Allen Ginsberg: "What would you do if you lost it?"

Feb 26, 1973

Allen Ginsberg read with his father Louis this night in 1973, but what sets this recording apart is how Ginsberg is heckled throughout by fellow Beat poet Gregory Corso, who keeps interrupting the show from his seat in the audience.

The recording starts with Ginsberg reading “What would you do if you lost it?” and ends with some songs and a chant. Corso comes in around the 5:30 mark—and sticks around a while. “I’m the igniter for the dynamite,” he shouts at Ginsberg. “I’ll blow ‘em up!”

This recording is part of the Dave Nolan Poetry Series, in honor of our beloved audio archivist who passed away in 2010.

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