Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Denise Levertov’s poem "To the Snake" explores the complex interplay of desire, risk, and the allure of the unknown through the speaker’s intimate encounter with a green snake. The poem is rich with sensory details and emotional tension, capturing a moment of profound connection and the lingering impact of that encounter.

The poem begins with a vivid image: "Green Snake, when I hung you round my neck / and stroked your cold, pulsing throat." The act of draping the snake around the neck is both intimate and daring, suggesting a deep, almost primordial connection with a creature often associated with danger and mystery. The snake's "cold, pulsing throat" emphasizes its vitality and otherness, a living being distinctly different from the human.

Levertov continues to describe the sensory experience: "as you hissed to me, glinting arrowy gold scales, / and I felt / the weight of you on my shoulders." The snake's hiss and the "glinting arrowy gold scales" add a layer of enchantment to the scene, as if the snake were a mystical creature. The weight of the snake on the speaker's shoulders symbolizes both a literal and metaphorical burden, one that is accepted willingly, if not entirely understood.

The poem delves into the duality of the snake's nature and the speaker's reaction: "and the whispering silver of your dryness / sounded close at my ears— / Green Snake- I swore to my companions that certainly / you were harmless!" The whispering dryness and the speaker’s assurance to companions highlight a tension between the snake's perceived threat and the speaker's desire to engage with it. The repetition of "Green Snake" serves to personify the snake, giving it a presence that is both personal and potent.

Levertov then reveals the underlying uncertainty and desire: "But truly / I had no certainty, and no hope, only desiring / to hold you, for that joy." The admission of having "no certainty, and no hope" juxtaposed with the powerful desire to hold the snake underscores the complexity of the encounter. The joy derived from holding the snake is tinged with an acknowledgment of risk and the unknown, making the experience deeply human and poignant.

The poem concludes with the aftermath of the encounter: "which left / a long wake of pleasure, as the leaves moved / and you faded into the pattern of grass and shadows, / and I returned smiling and haunted, to a dark morning." The "long wake of pleasure" indicates that the joy from the encounter lingers, even as the snake fades into its natural environment. The speaker's return "smiling and haunted, to a dark morning" suggests that the experience has left a lasting impression, one that is both uplifting and unsettling.

"To the Snake" by Denise Levertov beautifully captures the allure of engaging with the unknown and the mingled feelings of joy and unease that such encounters bring. Through her evocative imagery and introspective narrative, Levertov invites readers to consider their own moments of connection with the wild and the mysterious, and the ways these moments shape and haunt us long after they have passed.

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