Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Denise Levertov's poem "Ancient Airs and Dances" is a poignant reflection on the complexities of memory, desire, and self-awareness. Divided into two sections, the poem navigates the speaker’s emotional landscape, juxtaposing moments of intense personal reflection with an exploration of inner turmoil and wisdom.

In the first section, the speaker begins with a confession: "I knew too well what had befallen me / when, one night, I put my lips to his wineglass / after he left." This simple, intimate act of putting lips to a wineglass becomes a symbol of longing and unspoken desire. The wineglass, a vessel of shared moments, evokes a sense of closeness and loss. The speaker acknowledges this impulse as something that should have been consigned to "memory's museum," a place where past emotions are safely locked away.

The imagery of visiting friends and the sea, with the fire rustling all night in the next room, creates a setting that is both intimate and isolating. The warmth of the bed contrasts with the speaker’s sleeplessness, and the open door through which the glowing hearth is visible symbolizes a connection that is present yet out of reach. The "rain's insistent heartbeat" drumming on the roof becomes a metaphor for persistent emotions that refuse to be quieted.

The speaker’s reflection, "Greyhaired, I have not grown wiser, unless to perceive absurdity is wisdom," introduces a tone of resignation and self-awareness. This acknowledgment of a "powerless wisdom" highlights the futility in trying to control or fully understand one’s desires and emotions. The wisdom here is not one of mastery but of recognition of the human condition's inherent absurdity.

The second section shifts to a more direct dialogue with the heart, addressing it as a separate entity: "Shameless heart! Did you not vow to learn stillness from the heron, quiet from the mists of fall, and from the mountain—what was it? Pride? Remoteness?" These lines reflect the speaker’s attempt to impose a sense of control and serenity upon themselves, drawing inspiration from nature’s symbols of stillness and detachment. However, the rhetorical question "what was it? / Pride? Remoteness?" reveals an incomplete grasp of these lessons, indicating a struggle between aspiration and reality.

The heart, described as "clamoring again like an obstinate child," embodies the persistence of desire and emotional turmoil that disrupts the speaker’s efforts to attain inner peace. This personification of the heart as a demanding, attention-seeking child underscores the conflict between rational self and emotional self. The heart’s interruptions "interrupting study and contemplation" further emphasize the tension between the desire for intellectual or spiritual pursuit and the pull of personal emotions.

The speaker’s frustration is palpable in the closing lines: "Bound as we are together for life, must you now, so late in the day, go bounding sideways, trying to drag me with you?" This metaphor of being bound together for life reflects the inescapable nature of one's emotions, suggesting that despite the passage of time and the quest for wisdom, the heart remains a powerful force. The heart's "bounding sideways" signifies a departure from the expected or desired path, highlighting the unpredictability and persistence of emotional impulses.

"Ancient Airs and Dances" beautifully captures the internal struggle between the pursuit of wisdom and the enduring power of desire. Levertov’s use of vivid imagery and personification allows readers to deeply engage with the speaker’s reflections on memory, longing, and the complexities of the human heart. Through this exploration, the poem invites contemplation on the ways in which we navigate our own emotional landscapes, balancing the wisdom of experience with the persistent, often unruly nature of our desires.

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