丹尼斯·莱弗托夫传记

诗人的传记

丹尼斯·莱弗托夫(Denise Levertov, 1923年10月24日- 1997年12月20日)，英国裔美国诗人。她出生在英格兰埃塞克斯郡的伊尔福德，母亲比阿特丽斯·斯普纳-琼斯·莱弗托夫是威尔士人。她的父亲保罗·莱弗托夫(Paul Levertoff)从德国移民到英国，是一名俄罗斯哈西德萨法迪犹太人，后来成为英国圣公会牧师。虽然在家里接受教育，莱弗托夫从小就表现出对写作的热情。她说，在她五岁的时候，她宣布自己要成为一名作家。12岁时，她把自己的一些诗寄给t·s·艾略特，艾略特回信给她一封两页长的鼓励信。1940年，17岁的莱弗托夫发表了她的第一首诗。在闪电战期间，莱弗托夫在伦敦担任平民护士。她的第一本书《双重形象》于六年后出版。1947年，她嫁给了美国作家米切尔·古德曼(Mitchell Goodman)，并于次年随他移居美国。 Although Levertov and Goodman would eventually divorce, they had a son, Nikolai, and lived mainly in New York City, summering in Maine. In 1955, she became a naturalized American citizen. Levertov's first two books had concentrated on traditional forms and language. But as she accepted the U.S. as her new home, she became more and more fascinated with the American idiom. She began to come under the influence of the Black Mountain poets and most importantly William Carlos Williams. Her first American book of poetry, Here and Now, shows the beginnings of this transition and transformation. Her poem “With Eyes at the Back of Our Heads” established her reputation. During the 1960s and 70s, Levertov became much more politically active in her life and work. As poetry editor for The Nation, she was able to support and publish the work of feminist and other leftist activist poets. The Vietnam War was an especially important focus of her poetry, which often tried to weave together the personal and political, as in her poem "The Sorrow Dance," which speaks of her sister's death. Also in response to the Vietnam War, Levertov joined the War Resister’s League. Much of the latter part of Levertov’s life was spent in education. After moving to Massachusetts, Levertov taught at Brandeis University, MIT and Tufts University. On the West Coast, she had a part-time teaching stint at the University of Washington and for 11 years (1982-1993) held a full professorship at Stanford University. In 1984 she received a Litt. D. from Bates College. After retiring from teaching, she traveled for a year doing poetry readings in the U.S. and England. In 1997, Denise Levertov died at the age of 74 from complications due to lymphoma. She was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Seattle, Washington.