Saturday, March 14, 2020

Brian Beatty on Philip Levine

Borrowed Trouble: Micro Tribute to Philip Levine (1928-2015)

I wouldn’t write at all if it weren’t for myriad writers before me whose works showed me what was possible. The poems of this series are small offerings of respect, of thanks, to those muses. – Brian Beatty

Philip Levine

My late grandmother 
believed in her Bible as well 
as all the old superstitions.
Rocking an empty rocking chair, 
for instance, invited death 
or something worse into your home. 
From her cold senior citizen apartment 
up on the fourth floor to escape 
the fires of Hell she sent money 
she couldn’t spare to her favorite 
call-in radio evangelists. 
When you visited, you prayed 
and watched whatever show was playing 
on her tiny black-and-white TV.

– Brian Beatty


click for more info



Learn more about Philip Levine:







- - - -


click here for more on this book
click for more on this book
NEW! Read the entire series of Borrowed Trouble by Brian Beatty anywhere you go by buying the collection of all sixty poems today! You've enjoyed these poetic tributes on-line, now enjoy them everywhere!


Brian's recent collections of poetry are Dust and Stars: Miniatures and Brazil, Indiana


Don't miss Brian's columns on great poets: insert your email address in the "Follow By Email" box to the right of this article and you'll be notified every time a new article appears.

1 comment:

  1. Levine was among my first favorite poets because his poems told vivid stories of working class people not unlike folks I knew.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.