An Analysis of "The Ache of Marriage" In "The Ache of Marriage," Denise Levertov attempts to explain the pain this marriage experiences. It is a pain that affects both emotional and physical states of being. Levertov describes the pain as if someone were reading her thoughts. Through Levertov's use of non-conventional form, the theme of the pain of marriage and overcoming that pain jumps from the page. The author divides the poem into two parts. …showed first 75 words of 718 total…

…showed last 75 words of 718 total…of happiness because the marriage centers on pain. Levertov writes "The Ache of Marriage" as if someone were speaking. Her angst filled words flow similar to natural human speech just like a conversation. This poem does not use periods or any specific rhyming pattern making the ideas short and precise. The form is important because the temptation to be sing-songy is eliminated. Because the poem is written in free verse, the mood glooms with despair.