Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Denise Levertov's poem "Contraband" offers a profound and nuanced meditation on the story of the Tree of Knowledge, interpreting it through the lens of human reason and its consequences. The poem suggests that the original sin was not merely about disobedience but about the misuse and overindulgence of reason, which creates a barrier between humanity and the divine.

The opening lines set the stage with a reinterpretation of the Biblical tree: "The tree of knowledge was the tree of reason. / That's why the taste of it drove us from Eden." By equating knowledge with reason, Levertov posits that the true expulsion from Eden came not just from gaining knowledge, but from the overwhelming and unmoderated application of reason. The phrase "the taste of it drove us from Eden" implies that the act of consuming this knowledge was more than just a simple transgression; it fundamentally altered humanity's relationship with paradise.

Levertov further explores this idea with the assertion that the fruit "was meant to be dried and milled to a fine powder / for use a pinch at a time, a condiment." This metaphor suggests that reason and knowledge were intended to be used sparingly and wisely, enhancing life rather than overwhelming it. The misuse of this knowledge—gorging on it—led to negative consequences: "We stuffed our mouths full of it, / gorged on but and if and how and again but, / knowing no better." The repetition of "but and if and how and again but" emphasizes the endless questioning and overthinking that can arise from unrestrained reason.

The poem then describes the toxic effects of this overindulgence: "It's toxic in large quantities; fumes swirled in our heads / and around us to form a dense cloud that hardened to steel, / a wall between us and God, Who was Paradise." The metaphor of reason as a toxic substance that creates a "dense cloud" and then hardens into a "wall" vividly illustrates how excessive reasoning can isolate humanity from the divine. The wall, a product of our own intellectual excess, becomes a barrier separating us from the pure, unmediated experience of God.

Levertov acknowledges that "God is unreasonable," but clarifies that "reason in such excess was tyranny / and locked us into its own limits, a polished cell / reflecting our own faces." Here, the poem suggests that while God encompasses reason, He is not limited by it. In contrast, humans, by overindulging in reason, become trapped within its confines, unable to see beyond their own reflections—"a polished cell reflecting our own faces."

However, the poem offers a glimmer of hope in its concluding lines: "God lives on the other side of that mirror, / but through the slit where the barrier doesn't quite touch ground, / manages still to squeeze in—as filtered light, splinters of fire, / a strain of music heard then lost, then heard again." Despite the self-imposed barrier, there remain small openings through which divine presence can enter—"filtered light, splinters of fire, / a strain of music." These fleeting experiences remind us of the divine and suggest that while the barrier is significant, it is not impenetrable.

In "Contraband," Denise Levertov masterfully uses the metaphor of the Tree of Knowledge to explore the complex relationship between reason, knowledge, and the divine. The poem critiques the unrestrained use of reason, which creates barriers to spiritual connection, while also highlighting the persistent, if fragmented, presence of the divine in human experience. Through her reflective and richly metaphorical language, Levertov invites readers to reconsider the role of reason in their lives and to remain open to the subtle, often unexpected, manifestations of the sacred.

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