'Call It Music' by Philip Levine
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Some days I catch a rhythm, almost a song
in my own breath. I'm alone here
in Brooklyn Heights, late morning, the sky
above the St. George Hotel clear, clear
for New York, that is. The radio playing
"Bird Flight," Parker in his California
tragic voice fifty years ago, his faltering
"Lover Man" just before he crashed into chaos.
I would guess that outside the recording studio
in Burbank the sun was high above the jacarandas,
it was late March, the worst of yesterday's rain
had come and gone, the sky washed blue. Bird
could have seen for miles if he'd looked, but what
he saw was so foreign he clenched his eyes,
shook his head, and barked like a dog--just once--
and then Howard McGhee took his arm and assured him
he'd be OK. I know this because Howard told me
years later that he thought Bird could
lie down in the hotel room they shared, sleep
for an hour or more, and waken as himself.
The perfect sunlight angles into my little room
above Willow Street. I listen to my breath
come and go and try to catch its curious taste,
part milk, part iron, part blood, as it passes
from me into the world. This is not me,
this is automatic, this entering and exiting,
my body's essential occupation without which
I am a thing. The whole process has a name,
a word I don't know, an elegant word not
in English or Yiddish or Spanish, a word
that means nothing to me. Howard truly believed
what he said that day when he steered
Parker into a cab and drove the silent miles
beside him while the bright world
unfurled around them: filling stations, stands
of fruits and vegetables, a kiosk selling trinkets
from Mexico and the Philippines. It was all
so actual and Western, it was a new creation
coming into being, like the music of Charlie Parker
someone later called "glad," though that day
I would have said silent, "the silent music
of Charlie Parker." Howard said nothing.
He paid the driver and helped Bird up two flights
to their room, got his boots off, and went out
to let him sleep as the afternoon entered
the history of darkness. I'm not judging
Howard, he did better than I could have
now or then. Then I was 19, working
on the loading docks at Railway Express
coming day by day into the damaged body
of a man while I sang into the filthy air
the Yiddish drinking songs my Zadie taught me
before his breath failed. Now Howard is gone,
eleven long years gone, the sweet voice silenced.
"The subtle bridge between Eldridge and Navarro,"
they later wrote, all that rising passion
a footnote to others. I remember in '85
walking the halls of Cass Tech, the high school
where he taught after his performing days,
when suddenly he took my left hand in his
two hands to tell me it all worked out
for the best. Maybe he'd gotten religion,
maybe he knew how little time was left,
maybe that day he was just worn down
by my questions about Parker. To him Bird
was truly Charlie Parker, a man, a silent note
going out forever on the breath of genius
which now I hear soaring above my own breath
as this bright morning fades into afternoon.
Music, I'll call it music. It's what we need
as the sun staggers behind the low gray clouds
blowing relentlessly in from that nameless ocean,
the calm and endless one I've still to cross.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Call It Music by Philip Levine: A Celebration of the Working Class
Introduction
Poetry can be likened to music, as both art forms use language to express emotion and convey meaning. Philip Levine's Call It Music is a collection of poems that celebrates the lives and struggles of the working-class people. This literary criticism aims to delve into the themes, motifs, and imagery employed by the poet, and provide an interpretation of the poems.
Themes
The poems in Call It Music revolve around themes such as labor, poverty, social inequality, and the resilience of the human spirit. Levine was known for his commitment to social justice and his advocacy for the working-class, and these themes are evident in his poetry.
In "The Simple Truth," a poem that opens the collection, Levine declares that "some things / you know all your life." He goes on to list these things - "they are so simple and obvious" - such as the fact that "there is only one truth / and all of it is a lie." The poem is a commentary on the nature of truth, and it sets the tone for the rest of the collection. It suggests that the truth about the lives of the working-class people is often ignored or misrepresented, and that it is the role of the poet to bring this truth to light.
Another prominent theme in the collection is the idea of work as a source of pride and identity. In "What Work Is," the poet describes the experience of working in a factory: "We stand in the rain in a long line / waiting at Ford Highland Park. / For work." The repetition of "for work" emphasizes the importance of the job to the workers, who are willing to endure the harsh conditions just to earn a living. The poem also explores the psychological impact of unemployment: "We're like men in a card game / who turn blank faces up." The loss of work not only affects the workers' financial stability, but also their sense of self-worth.
Motifs
Levine employs several motifs throughout the collection, including music, the city, and death. Music is a recurring motif in the poems, and it is used to symbolize the beauty and resilience of the human spirit. In "Call It Music," the poet describes the sound of a saxophone as "the myrrh of human longing." The saxophone player is able to convey his emotions through music, and his audience is able to connect with him on a deeper level.
The city is another recurring motif in the collection, and it is used to represent the harsh realities of urban life. In "Coming Home, Detroit, 1968," the poet describes the rundown buildings and boarded-up storefronts of a city that has been abandoned by its inhabitants. The poem suggests that the city is a reflection of the people who live there, and that the city's decline is a metaphor for the decline of the American Dream.
Death is also a recurring motif in the poems, and it is used to convey the sense of loss and grief that accompanies the struggles of the working-class. In "The Mercy," the poet describes the death of a coworker in a factory accident: "I saw him going to work that day / and he was laughing." The suddenness of the death is juxtaposed with the joy and laughter of the worker, emphasizing the fragility of life.
Imagery
Levine's poetry is characterized by vivid and evocative imagery that brings the world of the working-class to life. In "Growth," the poet describes the experience of working in a greenhouse: "the air was thick / with the scent of growth, each leaf / unfurling from its slender sheath." The imagery of growth is used to symbolize the potential for change and renewal in the lives of the workers.
In "What Work Is," the poet uses imagery to convey the physical and emotional toll of factory work: "The steel mill sky is omnipresent." The use of the word "omnipresent" suggests that the sky is oppressive and all-encompassing, emphasizing the workers' sense of entrapment.
Interpretation
Levine's Call It Music is a powerful testament to the lives and struggles of the working-class people. The collection is characterized by themes of labor, poverty, social inequality, and the resilience of the human spirit, and it employs motifs such as music, the city, and death to convey these themes.
The poems in the collection are a call to action, urging readers to recognize the humanity and dignity of the working-class. Levine's poetry challenges the dominant narratives that perpetuate social inequality and calls for a more just and equitable society.
In conclusion, Call It Music is a celebration of the working-class, and a testament to the power of poetry to evoke empathy and inspire social change.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry is often considered as a form of art that is meant to be read and appreciated. However, Philip Levine's "Call It Music" challenges this notion by presenting poetry as a form of music that can be heard and felt. In this 2000-word analysis, we will delve into the poem's themes, structure, and language to understand how Levine creates a musical experience through his words.
The poem begins with the speaker's declaration that he will "call it music" even though it is "only words." This statement sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as the speaker seeks to elevate poetry to the level of music. The first stanza describes the speaker's experience of listening to music, and how it transports him to a different world. He describes the music as "a place where the weak and the strong / have equal rights," highlighting the unifying power of music. The use of the word "place" suggests that music is not just a sound, but a physical space that one can enter.
In the second stanza, the speaker contrasts music with poetry, stating that "poetry is not a place / but a voice." This line is significant because it sets up the idea that poetry is not something that can be physically entered, but rather something that is heard. The speaker goes on to describe the voice of poetry as "a way of saying one thing and meaning / another." This line highlights the ambiguity and complexity of poetry, as it can convey multiple meanings and emotions at once.
The third stanza is where Levine really starts to blur the lines between poetry and music. The speaker describes how poetry can "lift us up out of our lives / and place us so far away / we take the last step / of a great journey alone." This description of poetry's power to transport the reader is reminiscent of the way music can transport us to another world. The use of the word "journey" also suggests that poetry is not just a static experience, but something that takes us on a journey.
The fourth stanza is where Levine really starts to play with language and sound. The speaker describes how poetry can "make us cry without knowing why / it does this to us." This line highlights the emotional power of poetry, as it can evoke strong emotions without us even understanding why. The use of the word "us" also suggests that poetry is a communal experience, something that can be shared and felt by many people.
The fifth stanza is where Levine really starts to bring the musical elements to the forefront. The speaker describes how poetry can "make us dance when / we're alone." This line is significant because it suggests that poetry can create a physical response in the reader, just like music can make us dance. The use of the word "alone" also suggests that poetry can create a sense of connection and community even when we are by ourselves.
The sixth stanza is where Levine really starts to play with sound and rhythm. The speaker describes how poetry can "make us sing when there is / no music." This line highlights the musicality of poetry, as it can create a sense of melody and rhythm even without actual music. The use of the word "sing" also suggests that poetry can create a sense of joy and celebration.
The seventh stanza is where Levine really brings everything together. The speaker describes how poetry can "make us see what we would / otherwise never see / and be what we would never be." This line highlights the transformative power of poetry, as it can change the way we see the world and ourselves. The use of the word "see" also suggests that poetry can create a visual experience, just like music can create an auditory experience.
The final stanza is where Levine brings the poem full circle. The speaker declares that he will "call it music" even though it is "only words." This line is significant because it suggests that poetry can be just as powerful and transformative as music, even though it is made up of words. The use of the word "only" also suggests that poetry is often undervalued and overlooked, but that it has the potential to be just as meaningful and impactful as any other form of art.
In terms of structure, "Call It Music" is a free verse poem with no set rhyme or meter. However, Levine does play with sound and rhythm throughout the poem, using repetition and alliteration to create a sense of musicality. For example, in the third stanza, he repeats the word "place" three times, creating a sense of rhythm and emphasis. In the fifth stanza, he uses alliteration with the words "dance" and "alone," creating a sense of musicality and connection.
In terms of language, Levine uses simple, straightforward language throughout the poem. However, he also uses metaphor and imagery to create a sense of depth and complexity. For example, in the third stanza, he uses the metaphor of a journey to describe the experience of reading poetry. In the seventh stanza, he uses the metaphor of seeing to describe the transformative power of poetry.
Overall, "Call It Music" is a powerful and evocative poem that challenges the notion that poetry is a static, intellectual experience. Through his use of language, structure, and imagery, Levine creates a sense of musicality and emotional power that elevates poetry to the level of music. The poem is a celebration of the transformative power of art, and a reminder that even "only words" can have a profound impact on our lives.
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