When I opened the door I found the vine leaves speaking among themselves in abundant whispers. My presence made them hush their green breath, embarra… - Denise Levertov

" "

When I opened the door
I found the vine leaves
speaking among themselves in abundant
whispers.
My presence made them
hush their green breath,
embarrassed, the way
humans stand up, buttoning their jackets,
acting as if they were leaving anyway, as if
the conversation had ended
just before you arrived.
I liked
the glimpse I had, though,
of their obscure
gestures. I liked the sound
of such private voices. Next time
I’ll move like cautious sunlight, open
the door by fractions, eavesdrop
peacefully.

English
Collect this quote

About Denise Levertov

Denise Levertov (24 October 1923 – 20 December 1997) was a British-American poet.

Biography information from Wikiquote

Also Known As

Birth Name: Priscilla Denise Levertoff
Alternative Names: Priscilla D Levertoff Priscilla Denise Levertov
Works in ChatGPT, Claude, or Any AI

Add semantic quote search to your AI assistant via MCP. One command setup.

Related quotes. More quotes will automatically load as you scroll down, or you can use the load more buttons.

Additional quotes by Denise Levertov

Your secret was not the craftsman's delight in process,
which doesn't distinguish work from pleasure — your way was not to exalt nor avoid
the Adamic legacy, you simply made it irrelevant:
everything faded, thinned to nothing, beside
the light which bathed and warmed, the Presence
your being had opened to. Where it shone,
there life was, and abundantly; it touched
your dullest task, and the task was easy.

PREMIUM FEATURE
Advanced Search Filters

Filter search results by source, date, and more with our premium search tools.

Loading...