RR Pod E25P1 Dr. Luke Walker- Allen Ginsberg & His Blakean Revival: 'Counterculture' and Esoteric Intersections

In Part One, Luke discusses the great influence of the poet and artist William Blake on Allen Ginsberg, one of the most influential people from the Beat Generation and the ‘counterculture’ movement of 1960s United States. He also talks in detail about Ginsberg’s “Blake Vision,” the name Ginsberg gave to a series of extraordinary events in his life in 1948. We then discuss Luke’s article “Tangled Up in Blake” that focuses on Ginsberg’s views about Bob Dylan and their complex relationship. Lastly, we talk about the influence of Buddhism on Ginsberg and how this affected his views about Blake and his worldview in general.

Dr Luke Walker has published widely on the intersections between British Romantic poetry, American counterculture, and esotericism.
His publications include "‘One physical-mental inspiration of thought': Allen Ginsberg and Black Mountain poetics", in The Beats, Black Mountain, and New Modes in American Poetry, ed. Matt Theado (2021), “Beat Britain: poetic vision and division in Albion’s ‘underground’”, in The Routledge Handbook of International Beat Literature, ed. A. Robert Lee (2018), “Tangled up in Blake: the triangular relationship among Dylan, Blake, and the Beats”, in Rock and Romanticism: Blake, Wordsworth, and Rock from Dylan to U2, ed. James Rovira (2018), “Allen Ginsberg’s ‘Wales Visitation’ as a neo-Romantic response to Wordsworth’s ‘Tintern Abbey’”, in Romanticism journal (2013), and “Allen Ginsberg’s Blakean Albion,” in Comparative American Studies journal (2013). Most recently, Luke co-edited a special issue of the Bulletin of the John Rylands Library, on “The Artist of the Future Age: William Blake, Neo-Romanticism, Counterculture and Now” (2022). 

He is now writing a book entitled William Blake and Allen Ginsberg: Romanticism, Counterculture and Radical Reception.

PROGRAM NOTES

Dr. Luke Walker:
academia.edu page: (99+) Luke Walker | Home - Academia.edu
Twitter: Luke Walker (@DrLukeWalker) / Twitter

Selected Articles:
(99+) Tangled Up in Blake: the Triangular Relationship among Dylan, Blake, and the Beats | Luke Walker - Academia.edu
(99+) Allen Ginsberg's Blakean Albion | Luke Walker - Academia.edu
(99+) Beat Britain: poetic vision and division in Albion's 'underground' | Luke Walker - Academia.edu
(99+) Psychedelic Romanticism: Ginsberg, Blake and Wordsworth | Luke Walker - Academia.edu
(99+) 'One physical-mental inspiration of thought': Allen Ginsberg and Black Mountain Poetics | Luke Walker - Academia.edu

William Blake Archive: The William Blake Archive
Allen Ginsberg sings William Blake's 'The Nurse's Song': Allen Ginsberg sings William Blake's "The Nurse's Song" - YouTube
Mike Goode, 'Blakespotting': (99+) Blakespotting | Mike Goode - Academia.edu

Allen Ginsberg: The Allen Ginsberg Project - AllenGinsberg.org
'Wichita Vortex Sutra': Allen Ginsberg: Wichita Vortex Sutra (chriscander.com)

Bob Dylan 'Tempest': Bob Dylan - Tempest (Official Audio) - YouTube
'Rough and Rowdy Ways': I Contain Multitudes - YouTube
'Subterranean Homesick Blues': Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues (Official HD Video) - YouTube

OTHER RESOURCES:
patti smith: official site
Home - Kae Tempest
John Higgs – Author of Love And Let Die, William Blake Vs The World, Watling Street and The KLF


Theme Music: Daniel P. Shea

Other music: Stephanie Shea