Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THIRTEEN WAYS OF LOOKING AT A BLACKBIRD, by WALLACE STEVENS Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Among twenty snowy mountains Last Line: In the cedar-limbs. Subject(s): Birds; Blackbirds; Perception | ||||||||
I I Among twenty snowy mountains Among twenty snowy mountains, The only moving thing The only moving thing Was the eye of the blackbird. Was the eye of the blackbird. II II I was of three minds I was of three minds, Like a tree In which there are three blackbirds. Like a tree In which there are three blackbirds. III The blackbird whirled in the autumn wind III It was a small part of the pantomime. IV The blackbird whirled in the autumn winds. It was a small part of the pantomime. A man and a woman Are one. A man and a woman and a blackbird IV Are one. A man and a woman V Are one. I do not know which to prefer-- A man and a woman and a blackbird Are one. The beauty of inflexions Or the beauty of innuendos, The blackbird whistling V I do not know which to prefer, Or just after. VI The beauty of inflections Or the beauty of innuendoes, Icicles filled the window With barbaric glass. The blackbird whistling Or just after. The shadow of the blackbird Crossed it, to and fro. The mood VI Icicles filled the long window Traced in the shadow With barbaric glass. An indecipherable cause. VII The shadow of the blackbird Crossed it, to and fro. O thin men of Haddam, The mood Why do you imagine golden birds? Traced in the shadow Do you not see how the blackbird An indecipherable cause. Walks around the feet Of the women about you? VII VIII O thin men of Haddam, I know noble accents Why do you imagine golden birds? And lucid, inescapable rhythms; Do you not see how the blackbird But I know, too, That the blackbird is involved Walks around the feet Of the women about you? In what I know. IX VIII When the blackbird flew out of sight, It marked the edge I know noble accents And lucid, inescapable rhythms; Of one of many circles. But I know, too, X At the sight of blackbirds That the blackbird is involved Flying in a green light In what I know. Even the bawds of euphony Would cry out sharply. IX XI When the blackbird flew out of sight, It marked the edge He rode over Connecticut Of one of many circles. In a glass coach. Once, a fear pierced him, In that he mistook X The shadow of his equipage At the sight of blackbirds Flying in a green light, for blackbirds. XII Even the bawds of euphony The river is moving. Would cry out sharply. The blackbird must be flying. XIII XI It was evening all afternoon. He rode over Connecticut It was snowing In a glass coach. Once, a fear pierced him, And it was going to snow. In that he mistook The blackbird sat The shadow of his equipage In the cedar-limbs. For blackbirds. XII The river is moving. The blackbird must be flying. XIII It was evening all afternoon. It was snowing And it was going to snow. The blackbird sat In the cedar-limbs. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SEVENS (VERSION 3): IN THE CLOSED IRIS OF CREATION by MARVIN BELL THE FRACTAL LANES by ALICE FULTON SEEING FOR A MOMENT by DENISE LEVERTOV THE UNNAMABLE RIVER by ARTHUR SZE VICTIM OF HIMSELF by MARVIN BELL CHARLES ON FIRE by JAMES INGRAM MERRILL THE IDEA OF ORDER AT KEY WEST by WALLACE STEVENS |
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