Allen Ginsberg's Poetry Glossary

Glossary of Terms

abyss

a deep chasm

artichoke

a type of vegetable

asylum

a mental institution for the insane

benzedrine

a strong stimulant drug

bum

a homeless person; a person not willing to work for their livelihood

capitalism

an economic system characterized by free markets

catatonic

an abnormal psychological condition, usually characterized by a stupor or comatose like state

cathedral

a large church, usually built in a medieval style

Charon

in Greek mythology, the captain of the ferry that took souls to Hades.

communism

a Marxist form of government based on the communal sharing of property

corridor

a hallway or long aisle

cottage

a small house, usually in a secluded setting.

cower

to hide in fear

delicacy

a luxurious or pleasing food

desolate

abandoned, deserted

disgorge

to violently displace something

dynamo

something that is awe inspiring

ecstasy

a mental state of extreme euphoria or pleasure

El

an ancient Hebrew name for God

ellipse

a plane curve

enumerations

a list of things

faculties

a measure of the ability to reason or to comprehend

FBI

Federal Bureau of Investigation; the United State's federal police force

ferry

a boat that transports people

fix

the act of using illegal drugs to satisfy a craving

flat

a type of apartment, usually having only one large room

foetid

a variant of "fetid"; to have a stale or noxious smell

fornication

an indecent sexual act

Golgotha

in the Biblical New Testament, the place where Jesus Christ was crucified; the "place of the skull"

graybeard

an old person

grubber

a person bent on accumulating money

Hades

in Greek mythology, the underworld where souls would go after death.

hallucination

a dream like state usually caused by drugs or sickness

heterosexual

a term denoting a sexual relationship between a male and female

hipsters

denotes a person living a lifestyle counter to modern trends

homosexual

a term denoting a sexual relationship between a male and another male, or a female and another female

hysterical

a state of insanity or extreme emotion

intoxication

the state of being drunk on alcohol

laurel

a type of green foliage used by the Greek's to crown athletic champions

leftist

a term that denotes extreme liberal political positions

legions

a large group of followers

Lethe

in Greek mythology, a river that causes forgetfullness

manuscript

an unfinished draft of a written work

marijuana

an illegal drug derived from the Cannabis plant

marxism

an economic system characterized by the communal sharing of property

migraine

a severe headache

obscene

indescent

odyssey

an epic quest

penumbra

a shroud; something that allows only partial illunination.

petticoat

an old-fashioned term for a woman's underwear

peyote

a drug that causes extreme hallucinations

phonograph

a record player

platonic

a non-sexual relationship

psychotherapy

a type of medical mental treatment

purgatory

in Christianity, a state of limbo for the soul once one has died

radiant

brightly glowing

seraphim

a type of angel or angelic body

shrew

a mean or bitter woman

solipsism

a philosophy that believes the self is the only reality

sordid

dirty or filthy

sphinx

a puzzling or mysterious figure

spinster

an old solitary woman

suicide

taking one's own life

supernatural

a state not of the ordinary world

syntax

the formation of sentences or phrases in a language.

teahead

a term for someone who habitually uses marijuana

tenement

a type of house or building, usually containing multiple people or families

turpentine

an oil used as a thinner or solvent

workers

a term for a unionized force of industrial employees; denotes leftist politics

zen

a style of meditation; a point of enlightenment