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Denise Levertov Quotes

Poet

Denise Levertov was an American poet known for her profound personal expression and commitment to social justice. Her poetry blended personal emotion with deep insight into the world, characterized by its unique style and emotional richness.

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All Knows World Light Night Way Writing Poet Tree Breathing Green Kind Mind Prayer Stills Water White Breathe Eye Faces Heart

Famous Denise Levertov Quotes

“I don't think one can accurately measure the historical effectiveness of a poem; but one does know, of course, that books influence individuals; and individuals, although they are part of large economic and social processes, influence history. Every mass is after all made up of millions of individuals.”

Thinking Knows Doe Made Book Courses Individual Social Process Millions Influence Economic Mass Historical Effectiveness

Book:Light Up the Cave

Source: Light Up the Cave

“A blind man. I can stare at him ashamed, shameless. Or does he know it? No, he is in a great solitude. O, strange joy, to gaze my fill at a stranger's face. No, my thirst is greater than before.”

Knows Men Doe I Can Faces Joy Greater Strange Solitude Blind Curiosity Stranger Staring Ashamed Thirst Blindness Shameless Blind Man

Book:Denise Levertov, Kenneth Rexroth, William Carlos Williams

Source: Denise Levertov, Kenneth Rexroth, William Carlos Williams

“What joy when the insouciant armadillo glances at us and doesn't quicken his trotting across the track into the palm brush. What is this joy? That no animal falters, but knows what it must do?”

Knows Joy Animal Instinct Track Brushes Glances Palms Trotting Armadillos

Book:Selected poems

Source: Selected poems

“There's in my mind a... turbulent moon-ridden girl or old woman, or both, dressed in opals and rags, feathers and torn taffeta, who knows strange songs but she is not kind.”

Knows Mind Kind Song Girl Strange Moon Torn Feathers Old Woman Rags Opal

Book:Selected poems

Source: Selected poems

“But for us the road unfurls itself, we don't stop walking, we know there is far to go.”

Knows Walking

Book:Selected poems

Source: Selected poems

“It's when we face for a moment the worst our kind can do, and shudder to know the taint in our own selves, that awe cracks the mind's shell and enters the heart.”

Knows Mind Heart Kind Self Moments Faces Can Do Worst Awe Cracks Shells

Book:The Stream & the Sapphire: Selected Poems on Religious Themes

Source: The Stream & the Sapphire: Selected Poems on Religious Themes

“Teachers at all levels encourage the idea that you have to talk about things in order to understand them, because they wouldn't have jobs, otherwise. But it's phony, you know.”

Knows Ideas Jobs Order Levels Teacher Teaching Phony

Book:Conversations with Denise Levertov

Source: Conversations with Denise Levertov

“A poet articulating the dreads and horrors of our time is necessary in order to make readers understand what is happening, really understand it, not just know about it but feel it: and should be accompanied by a willingness on the part of those who write it to take additional action towards stopping the great miseries which they record.”

Knows Feels Should Writing Action Order Records Poet Reader Horror Happenings Misery Our Time Willingness Dread Stopping Articulating

Book:New & Selected Essays

Source: New & Selected Essays

About the Author

Born: October 24, 1923
Died: December 20, 1997
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 86

Books & Sources

Poems of Denise Levertov, 1960-1967Related source material

Selected poemsRelated source material

The poet in the worldRelated source material

Making PeaceRelated source material

New & Selected EssaysRelated source material

The Sorrow Dance: PoemsRelated source material

Breathing the WaterRelated source material

Conversations with Denise LevertovRelated source material

Evening TrainRelated source material

Light Up the CaveRelated source material

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