DANIEL E. LEVENSON, AUTHOR OF ARE THESE MY LIONS?

By Julia Reischel

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Daniel E. Levenson has been writing poetry since high school, so when he happened to be in Jerusalem during the Israel-Lebanon war last summer, he responded by writing poetry. The result is a collection of poems called Are These My Lions?, a title that will likely furrow a few brows at his reading this week.

ARE THOSE YOUR LIONS?

I don't actually own any lions as pets. I'm actually more of a fan of penguins.

DO YOU EVER GO DOWN TO THE AQUARIUM TO CHECK OUT THE PENGUINS?

I was there yesterday.

NO SHIT. WHICH DO YOU LIKE MORE, THE ROCKHOPPERS, OR THAT OTHER KIND?

I don't like to pick. I don't like to play favorites with the penguins.

I'VE HEARD THAT THE STRAY CATS ARE EVERYWHERE IN ISRAEL. IS THAT WHAT'S UP WITH THE LIONS?

Yes, they are. But the lion is a traditional symbol of Jerusalem .So there are lions all over the city.

BUT THE STRAY CATS ARE A GOOD METAPHOR FOR THE PROBLEMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, RIGHT? DON'T YOU MINE THAT RICH VEIN IN YOUR POETRY?

I mean, it's certainly not the central focus. But they are present, yes.

IF THE WAR HADN'T HAPPENED WHILE YOU WERE IN ISRAEL, WOULD YOU HAVE WRITTEN THIS?

I'm sure I would've written some poetry. Israel is such an amazing place. I'm sure I would've been inspired to write something.

IS POETRY USELESS?

No. It's actually the most useful thing in the world.

WHY?

Do I really have to explain that?

YEAH. DID POETRY HELP YOU SURVIVE THE WAR?

Yes, I think it was very helpful in terms of coping with that. I think poetry is especially useful in terms of trying to explore and write about something like a war, because it's such a fragmented experience. History is sort of neat and clean in books, and in reality, it's fragmented.

JUST LIKE POETRY?

Yes.

[Daniel E. Levenson reads on Wednesday, 8.15.07, at the Democracy Center, 45 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge. 617.492.5599. 7pm/free. literarycomments.com]