Denise Levertov (1923 – 1997) left us with some interesting and beautiful poems. Denise Levertov’s secret, what’s it all about? Is it about the discoveries in life? The mysteries of life? More importantly, is it possible to discover something important when reading poetry?
About “The Secret”
In this poem, written in the first person, we can read about two girls who discovered the secret of life when reading poetry. As the reader of this poem, you can’t help to ask yourself: “Is this possible?”
Let’s assume that Levertov is the person telling us this story. It seems that she has forgotten about this secret at one point. As time passes, the details are forgotten. So, is it safe to assume that Levertov is telling about her own experiences?
Let’s not assume that Levertov is telling us a story about herself. Instead, she tells the story about all of humankind. What is, or rather was, important or high valued at one time, was forgotten in a later period.
The deeper meaning that Levertov might have been referring to could be the reason why we are here on Earth. But was that something you would forget? Even after such a short period? Leverton mentioned a week in this poem.
Perhaps it’s simpler than this. Perhaps it’s just two very young girls, who found out something they found important, but in the end, it wasn’t.
You decide, what’s the meaning behind this poem.
The Secret
Two girls discover
the secret of life
in a sudden line of
poetry.
I who don’t know the
secret wrote
the line. They
told me
(through a third person)
they had found it
but not what it was
not even
what line it was. No doubt
by now, more than a week
later, they have forgotten
the secret,
the line, the name of
the poem. I love them
for finding what
I can’t find,
and for loving me
for the line I wrote,
and for forgetting it
so that
a thousand times, till death
finds them, they may
discover it again, in other
lines
in other
happenings. And for
wanting to know it,
for
assuming there is
such a secret, yes,
for that
most of all.
– – Denis Levertov
