Howl Religion Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (line)

Quote #7

They broke their backs lifting Moloch to Heaven! Pavements, trees, radios, tons! lifting the city to Heaven which exists and is everywhere about us! (line 89)

"Moloch" is the name of a false god in Ancient Hebrew scripture. This line contrasts an idea of Heaven as superior to humans and "above" them to an idea of Heaven as "everywhere about us."

Quote #8

I'm with you in Rockland where you accuse your doctors of insanity and plot the Hebrew socialist revolution against the fascist national Golgotha (line 107)

Ginsberg proudly associates socialism with Judaism, or at least with Jews. He may also be poking fun at the anti-Semites who made this argument. By contrast, Golgotha, the site of Christ's death, is associated with fascism and nationalism. In other words, these two forces are responsible for "killing" the loving spirit of Christ.

Quote #9

I'm with you in Rockland where you will split the heavens of Long Island and resurrect your living human Jesus from the superhuman tomb (line 108)

Solomon (and, implicitly, the speaker of the poem) value the "human" Jesus, who died for his love of mankind, over the "superhuman" Jesus as the Son of God. Although this view runs contrary to most Christian theology, Ginsberg didn't really care about remaining true to dogma.