Reading and analysis of two poems by Denise Levertov, "For the New Year, 1981" and "Making Peace." Recommended for high school.

Two free verse poems from a 20th c. English-American poet. Analysis focuses on theme, word choice, syntax and the use of paradox and contradiction.

Very positive tone and themes, to celebrate the new year and new beginnings and new hope. (Not Star Wars. Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

Sixth in the Feminist Justice series, focusing on female authors and feminist themes in honor of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Text for first poem:

“For the New Year, 1981” 

 I have a small grain of hope— 

one small crystal that gleams 

clear colors out of transparency. 

I need more. 

I break off a fragment 

to send you. 

Please take 

this grain of a grain of hope 

so that mine won’t shrink. 

Please share your fragment 

so that yours will grow. 

Only so, by division, 

will hope increase, 

like a clump of irises, which will cease to flower 

unless you distribute 

the clustered roots, unlikely source— 

clumsy and earth-covered— 

of grace.

Text for second poem:

Link: Making Peace by Denise Levertov | Poetry Foundation

Making Peace

BY DENISE LEVERTOV

A voice from the dark called out,

              ‘The poets must give us

imagination of peace, to oust the intense, familiar

imagination of disaster. Peace, not only

the absence of war.’

                                      But peace, like a poem,

is not there ahead of itself,

can’t be imagined before it is made,

can’t be known except

in the words of its making,

grammar of justice,

syntax of mutual aid.

                                         A feeling towards it,

dimly sensing a rhythm, is all we have

until we begin to utter its metaphors,

learning them as we speak.

                                                     A line of peace might appear

if we restructured the sentence our lives are making,

revoked its reaffirmation of profit and power,

questioned our needs, allowed

long pauses . . .

                              A cadence of peace might balance its weight

on that different fulcrum; peace, a presence,

an energy field more intense than war,

might pulse then,

stanza by stanza into the world,

each act of living

one of its words, each word

a vibration of light—facets

of the forming crystal.