Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In Denise Levertov's poem "For Instance," the poet explores how seemingly inconsequential moments and places can evoke deep emotional connections and stir profound memories. This poem captures the essence of the human experience of encountering the mundane and finding within it a transcendent beauty and significance.

The poem begins with an ordinary setting: "maybe a train rattling not fast or slow / from Melbourne to Sydney." This casual introduction sets the stage for an unremarkable journey, one that is neither hurried nor leisurely, suggesting a routine passage of time and space. The mention of passing a "wide river remembered from a tale about boyhood and fatal love, / written in vodka prose, clear and burning" introduces a layer of nostalgia and the power of stories to shape our perception of the present. The "vodka prose" evokes a sense of raw, unfiltered emotion, suggesting that the river holds a deep, almost mythic significance.

As the light fades, the poem zooms in on a "particular straggle of eucalypts, / an inconsequential bit of a wood, a coppice." This "inconsequential" detail becomes the focal point of the poem, as the trees "look your way, not at you, through you, through the train, over it." The gaze of the trees extends beyond the immediate moment, connecting the observer to something greater and more enduring. This fleeting encounter is described as a "shred of seeing," a fragmentary experience that nevertheless leaves a lasting impression.

The poet acknowledges that this scene is "not...more beautiful than a million others, / less so than many." The lack of any personal history or future plans to return to this place underscores its ordinariness. Yet, it is precisely this ordinariness that gives the moment its power. The memory of this scene lingers, evoking a profound sense of connection to the earth: "O Earth, belovéd Earth!" This cry of love and longing for the earth is a recurring theme in the poem, surfacing whenever similar moments of beauty and connection arise.

Levertov extends this idea to other memories, such as a "fragment of lichened stone" or an "old shed where you took refuge / once from pelting rain in Essex." These memories, like the scene by the train tracks, are marked by their simplicity and their ability to evoke a deep emotional response. The poet recalls the sensory details of these moments—the blackbird's song, the hesitant trace of a rainbow, the gleam of afternoon light, and the leaves "dripping and shining." These images are vivid and immediate, bringing the past into the present with startling clarity.

The poem's conclusion returns to the theme of an inward cry for the earth: "Earth, that inward cry again — / Erde, du liebe . .." The use of the German phrase "Erde, du liebe" (Earth, you beloved) emphasizes the universality of this longing and the poet's deep affection for the natural world. This final cry underscores the enduring connection between the poet and the earth, a bond that is continually reaffirmed through moments of quiet beauty and reflection.

"For Instance" is a meditation on the power of ordinary moments to evoke deep emotional responses and connect us to the larger world. Levertov's use of vivid imagery and introspective language captures the essence of these experiences, reminding us of the beauty and significance that can be found in the most unremarkable of places. Through this poem, Levertov invites us to pay attention to the world around us, to find meaning in the mundane, and to cherish the fleeting moments that connect us to the earth and to each other.

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