Thought I would post this poem by Wallace Stevens for comment and instruction. It seems to flow nicely with the classical/romantic poetry of Remy's which we have been enjoying of late.
"The Paltry Nude Starts on a Spring Voyage"
But not on a shell, she starts,
Archaic, for the sea.
But on the first-found weed
She scuds the glitters,
Noislessly, like one more wave.
She too is discontent
And would have purple stuff upon her arms,
Tired of the salty harbors,
Eager for the brine and bellowing
Of the high interiors of the sea.
The wind speeds her,
Blowing upon her hands
And watery back.
She touches the clouds, where she goes
In the circle of her traverse of the sea.
Yet this is a meagre play
In the scrurry and water-shine,
As her heels foam -
Not as when the golden nude
Of a later day
Will go, like the centre of sea-green pomp,
In an intenser calm,
Scullion of fate,
Across the spick torrent, ceaselessly,
Upon her irretrievable way.
- Wallace Stevens
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2 comments:
I've never been able to see the reasons for the Wallace Fanaticism that I sometimes run into. This helps me understand that more. Thanks Ben.
contexting the glory of the "real" venus as she heads out to sea with the silliness of the pomp of Botticelli's The Birth of Venus is a great idea, and his execution is nearly flawless. however, i do think his work as a whole is a little over-rated. i bought a collected works to see what the fuss is about, and i'm only impressed about 55% of the time. but when he's on, he's really on.
what does he mean by "the spick torrent"? is it just a cheap shot at boticelli? because the rest of the poem is so excellent, i desire to think better of him than that: but i'm afraid it might just be a bit of salinger-esque pseudo-hipness creeping into an otherwise perfect poem. oh well.
certainly a great example of subverting the classical world without losing the sense of wonder and glory: indeed, for me this poem amplified those emotional responses.
scattershot,
ben
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