Celebrating Life with Denise Levertov
The “Five Senses” prompt is the perfect opportunity for me to share some of my favorite poems with all of you!
The first poem I want to share is by the 20th century American poet Denise Levertov (1923-1997). Every time I read it, I get inspired all over again about writing and about living life fully.
This poem is probably best enjoyed when read aloud, while feasting on your favorite fruits!
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O Taste and See by Denise Levertov
The world is
not with us enough
O taste and see
the subway Bible poster said,
meaning The Lord, meaning
if anything all that lives
to the imagination’s tongue,
grief, mercy, language,
tangerine, weather, to
breathe them, bite,
savor, chew, swallow, transform
into our flesh our
deaths, crossing the street, plum, quince,
living in the orchard and being
hungry, and plucking
the fruit.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleOh, Julie now you have inspired me to read more poetry by Denise Levertov.
Let me know what you discover, Margarida, and what some of your favorites might be. I only know this one poem of hers! I think I discovered this gem through one of Robert Bly’s books, probably his “News of the Universe: Poems of Twofold Consciousness”. Here’s a description of this book: ==================================== Acclaimed poet and translator Robert Bly here assembles a unique cross-cultural anthology that illuminates the idea of a larger-than-human consciousness… Read more »
Oh! I love it. Very inspiring work from Denise Levertov. Thanks for sharing, Julie.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThanks for your comment, Lotchie, and for reading about Denise Levertov and her poem. I enjoy sharing my favorite poems with many people!
I’m just getting around to reading and commenting on all the Five Senses entries, Julie. I really enjoyed this poem and have read it aloud several times, as you suggested. I didn’t have any fruit nearby, but I imagined an orchard and realized that all of us live in an orchard, surrounded by all we need. This poem is really inspiring.
Thank you for sharing this Julie, a poet I am not familiar with. I enjoyed this poem of Tasting all that life has to offer in all its flavours, shapes and colours and thus to fulfilment.
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