Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Denise Levertov's "Wanting the Moon (I)" is a deeply evocative poem that explores the themes of desire, perception, and the transformation of reality through the lens of imagination. The poem utilizes rich imagery and shifting metaphors to convey a sense of longing and the elusive nature of what is truly desired.

The poem opens with the straightforward declaration, "Not the moon." This immediate negation sets the tone for a series of evolving images that suggest a deeper, perhaps more profound yearning than the stereotypical romantic image of the moon. The next image presented is "a flower on the other side of the water." This flower, unreachable due to the floodwaters, represents an object of desire that is both beautiful and distant. The floodwaters dragging a tree, a barn, and a bridge by the hair introduce a sense of chaos and destruction, contrasting sharply with the delicate image of the flower that "sings on the far bank."

As the poem progresses, the flower transforms into a bird, hidden among the darkest trees, calling out with music that creates "a silence out of the brown folds of the river's cloak." This transformation from a flower to a bird highlights the fluidity of desire and the way in which the object of longing can change shape, becoming more elusive and intertwined with the natural elements. The bird's song, creating silence, introduces a paradoxical idea where music generates quietude, emphasizing the profound impact of this longing on the speaker's inner world.

The poem then shifts again, as the speaker redirects their desire from the moon to "a young man walking under the trees." This young man, illuminated by lanterns among the leaves, embodies qualities that are "tender, wise, merry," and his face is described as being "awake with its own light." This vivid description of the young man suggests an idealized figure, one who is both approachable and radiant with inner wisdom and joy. The image of the young man being "awake with its own light" contrasts with the external illumination of the lanterns, suggesting an intrinsic brightness and vitality.

Levertov continues to develop this image by describing the young man as a "jester" whose music rings from his bells "gravely, a tune of sorrow." The jester, traditionally a figure of both humor and pathos, underscores the complexity of the speaker's desire. The "tune of sorrow" to which the speaker dances on the riverbank adds a layer of melancholic beauty, illustrating how deeply intertwined joy and sadness can be in the experience of longing.

Throughout the poem, the river serves as a boundary between the speaker and the objects of their desire. The "brown folds of the river's cloak" and the flowing water symbolize the passage of time and the barriers that exist between the present moment and the fulfillment of longing. The river's persistent motion and the chaos it brings further emphasize the elusive and transient nature of what the speaker desires.

The structure of "Wanting the Moon (I)" is free verse, which allows Levertov to move fluidly between images and ideas, mirroring the shifting nature of the speaker's desire. The language is both precise and evocative, creating a tapestry of vivid images that convey the emotional depth and complexity of longing.

In summary, Denise Levertov's "Wanting the Moon (I)" is a richly textured poem that explores the mutable and elusive nature of desire through a series of vivid and shifting images. The poem's progression from the moon to a flower, a bird, and finally a young man under the trees captures the speaker's evolving perception of what they long for. The interplay of music, silence, light, and darkness throughout the poem emphasizes the profound emotional resonance of these desires and the ways in which they shape the speaker's inner world. Through its evocative imagery and fluid structure, the poem invites readers to contemplate the nature of their own longings and the boundaries that separate them from fulfillment.

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