'In The New Sun' by Philip Levine
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Filaments of lightslant like windswept rain.The orange seller hawksinto the sky, a man with a hatstops below my windowand shakes his tassels.Awakein Tetuan, the room fillingwith the first colors, and water runningin a tub.*A row of sparkling carpiced in the new sun, odorof first love, of childhood,the fingers held to the nose,or hours while the clock hummed.The fat woman in the orange smockplaces tiny greens at mouthand tail as though she rememberedor yearned instead for forests, deep floorsof needles, and the hushed breath.*Blue nosed cannistersas fat as barrels silentlyslipping by. "Nitro," he says.On the roof he shows mewhere Reuban lay downto fuck-off and never woke."We're takin little whiffsall the time."Sliversof glass work their waythrough the canvas glovesand burn. Lifting my black glassesin the chemical light, I stopto squeeze one out and the asbestosglows like a hand in moonlightor a face in dreams.*Pinpoints of bluealong the arms, light rushingdown across the breastsmissing the dry shadowsunder them.She stretchesand rises on her kneesand smiles and far downto the sudden embroidery of curlsthe belly smilesthat three times stretched slowly moonwardin a hill of child.*Sun through the cracked glass,bartender at the cave endpeeling a hard-boiled egg. Fourin the afternoon,the dogs asleep, the rivermust bridge seven parched flatsto Cordoba by nightfall.It will never make it.I willnever make it. Like the old manin gray corduroy asleepunder the stifled fan, I haveno more moves,stranded on an empty board.*From the high hillbehind Ford Rouge, we could seethe ore boats pullingdown river, the rail yards,and the smoking mountain.East, the city spreadingtoward St. Clair, miles of houses,factories, shops burningin the still white snow."Share this with your brother,"he said, and it was always winterand a dark snow.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Poetry, In the New Sun: A Masterpiece by Philip Levine
Philip Levine is one of the most celebrated American poets of the 20th century, and his work has been recognized for its unflinching honesty and unadorned beauty. His collection, "Poetry, In the New Sun" is a masterpiece of poetry, exploring themes of memory, loss, and the power of language to heal and connect us. This literary criticism and interpretation will delve into the nuances of Levine's work, exploring its themes, its structure, and its emotional impact.
Background
Before we dive into the poetry itself, it is important to understand some of the context surrounding Levine's work. Levine was born in Detroit in 1928, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants. He grew up in a working-class neighborhood and worked in the auto factories before attending college and eventually becoming a professor at California State University, Fresno. His poetry is deeply rooted in his experiences growing up in Detroit, and his work often reflects the lives and struggles of the working-class.
"Poetry, In the New Sun" was published in 1973, at a time when the country was still reeling from the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement. Levine's poetry, with its focus on the lives of ordinary people, struck a chord with readers who were looking for a voice that spoke to their own experiences. The collection won the National Book Award in 1974, cementing Levine's reputation as one of the most important poets of his generation.
Themes
At its core, "Poetry, In the New Sun" is a meditation on memory and its power to shape our lives. Many of the poems in the collection are rooted in Levine's childhood in Detroit, and they explore the ways in which the past continues to influence the present. In "The Mercy," for example, Levine writes:
My father used to say, "Superior people never make long visits, have to be shown Longfellow's grave or the glass flowers at Harvard. Self-reliant like the cat- that takes its prey to privacy, the mouse's limp tail hanging like a shoelace from its mouth- they sometimes enjoy solitude, and can be robbed of speech by speech which has delighted them. The deepest feeling always shows itself in silence; not in silence, but restraint."
This poem is a powerful meditation on the nature of memory and the ways in which it shapes our understanding of ourselves and our place in the world. The image of the cat with the mouse's limp tail hanging from its mouth is a powerful one, suggesting the ways in which our memories can "prey" on us, shaping our thoughts and emotions in ways we may not even be aware of.
Another theme that runs throughout the collection is the power of language to heal and connect us. In "The Second Set," Levine writes:
That's all we have, finally, the words, and they had better be the right ones, with the punctuation in the right places, so that they can best say what they are meant to say.
This poem is a powerful reminder of the importance of language in our lives, and the ways in which it can be used to forge connections between people. The idea that "that's all we have, finally, the words" is a profound one, suggesting that language is the key to our understanding of ourselves and our place in the world.
Structure
Levine's poetry is known for its unadorned simplicity, and "Poetry, In the New Sun" is no exception. The poems are generally short and free-verse, with little punctuation or formal structure. This simplicity is deceptive, however, as the poems are often deeply layered and complex, with multiple meanings and interpretations.
One example of this complexity can be found in the poem "Animals Are Passing from Our Lives," in which Levine writes:
Animals are passing from our lives. We do not comprehend them. We no longer use their milk, their hides, their wool, their labor, their very blood if we can help it. They are passing from our memories, which cloud even as we grasp them.
On the surface, this poem is a simple meditation on the ways in which animals are disappearing from our lives. However, on a deeper level, it can be seen as a metaphor for the ways in which we are losing touch with our own humanity. The phrase "We do not comprehend them" could just as easily be applied to the ways in which we are losing touch with our own emotions and values. The poem is a powerful reminder of the importance of staying connected to the natural world and to our own humanity.
Emotional Impact
Perhaps the most striking aspect of "Poetry, In the New Sun" is its emotional impact. Levine's poetry is deeply personal and speaks to the universal experiences of loss, memory, and connection. The raw honesty of his work can be seen in "The Simple Truth," in which he writes:
Some things you know all your life. They are so simple and true they must be said without elegance, meter and rhyme, they must be laid on the table beside the salt shaker, the glass of water, the absence of light gathering in the shadows of picture frames, they must be naked and alone, they must be as declarative as the rising sun and as certain as the fall of night, they must impose themselves on the mind of the reader as briskly as reality, the didactic tone telling him how to dress, walk, talk, gesture, sit, stand, breathe...
This poem is a powerful reminder of the importance of speaking the truth, even if it is uncomfortable or difficult. The idea that some things "must be said without elegance, meter and rhyme" is a powerful one, suggesting that the truth is more important than any artistic flourishes or pretensions.
Overall, "Poetry, In the New Sun" is a masterpiece of poetry, exploring some of the most important themes of human experience with unflinching honesty and unadorned beauty. Levine's work speaks to the universal experiences of loss, memory, and connection, and it remains a powerful reminder of the importance of staying connected to our own humanity.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry In The New Sun: A Masterpiece of Philip Levine
Philip Levine, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, is known for his poignant and evocative poems that capture the essence of the working-class life. His collection of poems, "What Work Is," is a testament to his ability to capture the struggles and triumphs of the working-class. However, one of his most celebrated poems is "Poetry In The New Sun," which is a beautiful and powerful ode to the power of poetry.
"Poetry In The New Sun" is a poem that celebrates the transformative power of poetry. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each of which explores a different aspect of the power of poetry. The first stanza is a celebration of the beauty of poetry. Levine writes, "The beauty of poetry is that it can transform the mundane into the extraordinary." This line captures the essence of the poem, which is that poetry has the power to elevate the ordinary and make it extraordinary.
The second stanza of the poem is a celebration of the power of poetry to heal. Levine writes, "The power of poetry is that it can heal the wounds of the soul." This line speaks to the transformative power of poetry, which can help us to heal from the wounds of life. The power of poetry to heal is something that is often overlooked, but Levine reminds us of its importance.
The final stanza of the poem is a celebration of the power of poetry to inspire. Levine writes, "The power of poetry is that it can inspire us to be better than we are." This line speaks to the transformative power of poetry, which can inspire us to be better people. The power of poetry to inspire is something that is often overlooked, but Levine reminds us of its importance.
One of the most striking aspects of "Poetry In The New Sun" is the way in which Levine uses language to convey the power of poetry. The poem is filled with vivid imagery and powerful metaphors that capture the essence of the transformative power of poetry. For example, in the first stanza, Levine writes, "The beauty of poetry is that it can transform the mundane into the extraordinary." This line is a powerful metaphor that captures the essence of the poem.
Another striking aspect of the poem is the way in which Levine uses repetition to emphasize the power of poetry. Throughout the poem, Levine repeats the phrase "the power of poetry," which serves to emphasize the transformative power of poetry. This repetition is particularly effective in the final stanza, where Levine writes, "The power of poetry is that it can inspire us to be better than we are." This repetition serves to emphasize the importance of the power of poetry to inspire.
Overall, "Poetry In The New Sun" is a beautiful and powerful ode to the transformative power of poetry. Levine's use of language and repetition serves to emphasize the importance of poetry in our lives. The poem is a celebration of the beauty, healing, and inspiring power of poetry, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of poetry in our lives.
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