'Wanting The Moon' by Denise Levertov
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Not the moon. A flower
on the other side of the water.The water sweeps past in flood,
dragging a whole tree by the hair,a barn, a bridge. The flower
sings on the far bank.Not a flower, a bird calling
hidden among the darkest trees, musicover the water, making a silence
out of the brown folds of the river's cloak.The moon. No, a young man walking
under the trees. There are lanternsamong the leaves.
Tender, wise, merry,his face is awake with its own light,
I see it across the water as if close up.A jester. The music rings from his bells,
gravely, a tune of sorrow,I dance to it on my riverbank.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Wanting The Moon by Denise Levertov: A Literary Analysis and Interpretation
If you're a lover of modern poetry, then the name Denise Levertov is one that needs no introduction. Born in England in 1923, Levertov is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, and Wanting The Moon, her 1969 collection of poems, is considered one of her finest works. In this literary analysis and interpretation, we'll take a deep dive into Wanting The Moon, exploring its themes, style, and symbolism, and examining what it tells us about the human condition.
An Overview of Wanting The Moon
Wanting The Moon is a collection of 37 poems, each one exploring themes of love, loss, spirituality, and the search for meaning in life. The title of the collection is taken from a line in one of the poems, "I am wanting the moon / I want the moon." This line encapsulates the central theme of the collection - the longing for something unattainable, something beyond our reach.
The Themes of Wanting The Moon
The themes of Wanting The Moon are wide-ranging, but some of the most prominent include:
Love and Loss
Many of the poems in Wanting The Moon deal with themes of love and loss. In "The Ache of Marriage," Levertov writes:
The ache of marriage:
thumbed, polished,
resonant, is deeper
than anyone suspects.
Here, Levertov explores the complex and often painful nature of marriage, as well as the deep emotional connections that are formed between couples. Other poems, such as "For Sale," deal with the loss of a loved one and the grief that follows.
Spirituality
Levertov was a deeply spiritual person, and many of the poems in Wanting The Moon explore themes of spirituality and the search for meaning in life. In "Annunciation," she writes about the biblical story of the angel Gabriel announcing to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus:
We know the scene: the room, variously furnished,
almost always a lectern, a book;
always the tall lily.
Here, Levertov explores the intersection of the divine and the mundane, and the ways in which spiritual experiences can transform our lives.
Nature
Nature is another prominent theme in Wanting The Moon. Levertov was a keen observer of the natural world, and many of her poems celebrate the beauty and power of nature. In "The Jacob's Ladder," she writes:
The mountains appear, distant, but there,
and the thin clouds across them
are momentary, like the clearer
words of a person speaking,
briefly drawing near.
Here, Levertov uses the image of the mountains and the clouds to convey a sense of wonder and awe at the natural world.
The Style of Wanting The Moon
Levertov's style in Wanting The Moon is characterized by its simplicity and clarity. Her poems are devoid of the ornate language and complex metaphors that often characterize modern poetry, instead relying on straightforward language and vivid imagery to convey their meaning. This simplicity can be seen in the opening lines of "Matins," one of the poems in the collection:
When I awake, the morning light
is just slipping through the shutters
onto the quilt and my hands.
Here, Levertov uses plain language to describe a simple scene, but the image of the morning light slipping through the shutters is both evocative and memorable.
Another hallmark of Levertov's style in Wanting The Moon is her use of free verse. Unlike traditional poetry, which adheres to strict rules of meter and rhyme, free verse allows the poet greater freedom to experiment with the structure and sound of their words. This can be seen in "For Sale," which has no discernible rhyme or meter, but uses line breaks and enjambment to create a sense of momentum and urgency:
Now that I have your face by heart, I look
Less at its features than its darkening frame
Where quince and melon, yellow as young flame,
Lie with quilled dahlias and the shepherd's crook.
Beyond, a garden, There, in insolent ease
The lead and marble figures watch the show
Of yet another summer loath to go
Although the scythes hang in the apple trees.
The Symbolism of Wanting The Moon
One of the most striking features of Wanting The Moon is its use of symbolism. Throughout the collection, Levertov uses symbols and metaphors to convey deeper meanings and explore complex themes. Some of the most notable symbols in the collection include:
The Moon
The moon is a recurring symbol throughout Wanting The Moon, representing the unattainable, the unreachable, and the sublime. In "Wanting The Moon," Levertov writes:
I am wanting the moon
I want the moon
I want the unattainable.
Here, the moon represents the unreachable, the thing that we long for but can never truly possess.
The Lily
The lily is another prominent symbol in Wanting The Moon, representing purity and transcendence. In "Annunciation," Levertov writes:
Always the tall lily
spoke to its honey, spoke of
its self: its cinnamon
humility, its mauve
& rests meadows.
Here, the lily represents the purity and humility of the Virgin Mary, as well as the divine nature of her encounter with the angel Gabriel.
The Garden
The garden is a recurring symbol throughout Wanting The Moon, representing both the natural world and the human desire for order and beauty. In "For Sale," Levertov writes:
Beyond, a garden, There, in insolent ease
The lead and marble figures watch the show
Of yet another summer loath to go.
Here, the garden represents the beauty and transience of the natural world, as well as the human desire to create order and meaning in a chaotic world.
Conclusion
Wanting The Moon is a remarkable collection of poems, filled with vivid imagery, powerful symbolism, and profound insights into the human condition. Levertov's use of simple language and free verse gives her poems a sense of immediacy and intimacy, while her exploration of themes of love, loss, spirituality, and nature make Wanting The Moon a deeply moving and thought-provoking work of modern poetry. Whether you're a longtime fan of Denise Levertov or a newcomer to her work, Wanting The Moon is a collection that is not to be missed.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry is a form of art that has the power to evoke emotions and transport us to different worlds. Denise Levertov's poem "Wanting The Moon" is a perfect example of how poetry can capture the essence of human longing and desire. In this 14-line poem, Levertov explores the universal human desire to reach for something that seems unattainable.
The poem begins with the speaker expressing her desire for the moon. She says, "I am filled with longing / to possess the things / that are gone forever." This longing is not just for the moon, but for all the things that are out of reach. The speaker is aware that these things are gone forever, but she still wants them. This is a common human experience. We often want things that we know we can never have, whether it's a lost love or a missed opportunity.
The moon is a powerful symbol in this poem. It represents the unattainable, the unreachable. The speaker says, "A moon / that, one phase, / filled every branch- / top with its light." This image of the moon filling every branch-top with its light is a beautiful one. It suggests that the moon has the power to illuminate everything around it. But it also suggests that the moon is out of reach. We can see it, but we can't touch it.
The speaker goes on to say, "But when I start to approach / it, its pale halo of light / widens / and I realize / I've been fooled / by the moon." This is a powerful moment in the poem. The speaker realizes that the moon is not what she thought it was. It's not something she can possess or even approach. It's just a pale halo of light that widens as she gets closer. This realization is a metaphor for the human experience of longing. We often think that if we could just reach the thing we desire, we would be happy. But when we get closer, we realize that it's not what we thought it was.
The poem ends with the speaker saying, "And I hunt for the moon / still." This line is both sad and hopeful. It suggests that the speaker knows that she will never find the moon, but she still searches for it. This is a metaphor for the human experience of longing. We know that we can never have everything we want, but we still search for it. We still hope that we will find the thing that will make us happy.
Denise Levertov's "Wanting The Moon" is a beautiful and powerful poem that captures the essence of human longing and desire. The moon is a powerful symbol in this poem, representing the unattainable, the unreachable. The speaker's realization that the moon is not what she thought it was is a metaphor for the human experience of longing. We often think that if we could just reach the thing we desire, we would be happy. But when we get closer, we realize that it's not what we thought it was. The poem ends with the speaker still searching for the moon, a metaphor for the human experience of longing. We know that we can never have everything we want, but we still search for it. We still hope that we will find the thing that will make us happy.
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