and political consciousness (Harvey &
Wallis,2007). It means holding on to ancient
philosophies whilst embracing change. According
to Harvey and Wallis 2007, this is what
contemporary shamans do. It is clear to see that
this fits an understanding of Ferlinghetti as
Shaman-poet. In "I am waiting" Ferlinghetti
states "I am waiting perpetually and eternally for
a renaissance of wonder". Here we see that despite
embodying the shaman, Ferlinghetti, pines that
world revolution, that new age of raised
consciousness. Ferlinghetti first took Lysergic acid
diethylamide )LSD) in 1967, an experience that
resulted in the poem "Mock Confessional". It is
commonplace in shamanic ritual to take such
“entheogens” such as ayahuasca to “raise
consciousness. It can be said that taking LSD may
have served such a ritual purpose for Ferlinghetti.
VII
Michael McClure was speaker at the Six
Gallery meeting in 1955 and was responsible for
bridging the beat movement with 60’s
counterculture. He was good friends with
Duncan, Rexroth, Brautigan, Snyder and even
Dylan. Snyder calls his poetry a “biological
36