Starting from San Francisco Book

This book could have easily been called, Another Side of Lawrence Ferlinghetti because in this collection we can behold a new previously unforeseen side to this great man - there is a stronger vein of cynicism creeping in and whispers of disillusionment with the ways of the world, which everyone goes through the older we get.
Ferlinghetti set himself quite a mean task of having to come up with a strong follow-up book after his first two absolutely brilliant books of poetry - Pictures from the Gone World and the immortal Coney Island of the Mind (which inspired millions of people all over the world including Bob Dylan and Tom Waits).
And yet he delivers, once again. Not quite as powerful as his first two forays into poetry, nevertheless Ferlinghetti adopts a wise tack in this volume by changing direction (remember when Kid A came out after OK Computer?), in the face of all expectations, and striking out for new territory. The poems Starting from San Francisco (which reads like a trip that Jack Kerouac could have made across country), One Thousand Fearful Words for Fidel Castro (full of cynicism and dry humour) and The Situation in the West, Followed by a Holy Proposal (a poem which reminded me of John Lennon's Imagine in which Ferlinghetti, long before Lennon, imagined a world without borders) are all very strong manifestoes and were among my favourites.
I am starting to think that Ferlinghetti might be the best of the beat poets. The only people who come close in my opinion are Gregory Corso (when he is at his best) or Jack Micheline. Highly recommended. Looking forward to reading The Secret Meaning of Things next month.