The Philosopher's Window & Other Poems

by Allen R. Grossman

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. Allen Grossman is Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Humanities at The Johns Hopkins University. He counts among his many honors and awards MacArthur, Guggenheim, and NEA fellowships, the Witter Bynner Prize for Poetry, and the PEN-Sheaffer/New England Award for Literary Distinction. The Philosopher's Window is his eighth book of poetry. His previous collection, The Ether Dome & Other Poems New and Selected (1991), was a National Book Critics Circle Award nominee.

Genres: Poetry

98 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1995

Reviews

[R.K. Cowles]

3 3/4 stars

[Laura]

Beautiful; a treasure trove of poems.

[Sarah]

This would be a higher rating if I were near smart enough to read it. Grossman is deeply talented and deeply weird. Maybe one day I will read it again and I will get how the pieces hang together instead of just snagging bits and bobs here and there.