Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THIRTEEN WAYS OF LOOKING AT A BLACKBIRD, by WALLACE STEVENS


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THIRTEEN WAYS OF LOOKING AT A BLACKBIRD, by             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...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net