Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Denise Levertov's "With Eyes at the Back of Our Heads" delves into the human desire for understanding and the journey toward unseen realms of existence and consciousness. Through evocative imagery and symbolic language, the poem explores themes of perception, transformation, and the quest for deeper meaning.

The poem opens with a striking metaphor: "With eyes at the back of our heads / we see a mountain." This suggests an unconventional way of seeing, an intuitive or reflective vision that looks beyond the immediate, forward-facing perspective. The mountain, "not obstructed with woods but laced here and there with feathery groves," appears both clear and intricately detailed, symbolizing a profound truth or goal that is both accessible and complex.

Levertov introduces a mysterious façade with challenging doors: "The doors before us in a façade that perhaps has no house in back of it are too narrow, and one is set high with no doorsill." This imagery represents obstacles and uncertainties in the pursuit of understanding or enlightenment. The doors' impractical design suggests that traditional or straightforward approaches may not suffice.

The poem then shifts to the involvement of an architect and a knitter: "The architect sees / the imperfect proposition and turns eagerly to the knitter. / Set it to rights! / The knitter begins to knit." Here, the architect represents logic and design, recognizing the flaws, while the knitter symbolizes creativity and patience, tasked with mending and transforming. The act of knitting signifies the slow, deliberate process of making sense of complexities and crafting solutions.

Levertov continues by expressing a deep yearning: "For we want / to enter the house, if there is a house, to pass through the doors at least into whatever lies beyond them, / we want to enter the arms of the knitted garment." This longing to pass through the doors and be embraced by the knitted garment speaks to the human desire for connection, comfort, and discovery of what lies beyond the surface.

The poem concludes with a hopeful transformation: "When the doors widen when the sleeves admit us / the way to the mountain will clear, the mountain we see with / eyes at the back of our heads, mountain green, mountain / cut of limestone, echoing with hidden rivers, mountain of short grass and subtle shadows." The widening doors and accommodating sleeves symbolize the removal of obstacles and the attainment of understanding. The mountain, vividly described with its greenery, limestone, hidden rivers, and subtle shadows, represents the ultimate goal or truth that becomes clear through this transformative journey.

In summary, "With Eyes at the Back of Our Heads" by Denise Levertov is a contemplative and richly symbolic poem that explores the pursuit of deeper understanding and connection. Through metaphors of unconventional vision, challenging doors, and the collaborative efforts of the architect and knitter, Levertov captures the complexities and rewards of this journey. The poem invites readers to reflect on their own quests for meaning and the transformative processes that guide them toward their personal mountains of truth.

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