A Supermarket in California
by Allen Ginsberg
What thoughts I have of you tonight, Walt Whitman, for I walked down the sidestreets under the trees with a headache self-conscious looking at the full moon.
In my hungry fatigue, and shopping for images, I went into the neon fruit supermarket, dreaming of your enumerations!
What peaches and what penumbras! Whole families shopping at night! Aisles full of husbands! Wives in the avocados, babies in the tomatoes, and you, Garcia Lorca, what were you doing down by the watermelons?I saw you, Walt Whitman, childless, lonely, old, poking among the meats in the refrigerator and eyeing the grocery boys.
I heard you asking questions of each: Who killed the pork chops? What price bananas? Are you my Angel?
I wandered in and out of the brilliant stacks of cans following you, and imagined being accompanied by the store detective.
We strode down the open corridors together in our solitary fancy tasting artichokes, possessing every frozen delicacy, and never passing the cashier.Where are we going, Walt Whitman? The doors close in an hour. Which way does your beard point tonight?
(I touch your book and dream of our odyssey in the supermarket and feel absurd.)
Will we walk all night through solitary streets? The trees add shade to shade, lights out in the houses, we’ll both be lonely.
Will we stroll dreaming of the lost America of love past blue automobiles in driveways, home to our silent cottage?
Ah, dear father, graybeard, lonely old courage-teacher, what America did you have when Charon quit poling his ferry and you got out on a smoking bank and stood watching the boat disappear on the black waters of Lethe?
Summary of “A Supermarket in California”
“A Supermarket in California” is a compelling poem by Allen Ginsberg, first published in 1955 and later included in his 1956 collection Howl & Other Poems. The poem is not simply a narrative; it is a poignant exploration of inspiration, loneliness, and a lament for a lost American ideal. The speaker imagines a walk through a brightly lit supermarket accompanied by the spirits of Walt Whitman and Federico García Lorca. This setting is intentional; Ginsberg uses the supermarket as a symbolic representation of modern American consumer culture, contrasting it with the natural, spiritual world celebrated by Whitman. The poem’s central idea revolves around the speaker’s search for connection, to the poetic lineage of Whitman and Lorca, and to a more authentic American experience, within the alienating environment of postwar America.
Essentially, the poem is a conversation, a longing addressed to Whitman, blending fantasy and reality as the speaker projects his own anxieties and desires onto these literary figures. The imagined encounter is not just about admiring these poets; it is about questioning what America has become and what it has lost.
Central Idea
Ginsberg’s poem centers on a yearning to connect with the voices of Whitman and Lorca while critiquing the commodified reality of contemporary life. The supermarket becomes a mirror reflecting the erosion of cultural depth and the persistence of artistic hope. By bringing these two poets into dialogue with one another, the poem suggests that their shared themes of freedom and celebration of the common person are still relevant to Ginsberg’s own search for meaning in a rapidly changing society.
Ginsberg’s Biography
Allen Ginsberg, born in 1926, was a key figure of the Beat Generation. He experienced a long and public struggle with alcoholism, which he eventually overcame. His literary work remains influential, and his exploration of freedom and individuality continues to resonate.
Central Idea and Thematic Development
Ginsberg’s poem uses the supermarket as a setting to examine how consumerism erodes authentic cultural values. The speaker’s yearning to connect with Whitman and Lorca represents a desire to revive a lost sense of community. By exploring the idea of being a consumer, the poem calls attention to the role of the consumer in shaping cultural identity and the ways that the modern marketplace can shape our perceptions.
Whitman’s Role in Ginsberg’s Poem
Whitman, as the speaker’s poetic father figure, represents a vision of America rooted in nature, democracy, and individual freedom. However, the poem suggests that this vision has been lost or corrupted in contemporary society.
Central Idea and the Themes of Ginsberg’s Poem
The poem’s central idea revolves around the speaker’s search for connection, to the poetic lineage of Whitman and Lorca, and to a more authentic American experience, within the alienating environment of postwar America.
García Lorca’s Role in Ginsberg’s Poem
García Lorca, the Spanish poet and playwright, represents a different kind of artistic sensibility, one marked by passion, tragedy, and a sensitivity to social injustice. By including Lorca in his poem, Ginsberg emphasizes the shared desire for freedom and authenticity among all writers.
Whitman’s Role as the Speaker’s Father Figure
The poem begins in medias res, with the immediate address “What thoughts I have of you tonight, Walt Whitman…” This opening frames the poem as a conversation that begins in the midst of the unfolding narrative. Ginsberg’s use of Whitman’s enumerations in the poem alludes to the cataloging style used in Leaves of Grass. The enumerations in the supermarket are presented as empty and superficial.
Whitman’s Vision of American Society
The poem continues with a description of families “shopping at night” and a humorous depiction of “aisles full of husbands, wives in the avocados, babies in the tomatoes.” These images highlight the commercialization of everyday life and the erosion of meaningful community. The supermarket itself is a powerful symbol that reflects how contemporary culture reduces experiences to consumable products.
Whitman’s Impact on the American Literary Tradition
Whitman’s voice is present throughout the poem, serving as a reminder of the power of literature to inspire and sustain the human spirit. The poem is a conversation, a longing addressed to Whitman, blending fantasy and reality as the speaker projects his own anxieties and desires onto the poet. Whitman’s vision is portrayed as both lost and corrupted in contemporary society, suggesting that Ginsberg’s generation has strayed from its cultural roots.
García Lorca’s Role in the Poem’s Themes
García Lorca’s presence serves as a reminder of the importance of creativity and expression. The poet’s role is to inspire the audience to see the world differently and to explore how culture shapes society. In the poem, García Lorca is a figure that helps Ginsberg to understand the value of art and literature.
Rhetorical Devices in Ginsberg’s Poem
Ginsberg uses rhetorical questions throughout the poem to challenge assumptions and provoke thought. The shift to the neon fruit supermarket is jarring, and the phrase “dreaming of your enumerations” alludes to Whitman’s cataloging style in Leaves of Grass. In the supermarket, this enumeration feels empty and superficial. The imagery of families “shopping at night” and the description of “aisles full of husbands! Wives in the avocados, babies in the tomatoes” is both humorous and unsettling. The supermarket itself is a powerful symbol, representing how contemporary society commodifies experience. The brilliant stacks of cans symbolize abundance and superficiality. The poem concludes with a haunting image borrowed from Greek mythology, “what America did you have when Charon quit poling his ferry and you got out on a smoking bank and stood watching the boat disappear on the black waters of Lethe?” Charon, the ferryman who transports souls to the underworld, abandoning his duty, suggests a breakdown of the natural order. Lethe, the river of forgetfulness, symbolizes the loss of memory and identity. This final image suggests that America has lost its way, forgetting its values and its history.
Ginsberg’s Literary Techniques
- Poetic Structure: Ginsberg’s use of free verse allows for a conversational tone and creates a sense of spontaneity in the poem.
- Imagery: Vivid images such as “wheat in the supermarket” evoke the sense of hunger, longing, and hope.
- Allusions: The poem contains several allusions to Greek mythology, especially the final image of Charon and Lethe.
- Metaphor: The supermarket is used as a metaphor for consumer culture.
- Repetition: The repetition of phrases such as “I went into the supermarket” emphasizes the intensity of the moment.
- Personification: The supermarket is personified in the poem as a living, breathing entity.
- Contrast: The poem juxtaposes the modern world of consumerism with the natural world.
- Alliteration: The repeated use of the sound “s” in “shopping” creates a sense of rhythm and movement.
Allen Ginsberg’s A Supermarket in California continues to resonate with readers. The poem challenges contemporary society to look beyond surface appearances and to pursue a deeper sense of connection with one another.