"I devoured the books they lent me." ~ Jane Eyre

I am devouring Denise Levertov.

Each poem she writes strikes more than a chord with me; it strikes my soul. She has the ability to make herself a universal lyricist for women. There is no romance in her poetry, no illusions of happy endings. Just a realistic voice about emotion and perception.

I have read this poem over two dozen times in the past week:

Prayer for Revolutionary Love

That a woman not ask a man to leave meaningful work to
follow her.
That a man not ask a woman to leave meaningful work to
follow him.

That no one try to put Eros in bondage.
But that no one put a cudgel in the hands of Eros.

That our loyalty to one another and our loyalty to our work
not be set in false conflict.

That our love for each other give us love for each other's work.
That our love for each other's work give us love for one another.

That our love for each other's work give us love for one another.
That our love for each other give us love for each other's work.

That our love for each other, if need be,
give way to absence. And the unknown.

That we endure absence, if need be,
without losing our love for each other.
Without closing our doors to the unknown.