Monks' Fruit

Susan McKnight is an administrator of the Courts Technology Integrated Justice Project at the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General.

A.J. Levin’s debut collection of poetry promises—and delivers—good
things. Levin mixes current and classical images and references in such
a way as to invest even the most serious subjects with a touch of
humour.

The collection is divided into four parts. “Old-Age Benefits”
features mixed classical/historical/current metaphors and comparisons
and characters as diverse as Plato, a gold-rush prospector, and Freud.
In “The Show to End It All,” Levin makes brilliant use of mundane
things (e.g., “The World’s Largest Cabbage Moth Collection” and
“World’s Oldest Toast”) in order to make far loftier statements.

In “Baby Beef,” he does the same thing using food-related topics.
Finally, “Monks’ Fruit” is a miscellany of ideas that concludes
with a poem called “Ancestors” in which Levin speaks to all North
American ancestors in a low-key yet profound manner.

There is something so easy about Levin’s poetry, even though the
subject matter is far from simplistic and the subtle meanings become
more apparent with each reading. His style does not follow any
traditional format, but his use of classical imagery juxtaposed with
modern situations is delivered in a greatly polished form. It is a
refreshing way to look at life.