Levine, Philip 1928–

American poet, author of On the Edge and Not This Pig. (See also Contemporary Authors, Vols. 9-12, rev. ed.)

To distinguish exactly the quality of Philip Levine's poems is not easy. He falls outside our categories. In some respects his horror poems, reciting the barbarities of our time, seem old-fashioned, reverberations from the days of early Jarrell and Shapiro, twenty-five years ago when we were all so intent upon, for example, the painting of Hieronymus Bosch. Levine gives us that inspired loathing, that humane coldbloodedness. But his contempt is even fiercer than his forebears', I should say, and he writes without their neo-metaphysical orna-mentation. Face to face with the bomb, what is the use of wit? Levine's first book … was remarkable for its individuality, its poems in a classical acerbic voice…. Now in his new book, Not This Pig, Levine writes with an easier, freer, more fluent and...

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