Description
THE BALLAD OF THE SKELETONS
Book Summary
This bilingual edition recovers one of the lesser-known poems by Allen Ginsberg, written in 1996, when the poet was seventy years old and had barely a year left to live. It is a collection of verses originally set to music with Paul McCartney and Philip Glass, inspired by the Mexican Day of the Dead. Through universal skeletons, the author constructs a fierce satire against the evils of the contemporary system: exhaustion, exploitation, and destruction. Andrés Neuman's translation captures the strength, sarcastic humor, and sonority of the original, offering a work as radical as it is entertaining, and surprisingly timely.
What is it about?
In 1996, Allen Ginsberg, already in very poor health, embarked on a final project: setting to music a collection of short poems published in The Nation magazine. Inspired by the Mexican holiday of the Day of the Dead, the poet conceived a gallery of skeletons representing universal figures of our society: from those who wield power to those who suffer under it, all of them trapped in a macabre dance. The poem is a carnivalesque satire that denounces the system of exhaustion, exploitation, and destruction in which we live. With a radical and entertaining tone, Ginsberg lashes out at American morality and offers a critique that, three decades later, remains terrifyingly current. This bilingual edition presents the original English version alongside Andrés Neuman’s brilliant translation, which respects the expressiveness and sonority of the verses.
Main Themes
- Social and political critique of the contemporary capitalist system
- Death as a liberating and satirical element, inspired by the Mexican Day of the Dead
- Power and its mechanisms of oppression and exploitation
- Old age and creative urgency at the end of life
- Interdisciplinary artistic collaboration (poetry, music, performance)
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in Beat poetry and the figure of Allen Ginsberg, as well as those looking for a work that combines incisive social criticism with black humor and satire. It will also be attractive to those who appreciate musicalized poetry, formal experimentation, and bilingual editions that allow for comparing the original with a creative translation. It is especially recommended for readers who want to discover a lesser-known facet of the poet, written in his final months of life.
What this book offers
- Access to a poem previously unpublished in Spanish, translated by Andrés Neuman, which preserves the strength and sarcasm of the original
- A lucid and current vision of the social, political, and economic contradictions of the contemporary world
- The opportunity to learn about the last great creative project of Allen Ginsberg, in collaboration with Paul McCartney and Philip Glass
- A bilingual edition that allows one to appreciate the sonority and rhythm of the original text in English
Technical Sheet
- Author: GINSBERG, ALLEN
- Publisher: La Bella Varsovia
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: POETRY, POETRY BY INDIVIDUAL POETS, SOCIAL ISSUES AND PROCESSES
- Collection: LA BELLA VARSOVIA
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: April 2025
- Number of pages: 96
- Weight: 144 g
Editorial Assessment
This edition of The Ballad of the Skeletons represents a valuable opportunity to discover a late and less-traversed work by Allen Ginsberg, which condenses his critical vision and characteristic humor into a brief but intense format. Andrés Neuman's translation is a success, as it manages to convey the power of the original without losing its musicality. The work maintains a surprising relevance, making it a recommended read both for followers of the Beat poet and for those seeking a sharp and contemporary social satire.