Talking to GriefA poem by Denise Levertov

Presented by Andrew Lynch

Denise Levertov

Born in Ilford, Essex, England on October 24, 1923

At the age of twelve, she sent some of her poems to T. S. Eliot He replied approvingly

Her first book, The Double Image, was published when she was twenty-three

She was influenced by the Black Mountain poets

Died on December 20, 1997 (complications from lymphoma)

Talking to Grief

Ah, Grief, I should not treat youlike a homeless dogwho comes to the back doorfor a crust, for a meatless bone.I should trust you.

I should coax youinto the house and give youyour own corner,a worn mat to lie on,your own water dish.

Talking to Grief

You think I don't know you've been livingunder my porch.You long for your real place to be readiedbefore winter comes. You needyour name,your collar and tag. You needthe right to warn off intruders,to considermy house your ownand me your personand yourselfmy own dog.

Anybody?

Talking to Grief

Ah, Grief, I should not treat youlike a homeless dogwho comes to the back doorfor a crust, for a meatless bone.I should trust you.

I should coax youinto the house and give youyour own corner,a worn mat to lie on,your own water dish.

Talking to Grief

You think I don't know you've been livingunder my porch.You long for your real place to be readiedbefore winter comes. You needyour name,your collar and tag. You needthe right to warn off intruders,to considermy house your ownand me your personand yourselfmy own dog.

The Speaker

A man or woman saddened by an event I felt that it was a woman considering the

author’s gender Lives by herself in a northern region

“my house”, “readied before winter comes” Feels a connection with animals

Particularly dogs

Attitude of the Speaker

The speaker is forlorn The speaker is learning to live with the

grief Like one lives with an animal Akin to a therapeutic animal going to

nursing home The speaker is willing to move ahead

and accept what lies ahead “and yourself my own dog”

Organization

3 stanzas 5 lines 5 lines 12 lines

Free Verse No major rhyme scheme or pattern

Simple Summarization

Lines 1-5 Introduction of the grief / homeless dog simile,

speaker feels she should face her grief.

Lines 6-10 Continuation of simile. She needs to confront her

grief in a similar manner to getting a dog (i.e. all the steps necessary).

Lines 11-22 She needs to properly identify her grief and work

with it to move on and live her life.

Diction and Syntax

Simple language Conversational

Picture a person literally talking to a dog

The syntax of this poem is simple “You long for your real place to be readied

before winter comes”

Dominant Imagery

The dog The dog is the same as the speakers grief

It “hides” under her “house” It needs a name It needs to be confronted in order to be dealt

with

The house The speakers mind / body / soul

Conclusions

This poem is a look into the world of a grief-stricken person.

How one deals with grief How the speaker deals with grief Methods of dealing with grief

Talking to Grief

Ah, Grief, I should not treat youlike a homeless dogwho comes to the back doorfor a crust, for a meatless bone.I should trust you.

I should coax youinto the house and give youyour own corner,a worn mat to lie on,your own water dish.

You think I don't know you've been livingunder my porch.You long for your real place to be readiedbefore winter comes. You needyour name,your collar and tag. You needthe right to warn off intruders,to considermy house your ownand me your personand yourselfmy own dog.