Poetry is the one place where people can speak their original human mind. It is the outlet for people to say in public what is known in private.

Ginsberg frames poetry as a uniquely candid public medium: a space where the “original human mind” can speak without the usual social filters. The quote contrasts public speech—often shaped by etiquette, politics, or fear of judgment—with private knowledge: the unguarded truths people admit to themselves or close confidants. In this view, poetry functions as a civic outlet for intimacy, confession, and moral witness, making private experience shareable and therefore socially meaningful. The claim also reflects a Beat-era emphasis on authenticity and direct perception: poetry is not merely ornament but a vehicle for unedited consciousness, capable of challenging collective denial by voicing what many silently recognize.