Sometime During Eternity . . .

“In Goya’s Greatest Scenes We Seem to See” by Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1958)

This is another famous poem from Ferlinghetti’s 1958 collection, A Coney Island of the Mind, in which “Sometime During Eternity” also appears. Ferlinghetti was known as a sometime painter as well as poet, and in this poem, he reflects upon the significance of Goya’s works.

“Constantly Risking Absurdity (#15)” by Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1958)

Another poem from A Coney Island of the Mind, “Constantly Risking Absurdity (#15)” features Ferlinghetti’s reflections on the art of being a poet. The poem forms a nice complement to the playful treatment of storytelling in “Sometime During Eternity.”

“Howl” by Allen Ginsberg (1956)

Published in 1956 by the publishing arm of Ferlinghetti’s City Lights bookstore, Howl is considered Ginsberg’s masterwork, and temporarily landed Ferlinghetti in trouble with the law for publishing supposedly obscene literature. In this lengthy poem, Ginsberg reflects upon the turbulent experiences of his generation—in particular, the Beat poets.

"Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1919-2021)" by Poetry Foundation (2021)

This is an accessible biographical overview of Ferlinghetti’s life and work, offered by the editors at the Poetry Foundation. This page also contains direct links to the full texts of some of Ferlinghetti’s most famous poems.