Denise Levertov (poets.org)
A poem by Denise Levertov, from Sands of the Well.
Copyright © 1996 by Denise Levertov.
I found it on Poets.Org where it’s reprinted by permission of
New Directions Publishing Corp. All rights reserved.
POETS.ORG: Find and Share the perfect poems.
I found this one–it touched me,
and now I’m sharing it for your enjoyment.
SOJOURNS IN THE PARALLEL WORLD * We live our lives of human passions, cruelties, dreams, concepts, crimes and the exercise of virtue in and beside a world devoid of our preoccupations, free from apprehension—though affected, certainly, by our actions. A world parallel to our own though overlapping. We call it “Nature”; only reluctantly admitting ourselves to be “Nature” too. Whenever we lose track of our own obsessions, our self-concerns, because we drift for a minute, an hour even, of pure (almost pure) response to that insouciant life: cloud, bird, fox, the flow of light, the dancing pilgrimage of water, vast stillness of spellbound ephemerae on a lit windowpane, animal voices, mineral hum, wind conversing with rain, ocean with rock, stuttering of fire to coal—then something tethered in us, hobbled like a donkey on its patch of gnawed grass and thistles, breaks free. No one discovers just where we’ve been, when we’re caught up again into our own sphere (where we must return, indeed, to evolve our destinies) —but we have changed, a little. *Copyright © 1996 by Denise Levertov from Sands of the Well. Poets.org: Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing Corp. All rights reserved.
Nature: Let it change you and let it show
From the University of Minnesota: How does Nature Impact Our Wellbeing?
Being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear,
and stress and increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only
makes you feel better emotionally, it contributes to your physical wellbeing,
reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of
stress hormones.
From In The Shadow of Rainbows GIVE BACK perfect specimens of imperfection you and I cocoons in the universe surviving thriving reproducing loving living nurtured under the illimitable distant sun, fulfilling stories among starlight may we soon rise to the role we cannot leave to chance © Selma
Thanks for listening
Thanks for reading
Thanks for being here in this life with me
HAPPY JOYOUS HOLIDAYS
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❤️
Glad you liked it, B
Beautiful you sharing the poem. Nice voice for audio.
Thank you Raj
Most welcome,Selma!
A beautiful share Selma.
Thanks so dearly, dear Sadje. Stay sweet.
Thank you so much
Levertov’s poetry is riveting … as is yours! Be blessed today, Selma.
I appreciate you reading and commenting, Dora. May your December be stress-free. xo
Thanks for sharing this poem. I follow your blog but can you follow mine. Anita
“We call it “Nature”; only reluctantly
admitting ourselves to be “Nature” too.”
I loved listening to your soothing voice! Thank you for sharing this beautiful poem. It brought me to a place of peace and stillness. 🤍
I appreciate you saying that, dear Samantha Burgett. So happy you found calm in this. Thanks for the encouragement. I bless you.
A wonderful reading of a great poem – we are part of nature, not something separate, and yet we so often fail to see this!
We fail to see it. Perhaps we think we’re better than nature? Here’s hoping we become more like nature. Thanks, Ingrid. Sending blessings. I cannot wait for the big day to arrive.
😍 love the audio too.
Bless your heart for saying. Xo 🙈