Collected Poems (new Directions Books) [Paperback]

From the appearance in 1936 of Kenneth Patchens first book, the voice of this great poet has been protesting war and social injustice, satirizing the demeaning and barbarous inanities of our cultureentrancing us with an inexhaustible flow of humor and fantasy. With directness and simplicity, he has restored the exaltation of romantic love to its ancient bardic place beside an awareness of Gods living presence among all men.A selection of well-known and rare poems from the great experimental poet. To experience Patchen's work is to discover a peculiar sort of?divinity. Patchen is a writer of superb daring and invention, the author of a few passages which are comparable to the most intuitively beautiful writing ever done. Kenneth Patchen is one of the very few people over thirty who can and should be believed. The contemporary forces of assault should know that his voice was raised, and his sword was bright at the walls of darkness when almost all other American poets were still and tamed. In these fierce and hurrying years, Patchen's apocalyptic prophecies have come and are coming all too true. Listen if there is still time, to the words of this man! 'Peace or Perish: Mercy Truth Freedom Peace Peace Peace Peace Love Kindness Trust or All Men Are?Doomed.' There is more verve and more variety in Patchens work than in any other living American poets entire output. No more ringing protests and no more passionate love poems have been written in our time. This book should win the acclaim that he so well merits and it should establish him not only as a remarkable poet but also a great one. Patchen is the only major poetand prose writer if it comes to thatwho is still to be plumbed, explored, or really understood. Rich the prospect for him, and for?us!