Celebrated children’s book author Ingrid Law recently revealed a unique Allen Ginsberg “lost poem” – well, kind of. As she explains in her blog, “Straight From The Jar,’ (in a posting that is no longer available) it was 1977, and she was 7 years old. “It was at a fund-raising event, I believe. And, at the time, I did not even understand much about who Allen Ginsberg was, let alone how cool it would be to have this poem years later”. Yes, Allen wrote a poem/inscription/lullaby note for the little girl (and her mother wisely held on to it). “I doubt you’ll be seeing this one in any anthologies soon”, she wryly remarks, “but still…”
You eat macaroni!
You eat donuts!
Do you eat the donut holes?
You watch Superman!
You visit Gilligan’s island?
You sing roll & Rock!
You smell roses!
You touch your mom!
You think of going to
sleep!
Allen Ginsberg
July 6,’77
I remember this day! Allen was sitting at a table outside, writing poems to order, perhaps to benefit Naropa. They weren't, shall we say, masterpieces, but they're cute. He wrote me one too, referring to one of my jobs as his apprentice, typing up his journals for publication: "Pale brown neck/Like a little kid/Whatcha doin' with that/ Great big phallic typewriter?"