Post Modern American Poetry
Megan Malmay
Professor Fuller
English 210
12 February 2015 “Where Is The Angel?” and “Bresson’s Movies” One of my favorites from the Black Mountain College poets was Denise Levertov’s “Where Is The Angel?”. In the first stanza of this poem, you can already point out a metaphor and biblical reference. “Where is the angle for me to wrestle? No driving snow in the glass bubble, bust mild September.” I think first off, the speaker is asking, “Why have I not been challenged?” The glass bubble that the speaker is referring to is a metaphor for a snow globe. Then, in the bible Jacob wrestles and angel. Levertov was a very religious person, so I would think that that is where the biblical reference is coming from. I would like to think that the speaker is older, possibly sheltered his/her entire life, and asking where their test of faith is, and if it is coming at all.
The speaker continues on to describe the surrounds in the globe; it is not snow, yet more of a fall. The air is warm; the colors are gold and brown. I think that the speaker is referring to their life, and that they are pretty much happy, but then in sixth stanza presents us with this image, “A band of iron, like they put round a split tree, circles my heart.” The speaker obviously has or had a broken heart, “the band of iron” is to pull the heart back together and fix it. I think that it’s in the process of healing and had previously been broken, because right after that line, the speaker talks of it being pleasant in the globe. The last two stanzas are asking again, where is their angel to wrestle. Maybe the speaker is worried that they haven’t paid their dues and is concerned if their trip to heaven has been earned. I don’t completely understand this poem, but it’s really not about understanding, it’s about how the poem makes you feel. I thought that this was one of the best of the Black Mountain poet’s works. One of my other personal favorites is Robert Creeley’s “Bresson’s Movies”. I know a
Professor Fuller
English 210
12 February 2015 “Where Is The Angel?” and “Bresson’s Movies” One of my favorites from the Black Mountain College poets was Denise Levertov’s “Where Is The Angel?”. In the first stanza of this poem, you can already point out a metaphor and biblical reference. “Where is the angle for me to wrestle? No driving snow in the glass bubble, bust mild September.” I think first off, the speaker is asking, “Why have I not been challenged?” The glass bubble that the speaker is referring to is a metaphor for a snow globe. Then, in the bible Jacob wrestles and angel. Levertov was a very religious person, so I would think that that is where the biblical reference is coming from. I would like to think that the speaker is older, possibly sheltered his/her entire life, and asking where their test of faith is, and if it is coming at all.
The speaker continues on to describe the surrounds in the globe; it is not snow, yet more of a fall. The air is warm; the colors are gold and brown. I think that the speaker is referring to their life, and that they are pretty much happy, but then in sixth stanza presents us with this image, “A band of iron, like they put round a split tree, circles my heart.” The speaker obviously has or had a broken heart, “the band of iron” is to pull the heart back together and fix it. I think that it’s in the process of healing and had previously been broken, because right after that line, the speaker talks of it being pleasant in the globe. The last two stanzas are asking again, where is their angel to wrestle. Maybe the speaker is worried that they haven’t paid their dues and is concerned if their trip to heaven has been earned. I don’t completely understand this poem, but it’s really not about understanding, it’s about how the poem makes you feel. I thought that this was one of the best of the Black Mountain poet’s works. One of my other personal favorites is Robert Creeley’s “Bresson’s Movies”. I know a