What was Gregory Corso’s first published poetry collection?

Gregory Corso’s first published poetry collection was The Vestal Lady on Brattle and Other Poems.

The collection appeared in 1955, the same year that Corso became more closely connected with the New York and San Francisco literary circles associated with the Beat Generation. Its title poem reflects Corso’s theatrical imagination and his interest in combining formal echoes with surreal and unexpected images.

Corso had spent much of his youth in difficult circumstances and served time in prison before developing a serious literary career. In New York, he met Allen Ginsberg and other writers who recognized the energy and originality of his poetry. Ginsberg later helped Corso gain wider attention.

Readers sometimes confuse this debut with Gasoline, Corso’s second major poetry collection, published in 1958. Gasoline became one of his best-known books, but The Vestal Lady on Brattle and Other Poems came first and established his place among the Beats.