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Breathing the water
“Levertov's master––more than mastery, because she is one of the originators––of contemporary poetic form, informed with a fierce, generous intelligence, can be frightening.” ―Ursula Le Guin, Washington Post Arranged in seven parts and culminating in the superb "The Lady Julian of Norwich," Breathing the Water draws the readers deep into spiritual domains––not in order to leave the world behind, but to reanimate our sometimes dormant love for it.
86 pages, Hardcover
First published March 17, 1987
About the author
Denise Levertov
200 books170 followersAmerican poet Denise Levertov was born in Ilford, Essex, England. Her mother, Beatrice Spooner-Jones Levertoff, was Welsh. Her father, Paul Levertoff, from Germany migrated to England as a Russian Hassidic Jew, who, after converting to Christianity, became an Anglican parson. At the age of 12, she sent some of her poems to T. S. Eliot, who replied with a two-page letter of encouragement. In 1940, when she was 17, Levertov published her first poem.
During the Blitz, Levertov served in London as a civilian nurse. Her first book, The Double Image, was published six years later. In 1947 she married American writer Mitchell Goodman and moved with him to the United States in the following year. Although Levertov and Goodman would eventually divorce, they had a son, Nickolai, and lived mainly in New York City, summering in Maine. In 1955, she became a naturalized American citizen.
During the 1960s and 70s, Levertov became much more politically active in her life and work. As poetry editor for The Nation, she was able to support and publish the work of feminist and other leftist activist poets. The Vietnam War was an especially important focus of her poetry, which often tried to weave together the personal and political, as in her poem "The Sorrow Dance," which speaks of her sister's death. Also in response to the Vietnam War, Levertov joined the War Resister’s League.
Much of the latter part of Levertov’s life was spent in education. After moving to Massachusetts, Levertov taught at Brandeis University, MIT and Tufts University. On the West Coast, she had a part-time teaching stint at the University of Washington and for 11 years (1982-1993) held a full professorship at Stanford University. In 1984 she received a Litt. D. from Bates College. After retiring from teaching, she traveled for a year doing poetry readings in the U.S. and England.
In 1997, Denise Levertov died at the age of 74 from complications due to lymphoma. She was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Seattle, Washington.
Levertov wrote and published 20 books of poetry, criticism, translations. She also edited several anthologies. Among her many awards and honors, she received the Shelley Memorial Award, the Robert Frost Medal, the Lenore Marshall Prize, the Lannan Award, a grant from the National Institute of Arts and Letters, and a Guggenheim Fellowship.
During the Blitz, Levertov served in London as a civilian nurse. Her first book, The Double Image, was published six years later. In 1947 she married American writer Mitchell Goodman and moved with him to the United States in the following year. Although Levertov and Goodman would eventually divorce, they had a son, Nickolai, and lived mainly in New York City, summering in Maine. In 1955, she became a naturalized American citizen.
During the 1960s and 70s, Levertov became much more politically active in her life and work. As poetry editor for The Nation, she was able to support and publish the work of feminist and other leftist activist poets. The Vietnam War was an especially important focus of her poetry, which often tried to weave together the personal and political, as in her poem "The Sorrow Dance," which speaks of her sister's death. Also in response to the Vietnam War, Levertov joined the War Resister’s League.
Much of the latter part of Levertov’s life was spent in education. After moving to Massachusetts, Levertov taught at Brandeis University, MIT and Tufts University. On the West Coast, she had a part-time teaching stint at the University of Washington and for 11 years (1982-1993) held a full professorship at Stanford University. In 1984 she received a Litt. D. from Bates College. After retiring from teaching, she traveled for a year doing poetry readings in the U.S. and England.
In 1997, Denise Levertov died at the age of 74 from complications due to lymphoma. She was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Seattle, Washington.
Levertov wrote and published 20 books of poetry, criticism, translations. She also edited several anthologies. Among her many awards and honors, she received the Shelley Memorial Award, the Robert Frost Medal, the Lenore Marshall Prize, the Lannan Award, a grant from the National Institute of Arts and Letters, and a Guggenheim Fellowship.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 19, 2009
I picked up this little book because the title intrigued me. This is the first book of poetry I purchased by Ms. Levertov and I fell instantly in love with the depth, beauty and soulfulness of the poems.
I highly recommend that you read it and even memorize some of the beautiful poems.
This is my favorite:
VARIATION ON A THEME BY RILKE
A certain day became a presence to me;
there it was, confronting me--a sky, air, light:
a being. And before it started to descend
from the height of noon, it leaned over
and struck my shoulder as if with
the flat of a sword, granting me
honor and a task. The day's blow
rang out, metallic--or it was I, a bell awakened,
and what I heard was my whole self
saying and singing what it knew: I can.
Denise Levertov
I highly recommend that you read it and even memorize some of the beautiful poems.
This is my favorite:
VARIATION ON A THEME BY RILKE
A certain day became a presence to me;
there it was, confronting me--a sky, air, light:
a being. And before it started to descend
from the height of noon, it leaned over
and struck my shoulder as if with
the flat of a sword, granting me
honor and a task. The day's blow
rang out, metallic--or it was I, a bell awakened,
and what I heard was my whole self
saying and singing what it knew: I can.
Denise Levertov
December 9, 2013
"There will never be that stillness.
Within the pulse of flesh,
in the dust of being, where we trudge
turning our hungry gaze this way and that,
the wings of the morning
brush through our blood
as cloud-shadows brush the land.
What we desire travels with us.
We must breathe time as fishes breathe water.
God's flight circles us."
Within the pulse of flesh,
in the dust of being, where we trudge
turning our hungry gaze this way and that,
the wings of the morning
brush through our blood
as cloud-shadows brush the land.
What we desire travels with us.
We must breathe time as fishes breathe water.
God's flight circles us."
July 23, 2022
First reading: 4 stars. Second reading: 5 stars. I'm glad I read this collection twice. The second reading deepened my appreciation, admiration, and apprehension of these poems. Denise Levertov was such a gifted poet.
June 24, 2014
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.
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.
December 20, 2013
The Well
At sixteen I believed the moonlight
could change me if it would.
I moved my head
on the pillow, even moved my bed
as the moon slowly
crossed the open lattice.
I wanted beauty, a dangerous
gleam of steel, my body thinner,
my pale face paler.
I moonbathed
diligently, as others sunbathe.
But the moon's unsmiling stare
kept me awake. Mornings,
I was flushed and cross.
It was on dark nights of deep sleep
that I dreamed the most, sunk in the well,
and woke rested, and if not beautiful,
filled with some other power.
Denise Levertov
At sixteen I believed the moonlight
could change me if it would.
I moved my head
on the pillow, even moved my bed
as the moon slowly
crossed the open lattice.
I wanted beauty, a dangerous
gleam of steel, my body thinner,
my pale face paler.
I moonbathed
diligently, as others sunbathe.
But the moon's unsmiling stare
kept me awake. Mornings,
I was flushed and cross.
It was on dark nights of deep sleep
that I dreamed the most, sunk in the well,
and woke rested, and if not beautiful,
filled with some other power.
Denise Levertov
August 20, 2015
I've loved Denise Levertov's poetry ever since I dressed up as her for an English project in high school and staged a mock protest in front of the administration building. Breathing the Water goes everywhere with me, from apartment to apartment and school to school. It's moved across the country to Massachusetts and come back home again. We are inseparable, this book and I.
August 25, 2021
A lot of great poems in this collection. Some of my favorites:
Hunting the Phoenix
A Doorkey for Cordova
The Absentee
To One Steeped in Bitterness
Urgent Whisper
And this from “Variation and Reflection on a Theme by Rilke”:
“What we desire travels with us.
We must breathe time as fishes breathe water.
God’s flight circles us.”
Hunting the Phoenix
A Doorkey for Cordova
The Absentee
To One Steeped in Bitterness
Urgent Whisper
And this from “Variation and Reflection on a Theme by Rilke”:
“What we desire travels with us.
We must breathe time as fishes breathe water.
God’s flight circles us.”
October 13, 2025
reading a short poetry book has become part of my morning routine and this was definitely a good morning poetry book. The nature imagery and biblical allusions remind me of Mary Oliver, but its got more intensity. Also more political, sometimes so overtly it kinda messes up the flow but I still like it. Zeroing In is beautiful, might be my favorite poem in the book.
November 9, 2017
Enjoyable, but I read it too quickly to savor it.
October 25, 2013
She does it all!
Favorites:
Hunting the Phoenix
Window-Blind
The Spy
Missing Beatrice
Every Day
During a Son's Dangerous Illness
Making Peace
'the myriad past...'
Wavering
On a Theme from Julian's Chapter XX
Variation on a Theme by Rilke (The Book of Hours, Book 1, Poem 4)
La Cordelle
The Showings, 1-6
Variation and Reflection on a Theme by Rilke (The Book of Hours, Book 1, Poem 7)
Favorites:
Hunting the Phoenix
Window-Blind
The Spy
Missing Beatrice
Every Day
During a Son's Dangerous Illness
Making Peace
'the myriad past...'
Wavering
On a Theme from Julian's Chapter XX
Variation on a Theme by Rilke (The Book of Hours, Book 1, Poem 4)
La Cordelle
The Showings, 1-6
Variation and Reflection on a Theme by Rilke (The Book of Hours, Book 1, Poem 7)
March 24, 2016
Gran poeta en cuanto a la enunciación de una relación con Dios, el arte, la Biblia y una experiencia personal con Él. Hace varios años, estando en Atlanta Ga., escogí este libro para un regalo; la autora aún estaba viva y ofrecía en ese tiempo un taller de poesía. Es un placer releerlo y encontrarse con la verdad poética que exalta a Dios de una manera especial.
November 14, 2009
This is another I've been working on slowly; this one since last Christmas. I love it. I will revisit it often. Levertov is spiritual in all the most helpful ways.
April 23, 2012
Smart, beautiful, and filled with (Christian)faith, but not sentimental. This collection is worth the price simply for her set of poems on Julian of Norwich's mystic classic 'Showings'.
January 26, 2013
Liked section VII the best - more religious/Lenten poems here. Especially liked "Making Peace"
and the phrase "desolation of survival" from "During a Son's Dangerous Illness".
and the phrase "desolation of survival" from "During a Son's Dangerous Illness".
April 14, 2019
This collection was hit and miss for me. The hits were great.
October 2, 2024
Most impressive as a concept and poetically complete out of all of her collections.
January 26, 2022
A certain day became a presence to me;
there it was, confronting me - a sky, air, light:
a being. And before it started to descend
from the height of noon, it leaned over
and struck my shoulder as if with
the flat of a sword, granting me
honour and a task. The day's blow
rang out, metallic - or it was I, a bell awakened,
and what I heard was my whole self
saying and singing what it knew: I can
* * *
Uninterpreted, the days
are falling.
The spring wind
is shaking and shaking the trees.
A nest of eggs,
a nest of deaths.
Falling
abandoned.
The palms rattle, the eucalypts
shed bark and blossom. Uninterpreted.
* * *
Stroking its blue shore
throughout the night, patient, patient,
determined rhetoric that never
persuades, the rocks unwilling
to be pebbles, nights and days and
centuries passing before the pebbles
dwindle to join the sand, the sand itself
at last barring the sea's way
into the land, an island
forming from the silt. Yet still
all this night and all
the nights of our life the sea
stroking its blue shore,
patient, patient -
* * *
With certitude
Simeon opened
ancient arms
to infant light.
Decades
before the cross, the tomb
and the new life,
he knew
new life.
What depth
of faith he drew on,
turning illumined
toward deep night.
there it was, confronting me - a sky, air, light:
a being. And before it started to descend
from the height of noon, it leaned over
and struck my shoulder as if with
the flat of a sword, granting me
honour and a task. The day's blow
rang out, metallic - or it was I, a bell awakened,
and what I heard was my whole self
saying and singing what it knew: I can
- Variation on a Theme by Rilke, pg. 3
* * *
Uninterpreted, the days
are falling.
The spring wind
is shaking and shaking the trees.
A nest of eggs,
a nest of deaths.
Falling
abandoned.
The palms rattle, the eucalypts
shed bark and blossom. Uninterpreted.
- The Absentee, pg. 20
* * *
Stroking its blue shore
throughout the night, patient, patient,
determined rhetoric that never
persuades, the rocks unwilling
to be pebbles, nights and days and
centuries passing before the pebbles
dwindle to join the sand, the sand itself
at last barring the sea's way
into the land, an island
forming from the silt. Yet still
all this night and all
the nights of our life the sea
stroking its blue shore,
patient, patient -
- 'The sea's repeated gesture.', pg. 48
* * *
With certitude
Simeon opened
ancient arms
to infant light.
Decades
before the cross, the tomb
and the new life,
he knew
new life.
What depth
of faith he drew on,
turning illumined
toward deep night.
- Candlemas, pg. 70
November 6, 2018
4 1/2* I am floored. Elements of Romanticism and Spirituality
Combined with
Awareness of limitations--physical, social, spiritual
The references to art
The references aspects of Earth.
The Christian/Catholic imagery
The awe of what is, however rough hewn.
The pondering upon Lady Julian of Norwich/Juliana of Norwich (1342-1416)
The pondering upon the Mystery shown Juliana in a trance--the hazelnut as Creation.
The only thing--and it is a deal breaker, lowering rating to 4*--is the reader not discovering that the Juliana being referred to several times in the text is not even identified until nearly the end of the poetry collection. What's up with that?
I hope to read more of this post. I am enchanted.
Combined with
Awareness of limitations--physical, social, spiritual
The references to art
The references aspects of Earth.
The Christian/Catholic imagery
The awe of what is, however rough hewn.
The pondering upon Lady Julian of Norwich/Juliana of Norwich (1342-1416)
The pondering upon the Mystery shown Juliana in a trance--the hazelnut as Creation.
The only thing--and it is a deal breaker, lowering rating to 4*--is the reader not discovering that the Juliana being referred to several times in the text is not even identified until nearly the end of the poetry collection. What's up with that?
I hope to read more of this post. I am enchanted.
February 12, 2019
I purchased 'breathing the water' completely at random from the poetry section in a Preloved and antique bookshop. I have 10+ pages marked for me to go back and read over and over again. I don't think I've ever resonated with so many poems written by one person before. Denise Levertov truly was talented , her words are pure magic. I'm on the hunt for more of her books!
March 17, 2026
A certain day became a presence to me;
there it was, confronting me—a sky, air, light:
a being. And before it started to descend
from the height of noon, it leaned over
and struck my shoulder as if with
the flat of a sword, granting me
honor and a task. The day's blow
rang out, metallic—or it was I, a bell awakened,
and what I heard was my whole self
saying and singing what it knew: I can.
there it was, confronting me—a sky, air, light:
a being. And before it started to descend
from the height of noon, it leaned over
and struck my shoulder as if with
the flat of a sword, granting me
honor and a task. The day's blow
rang out, metallic—or it was I, a bell awakened,
and what I heard was my whole self
saying and singing what it knew: I can.
April 23, 2018
Some reviews compared it to classic Bangkok noir, but this one nowhere as dark as John Burdett's Sonchai Jitpleecheep series and thus in my opinion not quite on par. Not really a 4 star but I really can't limit it to a 3 star as Hallinan's affection for Thailand clearly comes through.
July 3, 2018
Goodness was / a fever in you.
May 28, 2020
Really lovely. I am liking Levertov more and more. The Julian poems are a wonderful follow-up to reading the Showings.
March 27, 2021
Breath-taking and thought-provoking, as always.
February 20, 2024
She writes like there's an enchanting riddle that needs solving. And after rereading you want to guess the answer
July 21, 2024
I really loved the poem In Praise of Allium
and In Memory: After a Friend’s Sudden Death and especially: During a Son’s Dangerous Illness.
and In Memory: After a Friend’s Sudden Death and especially: During a Son’s Dangerous Illness.
Read
April 4, 2011god (or some such person) bless bloodaxe books! the put out book after book of not just incredible modern poetry but also incredibly well bound modern poetry,it all makes it that much more of a joy to read and i only stop this spiel (literally speech, i'm not suggesting i'm talking bull excrement) now so that i can go back to reading it!
Denise levertov is a master (or perhaps that should be mistress though of course that would imply something entirely different) of language, form, structure, and interpretation, as well as having a beautiful understanding of poetry to the point that she can really twist the form, and just totally discard the idea that poetry is any sort of genre, or any sort of formula and just flow with it.
Denise levertov is a master (or perhaps that should be mistress though of course that would imply something entirely different) of language, form, structure, and interpretation, as well as having a beautiful understanding of poetry to the point that she can really twist the form, and just totally discard the idea that poetry is any sort of genre, or any sort of formula and just flow with it.
October 3, 2020
I read this for the first time in 1991 or 1992, as part of a high school poetry class. The project we did must have been hilarious. I believe there was walking into and out of a spot light to signify the conscious and the unconscious mind.
I promise you in 1991 or 1992, I had no idea what this book was about. I still have some doubts, but I do know that this is a book of faith, in all its forms, and for the dear one I was at 17 and for the dear poems, I maintain my faith in Levertov.
I promise you in 1991 or 1992, I had no idea what this book was about. I still have some doubts, but I do know that this is a book of faith, in all its forms, and for the dear one I was at 17 and for the dear poems, I maintain my faith in Levertov.
July 2, 2012
Levertov’s collection of poems explores the connections between the spiritual and the everyday through vivid images and powerful words. Particular favorites of mine were “Making Peace” and “Girls.” If you’re looking for a solid book of poetry, then I would highly recommend this collection. Truly, it’s worth a second or third read in order to truly get all of the references made and ideas contained within her poetic lines.
August 25, 2014
A nice little volume, with a few breath-stopping moments of surprise, but also a few places where I lost focus. I liked Levertov's use of source material from history, mythology, and other poets as a jumping-off place for her own poetry.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews