"My Sad Self" by Allen Ginsberg

The poem “My Sad Self” by Allen Ginsberg is in dedication to the writer, Frank O’Hara. Throughout the poem a sense of nostalgia is identified. The main themes celebrated in this poem are sadness, longing and memories. Ginsberg begins the poem by relating his custom of overlooking the city of Manhattan by going to the top of a building. There, he reminisces about all his achievements and life experiences that he obtained in his youth. He may have also been relating that his friend O’Hara experienced those moments as well. Throughout the entire poem Ginsberg speaks about his experiences, not only in Manhattan but also in Brooklyn, the Bronx and very well-known places in New York City. He mentions the sunrises and also how it shines on all that he owns. This is symbolizing that his past was filled with happy and unique memories.

It is key to recognize that throughout the poem the narrator changes his location from the top of the building; to the elevator; and finally on the street. This may also symbolize his life, how it evolved or decreased as he grew older. Through his transitions, the narrator realized that the city he loved so much was changing rapidly. At the end of the poem he remarks, “on deathbed or mountain// once seen //never regained or desired //in the mind to come //where all Manhattan that I've seen must disappear.”  This comprehension was like a wide awakening as he mourned the loss of the city’s previous identity. The one he’d loved so much—the one he’d help create.