Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Denise Levertov's poem "Balance" presents a meditation on the coexistence of impatience and patience, initiative and hindrance, through the use of vivid imagery and everyday metaphors. The poem captures the dynamic equilibrium that defines much of human experience, where moments of frustration coexist with instances of quiet achievement and natural beauty.

The poem opens with a scene at the door, where "some never, some let it be, those pestering halftruths of impatience." This line sets up a contrast between those who are perpetually caught in a state of impatience, and those who choose to let go and accept the minor inconveniences and uncertainties that life presents. The "pestering halftruths of impatience" suggest that impatience is often based on incomplete or misleading perceptions, leading to unnecessary frustration.

Levertov then shifts to a more hopeful and proactive image: "Yet the daily bread gets baked, a rush of initiative takes the stairs three at a time." Here, the act of baking bread symbolizes the essential, nourishing activities of daily life that continue despite moments of impatience. The "rush of initiative" suggests bursts of energy and determination, which propel one forward, taking "the stairs three at a time." This image conveys both physical and metaphorical ascension, highlighting moments of energetic progress and achievement.

The poem then introduces a natural metaphor, juxtaposing the previous human-centered imagery with the movement of swans: "Crippled by their feet, / the swans waddle to water." This depiction of swans, often symbols of grace and beauty, struggling on land due to their awkward feet, underscores the idea that even the most elegant beings have their moments of ungainliness and difficulty. However, the transition to water transforms them: "the first of them already / slowly and silently has ripped the silk of evening." This beautiful image of a swan gliding into water, creating a gentle yet profound disturbance in the stillness of evening, captures the effortless grace that emerges once the swans find their element.

The juxtaposition of these scenes—the human struggle with impatience and the natural, transformative movement of the swans—highlights the theme of balance. Life involves both the mundane and the transcendent, moments of frustration and bursts of inspired initiative. The poem suggests that balance is found not in the absence of difficulties but in the seamless transition between states of being, much like the swans' movement from waddling awkwardly on land to gliding gracefully in water.

In conclusion, Denise Levertov's "Balance" explores the interplay of impatience and acceptance, struggle and grace, through rich and evocative imagery. The poem invites readers to recognize the coexistence of these dualities in their own lives and to find beauty and balance in the transitions between them. Levertov's portrayal of both human and natural elements creates a resonant meditation on the nature of equilibrium and the continuous dance between effort and ease.

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