Analyzing Denise Levertov's 'Talking To Grief'

The Best Friend

“Talking to Grief,” by Denise Levertov approaches the topic of grief by using a homeless dog as the primary symbol in which we see the dog make the transition from acceptance to becoming a permanent household member. The theme of the poem is the welcoming and acceptance of grief and viewing it as a friend rather than an enemy. The narrator gets the point across that grief is a misunderstood companion and sometimes needs to be present for the sake of healing.

“Ah, Grief, I should not treat you like a homeless dog.” In stanza one, the narrator is explaining that she should treat the dog like one of her own. One that she knows,

loves, and is comfortable with and knows that it will always make her feel better. “I should

trust you,” as if she has know this homeless dog its entire life. This is saying that she may be familiar with grief but has always pushed it away like most people would push away a homeless dog. Instead of doing what is familiar, she needs to trust grief and accept it into her home.
In the second stanza, the narrator is trying to persuade the dog into the house so she can welcome it and give it a name. “I should coax you into the house and give you your own corner, a worn mat to lie on, your own water dish.” She wants to give the dog a spot in the house it can call its own, a place where it is comfortable, and a place it can call home. By doing all these things for the dog, she is trying to get the dog to stay, just as if she wants grief to stay with her.
“You think I don’t know you’ve been living under my porch.” From this example, the narrator is admitting she knows that much like the homeless dog who has always been there, grief has also been with the narrator this entire time. It just comes down the fact of recognizing it and accepting it.
“You long for your real place to be readied before winter comes.” This piece from stanza three is saying that the dog needs a place to call home before winter comes and is presented with death. Also, since the dog would be approaching death in the winter, this also represents that the narrator has to come to terms with grief before it’s too late. When she talks about giving the dog a name, a collar, and a tag, this was the point of acceptance for the narrator. She could now call the dog her own.
“You need the right to warn off intruders, to consider my house your own and me your person and yourself my own dog.” Since the dog is now apart of the household, its job is to comfort and protect the narrator, just like grief will help with comfort and healing. Also when she states that she wants the dog to recognize her as its person, she doesn’t want this dog helping anyone else but her. The dog is now her best friend and she is now the dog’s companion.
The narrator chose the metaphor of a dog and comparing it to grief because a dog is very important to a human. A dog is known for being a man’s best friend. Dogs are known for always being there when someone is upset. Dogs are the ones who bring joy into people’s lives who are suffering. The overall message is to learn to cherish grief like a best friend with open arms and a loving heart like you would when taking in a homeless dog.