Breathing the Water Book

In the first collection of Levertov's poems that I read, I was struck by her anger and sadness over the Vietnam war, as well as the attention to the natural world I had expected. In "Breathing the Water," her talent for observation of the world around her is again on display, with that focus turned to not just nature but also painting, daily life, photography and literature. But what surprised me this time was her sincere and intelligent exploration of religious themes. She shows me a model for how one can attune oneself and study religious stories, histories and places. And the same approach - close attention, reflection, expression - heightens our understanding of any subject, whether a bird or a garden or the people one meets "Every Day."

It may just be that I didn't know enough about Denise Levertov to start, but she has been a surprising poet for me. And I think that speaks highly for her and adds to her power.