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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
Denise Levertov’s "Sunday Afternoon" captures a vivid scene that juxtaposes the sacredness of a First Communion with the lively, earthly activities of the young daughters of a coffee merchant. Through rich imagery and a keen observation of contrasts, Levertov explores themes of innocence, transformation, and the passage from solemn ritual to vibrant play. The poem begins with a serene and almost ethereal scene: "After the First Communion / and the banquet of mangoes and / bridal cake, the young daughters / of the coffee merchant lay down / for 1 long siesta." The mention of the First Communion, a significant religious rite, sets a tone of sanctity and celebration. The "banquet of mangoes and / bridal cake" adds a sensory richness, blending the tropical sweetness of mangoes with the symbolic purity of a bridal cake. This feast signifies both a literal and metaphorical nourishment following a sacred event. The daughters’ repose is described with a sense of calm and purity: "and their white dresses / lay beside them in quietness / and the white veils floated / in their dreams as the flies buzzed." The white dresses and veils, symbols of innocence and the sacred ceremony, rest quietly, reflecting the stillness and peace of the siesta. The image of veils floating in dreams juxtaposed with the mundane buzzing of flies captures the intersection of the sacred and the ordinary. As the day progresses, the scene transforms: "But as the afternoon / burned to a close they rose / and ran about the neighborhood / among the halfbuilt villas." The transition from stillness to action mirrors the natural rhythm of rest and play. The burning afternoon suggests the intensity and energy building up as the day moves towards evening. The half-built villas provide a backdrop of incompleteness and possibility, a playground for the children’s imagination and vitality. The poem culminates with a burst of vivid, lively imagery: "alive, alive, kicking a basketball, wearing / other new dresses, of bloodred velvet." The repetition of "alive, alive" emphasizes the children’s exuberance and vitality. The act of kicking a basketball signifies movement, playfulness, and physical engagement, contrasting sharply with the earlier stillness of the siesta. The "bloodred velvet" dresses symbolize a bold transformation from the purity of the white communion dresses to a more passionate, earthly expression. The color red evokes a sense of life, energy, and perhaps even a foreshadowing of maturity and individuality. "Sunday Afternoon" by Denise Levertov masterfully captures a moment of transition, from the sacred stillness of a religious rite to the vibrant energy of childhood play. Through her use of contrasting imagery and careful attention to sensory details, Levertov explores the interplay between innocence and experience, rest and activity, the sacred and the mundane. The poem invites readers to appreciate the beauty in these moments of transformation and the seamless blending of different facets of life.
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE THREE CHILDREN by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN CHILDREN SELECTING BOOKS IN A LIBRARY by RANDALL JARRELL COME TO THE STONE ... by RANDALL JARRELL THE LOST WORLD by RANDALL JARRELL A SICK CHILD by RANDALL JARRELL CONTINENT'S END by ROBINSON JEFFERS ON THE DEATH OF FRIENDS IN CHILDHOOD by DONALD JUSTICE THE POET AT SEVEN by DONALD JUSTICE |
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