The Philosopher's Window & Other Poems

by Grossman, Allen

• ISBN13: 9780811213004
• ISBN10: 0811213005
• Edition: 00
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1995-09-17
• Publisher: New Directions

Summary

The speaker of The Philosopher's Window and Other Poems, Allen Grossman tells us, is "an old man compelled by the insistent questioning of the children to explain himself" - and in this way, the world. He begins with creation ("The Great Work Farm Elegy"), recalls the romantic quest of youth ("The Philosopher's Window"), returns to reality ("The Snowfall" and "Whoever Builds"). His tales told, the old man wakes in a stormy springtime ("June, June"), "when the lilacs are gone." Grossman's allegory of life's journey, at once sonorous and antic, takes in the high and the low in these new visionary songs of innocence and experience.

Author Biography

Allen Grossman is Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Humanities at The Johns Hopkins University.

Table of Contents

The Great Work Farm Elegy	p. 1
The Philosopher's Window	p. 11
The Labyrinth	p. 14
At Bristol	p. 17
Launching the Great Eastern	p. 20
Song of the Key	p. 23
Entertainment on Deck	p. 26
Song of the Constant Nymph	p. 29
The Parrot's Story	p. 32
The Gate of Night	p. 34
Song of the Kiss	p. 37
The Shipwreck	p. 40
The Patience of Trees	p. 42
The Invisible Circus	p. 45
What White Bird	p. 48
The Work	p. 49
Song of the Breaking of Clocks and Scales	p. 50
The Delay of the Answering Glance	p. 52
Weeping Birds	p. 55
The Song of the Swineherd	p. 59
No Ship Returns	p. 61
A Short Walk to the Human End	p. 64
The Ivory Hunters	p. 66
The Sovereign	p. 69
The Island Off-shore	p. 71
The Snowfall	p. 73
Whoever Builds	p. 83
June, June	p. 93
Notes	p. 97
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