From the publication of his passionately proletarian volume of poetry Before the Brave in 1936 until his death in 1972, Kenneth Patchen produced roughly a book a year--all of them daringly bold in form and fiercely uncompromising in values and vision. Though deeply and broadly read and fundamentally romantic in his vision, Patchen followed no models other than William Blake, who knew no restraints. He joined no groups, accepted no schools, sought no academic or commercial acceptance, and remained at the forefront of rebellion in subject and form. He pioneered experiments in the antinovel, concrete poetry, the prose poem, poetry-and-jazz, irrational tales and verse, as well as a progressive synthesis of painting and poetry--"painted books," "poems and drawings," and finally "picture-poems." He accepted no boundaries between people or art forms, no false barriers between life and art, and thus managed to keep head and heart together with uncompromising character...