I
Among twenty snowy mountains,
The only moving thing
Was the eye of the blackbird.
II
I was of three minds,
Like a tree
In which there are three blackbirds.
III
The blackbird whirled in the autumn winds.
It was a small part of the pantomime.
IV
A man and a woman
Are one.
A man and a woman and a blackbird
Are one.
V
I do not know which to prefer,
The beauty of inflections
Or the beauty of innuendoes,
The blackbird whistling
Or just after.
VI
Icicles filled the long window
With barbaric glass.
The shadow of the blackbird
Crossed it, to and fro.
The mood
Traced in the shadow
An indecipherable cause.
VII
O thin men of Haddam,
Why do you imagine golden birds?
Do you not see how the blackbird
Walks around the feet
Of the women about you?
VIII
I know noble accents
And lucid, inescapable rhythms;
But I know, too,
That the blackbird is involved
In what I know.
IX
When the blackbird flew out of sight,
It marked the edge
Of one of many circles.
X
At the sight of blackbirds
Flying in a green light,
Even the bawds of euphony
Would cry out sharply.
XI
He rode over Connecticut
In a glass coach.
Once, a fear pierced him,
In that he mistook
The shadow of his equipage
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.
Giving an account of some of the distinctive qualities of a range of twentieth-century poems, and provide the analysis of a particularly remarkable one.
Having studied twentieth-century poetry, I have seen a remarkable period, which the revolution in poetic concepts essentially changes right at the turn of the century. A range of movements with various isms had great impacts on modern society. Each of poets has their own creation of a poetic style that conveys their outlook on surroundings and since the end of the Victorian era; the break of traditional ways of worldview was occupied by increasing the distinction of poetic mainstream. Thus the poet had advantages to interact with world affairs. This essay will draw respect for one of the most typical movements which influenced many aspects of literature including poetry – Imagism, and a representative poem of Wallace Stevens “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird”.
Literally “thirteen” is a certain number that fit the author’s vision. In terms of interpretation, there seemed varying ways to view things based on each of the individual perspectives. Within the context, the poem was composed in 1917 when one year later World War I came to an end. With the eye of a poet, the author seemed to set aside any political issues and looked to live with an earthiness but much of sophistication. The imagery of the blackbird is perhaps an indicator, which stores a metaphorical meaning and repeats throughout the poem. From this imagery, I believe that a kind of transformative imagination was set to connect people’s understanding of the common universe though it is even small. Nonetheless, the exaggeration of the blackbird can be seen as a symbol of a sort of mood that hints the darkness. This is maybe not easy to read or comprehend but the author seemingly wants the reader to imagine it. It can be the inwardness of an opposite idea by which the author shows his different worldview to society.
As known, Wallace Stevens inherited the Japanese haiku poetry that relates to ideas of The East with the style of writing “reading between the lines”. If the idea about winter, it would rather say “snowy” (line 1) than winter itself, or if it is about mood, it can be “shadow” (line 24). Also, the Imagism movement influenced the author so the poem attains a free verse style with emotionally musical rhythm. Moreover, the contrast of the “snowy mountains” (line 1) and the blackbird in an established circle of the poem can be understood as the symbol of the blackness and the whiteness. Like life, everything can be spotted in black rates integrated in white rates with one another. From that perspective, I feel that the universal concept underlies in all living beings and what happens to life can be beyond any of human plans or contingencies but with human imagination, everything can be back to life and its liveliness.
In conclusion, the poem borrows the aesthetic meanings to talk about the truth of life. By using aphorism, the connection of an American poet’s thought with the writing style of The East makes the world closer in poetic concept. Although human cognitive knowledge can encounter to a number of limits in the universe, the “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” illustrates a proliferation of whatever contexts are, life still bears its truth that worth listening to, looking at once one broadens their perspectivism.
Work Cited
Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird by Wallace Stevens. Poetry Foundation. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.
Johnny Hoang Nguyen studies Justice, Political Philosophy, and Law at HarvardX. He owns a dual Arts and Global Studies degree majored in Teaching and, International Relations and Politics at the Australian Catholic University.
View more posts
2 thoughts on ““Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” (Wallace Stevens)”
Thank you for another informative site. Where else could I get that kind of info written in such a perfect way? I’ve a project that I’m just now working on, and I’ve been on the look out for such information.
I feel that is among the so much important info for me.
And i am satisfied reading your article. However
should statement on few common things, The website taste is great, the articles is
in reality nice : D. Good process, cheers
The Digerati Politics 
Thank you for another informative site. Where else could I get that kind of info written in such a perfect way? I’ve a project that I’m just now working on, and I’ve been on the look out for such information.
LikeLike
I feel that is among the so much important info for me.
And i am satisfied reading your article. However
should statement on few common things, The website taste is great, the articles is
in reality nice : D. Good process, cheers
LikeLike