all this time. Eventually found you now, erotically looking to that boy who chops meats? Have you gone Contempo? Oh, Dear Whitman! You don’t belong here! How could you live in such merciless, relentless, and heartless pigpen like this! Hush-hush!
His little mouth rythmic babbling promiscuous words after silently licking pork chops. Poor Whitman, he surely needs to be accompanied, and this is our journey!
While walking down pivoting this crowded supermarket, Whitman absurdly licks any of frozen goods! Behind canned food stalls this body hides wondering, How is the taste of modernization? Is it more like proletarians’ sweat; salty but quenching your thirst?
He turns his lustful eyes to these eyes as if he aspires to go after him. As if he tries to say, let’s forget those light-skinned uncultured men. They are not our responsibility, since humanity was not there in present day. Suddenly, time tocks just like knock-knock on a solid rock! Happily running through cashiers, at least it’s free to pass the exit gate since this deflated suit is deeply satisfied. Call it a date with bloated abdomen—it’s too embarrassing to admit that the bone below abdomen is also bloated.
Going outside the supermarket, it’s insignificant and deserted. Where is everyone? In a heartless world, these feet running against it. Been craving to see you again in supermarket, O, Whitman!
References
Ginsberg, Allen. (1984). “A Supermarket in California” from Collected Poems 1947-1980. HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. Retrieved Dec 15th from https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47660/a-supermarket-in-california
Reynolds, David S. (1995). Walt Whitman's America: A Cultural Biography. New York: Vintage Books. ISBN 0-679-76709-6.
Wiesemann, Bastian. (2005). Essay on Allen Ginsberg’s “A Supermarket in California” (1956). Grin. Retrieved Dec 16th from https://www.grin.com/document/154816
(n.d). A Supermarket in California by Allen Ginsberg: Summary and Analysis. Bachelor and Master. Retrieved Dec 16th from https://www.bachelorandmaster.com/britishandamericanpoetry/a-supermarket-in-california-summary-analysis.html#.X9tbh9gzbIX
(n.d). A Supermarket in California by Allen Ginsberg Analysis. Literary Devices. Retrieved Dec 16th from https://literarydevices.net/a-supermarket-in-california/
(n.d). A Supermarket in California by Allen Ginsberg: Study Guide and Analysis. Shmoop. Retrieved Dec 16th from https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/poetry/supermarket-in-california-poem/analysis