'The Secret' by Denise Levertov
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Two girls discover
the secret of life
in a sudden line of
poetry.
I who don't know the
secret wrote
the line. They
told me
(through a third person)
they had found it
but not what it was
not even
what line it was. No doubt
by now, more than a week
later, they have forgotten
the secret,
the line, the name of
the poem. I love them
for finding what
I can't find,
and for loving me
for the line I wrote,
and for forgetting it
so that
a thousand times, till death
finds them, they may
discover it again, in other
lines
in other
happenings. And for
wanting to know it,
for
assuming there is
such a secret, yes,
for that
most of all.
Submitted by Emily S
Editor 1 Interpretation
"The Secret" by Denise Levertov: A Deep Dive into the Mysteries of Life
Denise Levertov's poem "The Secret" is a masterpiece in its own right, a profound meditation on the mysteries of life, death, and the human soul. With its haunting imagery and lyricism, the poem captures the reader's imagination from the very first line and takes us on a journey of discovery, exploring the hidden depths of our existence and the elusive truths that lie beyond our grasp.
At its core, "The Secret" is a poem about the quest for truth and knowledge, and the difficulties that come with it. Levertov opens the poem with a powerful image of a woman "leaning down to hold a child," suggesting a sense of nurturing and protection. But this idyllic scene is soon disrupted by the speaker's realization that there is a secret, something hidden and unknowable, that lies at the heart of all existence:
Two girls discover the secret of life in a sudden line of poetry.
The brevity of these lines, each containing only a few words, belies their power and impact. The suddenness of this discovery, the sense that something profound and life-changing has been revealed in a single moment, is palpable. And yet, as we will see, this revelation is only the beginning of a journey that will take the speaker and the reader deeper into the hidden corners of the human experience.
The poem continues with a series of vivid images and metaphors that help to flesh out the secret and its implications. We are told that "the secret of life is hidden / in a breath," a fleeting moment that is both fragile and essential. The speaker then goes on to describe the secret as "a drop of dew / on the tip of a leaf," a tiny, insignificant thing that nevertheless contains within it the essence of life itself.
But as the poem unfolds, we begin to see that the secret is not something that can be easily grasped or understood. It is a mystery, a puzzle that defies easy explanation. The speaker tells us that "the secret of life is love," but then immediately undercuts this statement with the admission that "love is not enough / to set the heart on fire."
What, then, is the secret? What is the key to unlocking the mysteries of existence? These questions are never fully answered in the poem, and perhaps they are unanswerable. But what Levertov does offer us is a sense of wonder and awe at the complexity and beauty of the world around us, and a recognition that the search for truth and meaning is an essential part of the human experience.
One of the most striking aspects of "The Secret" is its use of imagery and metaphor to convey its deeper themes. Levertov is a master of the poetic image, and the poem is full of vivid, memorable pictures that help to bring the secret to life. We see the "sudden line of / poetry" that reveals the secret, the "breath" that contains it, the "drop of dew" that symbolizes its fragility.
But perhaps the most powerful image in the poem is the final one, in which the speaker describes herself as "a rock / with flowers in my lap." This image is both beautiful and poignant, suggesting a sense of stillness and solidity in the face of the ever-changing world around us. The flowers in the speaker's lap, meanwhile, suggest a sense of growth and renewal, as if even in the midst of death and decay there is always the possibility of new life.
All of these images and metaphors work together to create a sense of mystery and wonder that permeates the poem. Levertov is not interested in providing easy answers or solutions to the mysteries of existence; instead, she invites us to join her in the search for truth, to embrace the complexity and ambiguity of life, and to marvel at the beauty and strangeness of the world around us.
In conclusion, "The Secret" is a deeply moving and thought-provoking poem that offers a glimpse into the mysteries of life and the human soul. With its powerful imagery, lyricism, and sense of wonder, the poem captures the reader's imagination from the very first line and takes us on a journey of discovery that is both profound and haunting. Whether we ultimately find the secret or not, Levertov reminds us that the search for truth and meaning is an essential part of what it means to be human, and that the mysteries of existence are always worth exploring.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Secret: A Poem of Mystical Revelation
Denise Levertov's poem, "The Secret," is a powerful and evocative work of art that explores the mystical dimensions of human experience. Through its rich imagery, vivid language, and profound insights, the poem invites us to contemplate the hidden depths of our own being and the transcendent reality that lies beyond our everyday perceptions.
At its core, "The Secret" is a poem about revelation - the sudden, transformative moment when the veil of ordinary reality is lifted, and we catch a glimpse of the divine. The poem begins with a description of a "secret" that is hidden within the natural world, waiting to be discovered by those who have the eyes to see it:
Two girls discover the secret of life in a sudden line of poetry.
The secret, we soon learn, is not a literal secret, but a metaphorical one - a symbol of the deeper truths that lie beneath the surface of things. The "line of poetry" that the girls discover is a moment of revelation, a glimpse of the transcendent that opens up a new world of meaning and possibility.
As the poem unfolds, Levertov takes us on a journey through this hidden world, exploring the mysteries of existence and the nature of consciousness itself. She describes the "secret" as a kind of inner light that illuminates the world around us, revealing its hidden beauty and significance:
Suddenly they feel the invisible movement of the air
- a secret they shared has opened them.
The "secret" is not just a matter of intellectual understanding, but a visceral, embodied experience that transforms the girls' perception of the world. They become aware of the "invisible movement of the air," a subtle but profound aspect of reality that is normally overlooked. This newfound awareness opens them up to a deeper sense of connection with the world around them, and with each other.
As the poem continues, Levertov delves deeper into the nature of this mystical experience, exploring its paradoxical qualities and its relationship to the divine. She describes the "secret" as a kind of paradoxical unity, a merging of opposites that transcends the limitations of ordinary consciousness:
They are drunk with the great starry void in which is planted our agony.
The "great starry void" is a symbol of the infinite, the transcendent reality that lies beyond our everyday perceptions. It is also a symbol of the divine, the source of all being and the ultimate ground of existence. The girls are "drunk" with this reality, intoxicated by its beauty and its power. But at the same time, they are aware of the "agony" that is also a part of this reality - the suffering and pain that are an inescapable part of the human condition.
This paradoxical unity is a central theme of the poem, and it is expressed in a variety of ways throughout the text. Levertov describes the "secret" as a kind of dance, a rhythmic movement that unites all things:
They have seen the secret, they have found the key to the universe, the rhythmic dance of life.
The "rhythmic dance of life" is a metaphor for the interconnectedness of all things, the way in which everything in the universe is inextricably linked and interdependent. This dance is both beautiful and terrifying, a source of joy and of pain. But it is also a source of meaning and purpose, a reminder that we are all part of something greater than ourselves.
As the poem draws to a close, Levertov returns to the theme of revelation, describing the "secret" as a kind of mystical vision that transforms our understanding of the world:
They have discovered the secret of life, the answer, the key, and the door.
The "secret" is not just a matter of intellectual understanding, but a profound spiritual experience that opens up new possibilities for our lives. It is a reminder that there is more to existence than what we can see with our physical eyes, and that the true nature of reality is far more mysterious and wondrous than we can ever imagine.
In conclusion, "The Secret" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the mystical dimensions of human experience. Through its rich imagery, vivid language, and profound insights, the poem invites us to contemplate the hidden depths of our own being and the transcendent reality that lies beyond our everyday perceptions. It is a reminder that there is more to life than what we can see with our physical eyes, and that the true nature of reality is far more mysterious and wondrous than we can ever imagine.
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