--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To the Reader\" As you read, a white bear…" description: "\"“To the Reader\" As you read, a white bear leisurely pees, dyeing the snow saffron, and as you read, many gods lie among lianas: eyes of obsidian are wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/denise-levertov-4487_books_to-the-reader-as-you-read-a-white-bear-l_2253074.png" --- # To the Reader" As you read, a white bear leisurely pees… ![“To the Reader" As you read, a white bear leisurely pees, dyeing the snow saffron, and as you read, many gods lie among lianas: eyes of obsidian are watching the generations of leaves, and as you read the sea is turning its dark pages, turning its dark pages.” quote by Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/denise-levertov-4487_books_to-the-reader-as-you-read-a-white-bear-l_2253074.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/denise-levertov-4487_books_to-the-reader-as-you-read-a-white-bear-l_2253074.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/denise-levertov-4487_books_to-the-reader-as-you-read-a-white-bear-l_2253074.png) > ““To the Reader" As you read, a white bear leisurely pees, dyeing the snow saffron, and as you read, many gods lie among lianas: eyes of obsidian are watching the generations of leaves, and as you read the sea is turning its dark pages, turning its dark pages.”” [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poem paints vivid, surreal images that blend nature, myth, and reading, suggesting stories transform reality. **In simple terms:** Reading creates vivid, transformative visions. Key Takeaway Let reading expand your perception. Themes imagination myth nature Mood contemplative inspired dreamy Type poetic literary When to use this quote - reading - creative writing - visual arts - meditation Key Concepts surrealism symbolism Questions to Reflect On - What images does a poem evoke for you? - How does reading change your view of the world? A Different Perspective May be too abstract for some readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Both read the Bible day and night, but thou read black where I read white.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/both-read-the-bible-day-and-night-but-thou-read-black-where-i-read/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [I am a serious reader, and I read slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-b-yehoshua/i-am-a-serious-reader-and-i-read-slowly/) [A. B. Yehoshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-b-yehoshua/) > [I try to read as a reader and also read as a writer. I mean, they're not so different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-young/i-try-to-read-as-a-reader-and-also-read-as-a-writer-i-mean-they-re/) [Kevin Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-young/) > [“I gave you my scenario by which I play, but you can't play my character forever, can ya? ... I am reader.. I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/i-gave-you-my-scenario-by-which-i-play-but-you-can-t-play-my/) Deyth Banger > [When I was a kid, I loved having a book in my hand. I still do. I wasn't a fast reader, but I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-perlman/when-i-was-a-kid-i-loved-having-a-book-in-my-hand-i-still-do-i-wasn-t/) [Rhea Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-perlman/) > [If you would be a reader, read; if a writer, write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/if-you-would-be-a-reader-read-if-a-writer-write/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [I would love to be in 'The Hunger Games.' I'm one of the few people who haven't read the books, because unfortunately, I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassi-thomson/i-would-love-to-be-in-the-hunger-games-i-m-one-of-the-few-people-who/) Cassi Thomson > [“...a poem is only finished when the last reader has read it or listened to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cees-nooteboom/a-poem-is-only-finished-when-the-last-reader-has-read-it-or-listened/) [Cees Nooteboom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cees-nooteboom/) > [My mother was a reader, and she read to us. She read us Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde when I was six and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/my-mother-was-a-reader-and-she-read-to-us-she-read-us-dr-jekyll-and/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I have always been a reader; I have read at every stage of my life, and there has never been a time when reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-setterfield/i-have-always-been-a-reader-i-have-read-at-every-stage-of-my-life-and-3/) [Diane Setterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-setterfield/) > [“Good books last longer than blog posts, which fade into cyberspace, hoping that a Google search will bring them to light again one day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-byrd/good-books-last-longer-than-blog-posts-which-fade-into-cyberspace/) [Aimee Byrd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-byrd/) > [“I’d always been a reader and I read a lot, usually sticking to books with some sort of romantic theme and a classic happily-ever-after.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-d-always-been-a-reader-and-i-read-a-lot-usually-sticking-to-books/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [Naturally, since I myself am a writer, I do not wish the ordinary reader to read no modern books. But if he must read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/naturally-since-i-myself-am-a-writer-i-do-not-wish-the-ordinary/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a reader, I read quite widely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ware/as-a-reader-i-read-quite-widely/) [Ruth Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ware/) > [You have to be a speedy reader because there’s so so much to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/you-have-to-be-a-speedy-reader-because-there-s-so-so-much-to-read/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) ## More by Denise Levertov > [Death and pain dominate this world, for though many are cured, they leave still weak, still tremulous, still knowing mortality has whispered to them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/death-and-pain-dominate-this-world-for-though-many-are-cured-they/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [The artist must create himself or be born again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/the-artist-must-create-himself-or-be-born-again/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [I believe every space and comma is a living part of the poem and has its function, just as every muscle and pore of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/i-believe-every-space-and-comma-is-a-living-part-of-the-poem-and-has/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [Each part of speech a spark awaiting redemption, each a virtue, a power in abeyance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/each-part-of-speech-a-spark-awaiting-redemption-each-a-virtue-a-power/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [It is fatal to one's artistic life to talk about something this is in process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/it-is-fatal-to-one-s-artistic-life-to-talk-about-something-this-is-in/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [If woman is inconstant, good, I am faithful to ebb and flow, I fall in season and now is a time of ripening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/if-woman-is-inconstant-good-i-am-faithful-to-ebb-and-flow-i-fall-in/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [Putting his hope in certain death, lowering his head again to the grass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/putting-his-hope-in-certain-death-lowering-his-head-again-to-the-grass/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [slowly the pale dew-beads of light lapped up from flowers can thicken, darken to gold: honey of the human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/slowly-the-pale-dew-beads-of-light-lapped-up-from-flowers-can-thicken/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [“I am, a shadow that grows longer as the sun moves, drawn out on a thread of wonder. If I bear burdens they begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/i-am-a-shadow-that-grows-longer-as-the-sun-moves-drawn-out-on-a/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [In city, in suburb, in forest, no way to stretch out the arms - so if you would grow, go straight up or deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/in-city-in-suburb-in-forest-no-way-to-stretch-out-the-arms-so-if-you/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [I like to find what's not found at once, but lies within something of another nature, in repose, distinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/i-like-to-find-what-s-not-found-at-once-but-lies-within-something-of/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [There is no savor more sweet, more salt than to be glad to be what, woman, and who, myself, I am...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/there-is-no-savor-more-sweet-more-salt-than-to-be-glad-to-be-what/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [This wild night, gathering the washing as if it were flowers animal vines twisting over theline and slapping my face lightly, soundless merriment in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/this-wild-night-gathering-the-washing-as-if-it-were-flowers-animal/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [The fire in leaf and grass so green it seems each summer the last summer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/the-fire-in-leaf-and-grass-so-green-it-seems-each-summer-the-last/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [I see him across the street, the blind man, and now he says he can find his way. He knows where he is going,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/i-see-him-across-the-street-the-blind-man-and-now-he-says-he-can-find/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) [Explore all 110 Denise Levertov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To the Reader\" As you read, a white bear leisurely pees, dyeing the snow saffron, and as you read, many gods lie among lianas: eyes of obsidian are watching the generations of leaves, and as you read the sea is turning its dark pages, turning its dark pages.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Denise Levertov" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/to-the-reader-as-you-read-a-white-bear-leisurely-pees-dyeing-the-snow/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/to-the-reader-as-you-read-a-white-bear-leisurely-pees-dyeing-the-snow/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/denise-levertov-4487_books_to-the-reader-as-you-read-a-white-bear-l_2253074.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/denise-levertov-4487_books_to-the-reader-as-you-read-a-white-bear-l_2253074.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b75/denise-levertov-4487_books_to-the-reader-as-you-read-a-white-bear-l_2253074.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To the Reader\" As you read, a white bear leisurely pees, dyeing the snow saffron, and as you read, many gods…” — Denise Levertov", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Denise Levertov", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“To the Reader\" As you read,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/to-the-reader-as-you-read-a-white-bear-leisurely-pees-dyeing-the-snow/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/to-the-reader-as-you-read-a-white-bear-leisurely-pees-dyeing-the-snow/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```