Religion

One recurring theme throughout this collection is the theme of religion, specifically Christianity. Some appearances of this theme are blatant while others are more subtle. n "A Coney Island of the Mind," the first mention of religion occurs when Lawrence Ferlinghetti mentions "Cinerama holy days," referring to modern society's tendency to worship movies and media more than God and religion. He also states that a bomb catches the president at his prayers, emphasizing the president's religious habits. The fifth poem in the first chapter is solely about Jesus Christ, a carpenter from Galilee who claims to be God's sons and states that the proof is on parchments around the Dead Sea. They hang him on a tree, or cross, where he refuses their entreaties to come down. He is used as a model.

There is also a poem about the erection of a statue of Saint Francis in...