Friday, September 13, 2013

The pleasures of Levertov

And here’s the famous Denise Levertov:
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Pleasures

By Denise Levertov

I like to find  
what's not found  
at once, but lies

within something of another nature,  
in repose, distinct.  
Gull feathers of glass, hidden

in white pulp: the bones of squid  
which I pull out and lay
blade by blade on the draining board—

       tapered as if for swiftness, to pierce  
       the heart, but fragile, substance
       belying design.               Or a fruit, mamey,

cased in rough brown peel, the flesh  
rose-amber, and the seed:
the seed a stone of wood, carved and

polished, walnut-colored, formed  
like a brazilnut, but large,
large enough to fill
the hungry palm of a hand.

I like the juicy stem of grass that grows
within the coarser leaf folded round,
and the butteryellow glow
in the narrow flute from which the morning-glory
opens blue and cool on a hot morning.

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