The Spirit Level

by David Barber

Winner of the Terrence Des Pres Prize for Poetry

The Spirit Level is the first collection by an exciting new voice in American poetry. Representing the world as a place of feverish energies, David Barber creates a virtuoso tension between playful, sometimes flamboyant, diction, and the seriousness of his concerns. Balance and grace, but also wit and verbal energy, and a deft hand at shaping the poem, make Barber's first book a superb debut.

Genres: Poetry

81 pages, Hardcover

First published October 25, 1995

Reviews

[Keeley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A varied collection with moments of baroque over- embellishment and other moments where the same tendency to detail creates beauty. Some favorites include "Memo on the Hereafter" (an ode to rust, basically) and "Dürer's Rhinoceros."