Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Denise Levertov's poem "Oblique Prayer" explores a liminal space of emotional and spiritual disquiet, a state that is neither profound darkness nor blazing light, but a gray, ambiguous terrain. Through her evocative imagery and contemplative tone, Levertov delves into the nuances of this in-between state, reflecting on its significance in the human experience.

The poem opens by negating two extremes of spiritual and emotional turmoil: "Not the profound dark / night of the soul / And not the austere desert / to scorch the heart at noon, / grip the mind / in teeth of ice at evening." Levertov references the well-known concepts of the "dark night of the soul," a term coined by Saint John of the Cross to describe a deep spiritual crisis, and the desert, a metaphor for spiritual dryness and testing. By denying these extremes, she sets the stage for exploring a subtler, less defined form of suffering.

Instead, Levertov describes a "gray, / a place / without clear outlines," capturing a sense of ambiguity and stagnation. The grayness signifies a lack of clarity and direction, a space that feels undefined and amorphous. This atmosphere is further emphasized by the "heavy and thick" air, which conveys a feeling of suffocation and oppression.

The imagery of movement becomes central as Levertov describes the ground as "soft" and "clogging / my feet if I walk, / sucking them downwards / if I stand." This suggests a sense of entrapment and difficulty in making progress, both physically and metaphorically. The ground's resistance to movement symbolizes the speaker's struggle to navigate through this indeterminate emotional landscape.

The speaker poses a question to the reader or perhaps to a higher power: "Have you been here? / Is it / a part of human-ness / to enter / no man’s land?" This query underscores the universality of such experiences, suggesting that this gray area is a common, albeit challenging, aspect of the human condition. The term "no man’s land" evokes a place of desolation and danger, further emphasizing the discomfort and alienation felt in this state.

Amidst this bleak landscape, the speaker finds a glimmer of hope: "I can remember / (is it asking you / that / makes me remember?) / even here / the blessed light that caressed the world / before I stumbled into / this place of mere / non-darkness." The act of questioning or praying seems to trigger a memory of better times, of "the blessed light" that once illuminated the world. This light, which "caressed" rather than harshly illuminated, represents a time of clarity, comfort, and grace.

The phrase "place of mere / non-darkness" is particularly poignant, as it underscores the absence of true light and the presence of only a dim, unfulfilling substitute. This "non-darkness" is a state of limbo, lacking the profound insights that can come from true darkness and the joy or clarity that comes from light.

In "Oblique Prayer," Levertov masterfully captures the essence of a spiritual and emotional limbo. Through her vivid and carefully chosen imagery, she conveys the suffocating grayness of this state, the difficulty of movement within it, and the universal nature of such experiences. The poem ultimately suggests that even in this ambiguous space, there is the potential for memory and hope, triggered by the act of reaching out or questioning. Levertov invites readers to recognize and reflect on their own journeys through these gray areas, finding meaning in the mere act of remembrance and the possibility of emerging into light once more.

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