To Aunt Rose

The Spanish Civil War serves a few purposes in this poem. The main purpose is to establish context and scene. By establishing the political preoccupation of his characters, Ginsberg communicates the exact time and situation of his memories. Because of Aunt Rose and her friends’ actions, readers are able to get a clear sense of the things Ginsberg is reminiscing about, and what he laments losing. Readers are able to establish the values Ginsberg is holding on to as he fondly reflects on the actions of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade and other anti-fascist Leftists.

The war also serves a bigger political purpose. Ginsberg highlights his aunt’s actions during the war to try and build support for the Leftist cause. And though he does not mention it, his focus on her actions heavily implies a criticism of America’s inaction at the time. To understand this, it is important not to read this poem in a vacuum. Ginsberg was deeply involved in political action, and his poetry was highly critical of capitalism, fascism, and America. And Ginsberg’s poetry, though often about the past, was chiefly concerned with the present. By recalling a time in the past when America turned a blind eye to the existential issues Ginsberg cared about, he is able to critique what he saw as America’s then contemporary (1950s) dismissal and rejection of those same issues. This symbolism becomes clearer as Ginsberg introduces sickness and the body into the poem, but Ginsberg consistently romanticized the organizing efforts of 1930s Leftists in much of his poetry, including in “Howl” and “Kaddish.” So it is not surprising he does the same thing here.