Of Mere Being
The palm at the end of the mind,
Beyond the last thought, rises
In the bronze distance.
Beyond the last thought, rises
In the bronze distance.
A gold-feathered bird
Sings in the palm, without human meaning,
Without human feeling, a foreign song.
Sings in the palm, without human meaning,
Without human feeling, a foreign song.
You know then that it is not the reason
That makes us happy or unhappy.
The bird sings. Its feathers shine.
That makes us happy or unhappy.
The bird sings. Its feathers shine.
The palm stands on the edge of space.
The wind moves slowly in the branches.
The bird’s fire-fangled feathers dangle down.
The wind moves slowly in the branches.
The bird’s fire-fangled feathers dangle down.
~Wallace Stevens, 1954~
This collection, while not as definitive as The Collected Poetry, includes all the major longer poems and many important shorter poems of critical value. Arranged in chronological order by probable date of composition this text provides the reader the possibility of considering the overall arc of Stevens' career. I find myself dipping into the poems included here time and again and it is difficult to pull myself away. The poem above is just one example of Stevens' ability to haunt your mind with the possibilities suggested by his verse. The thoughtful consideration of art and meaning in life is seldom conveyed any better than in the poetry of Wallace Stevens.
The Palm at the End of the Mind: Selected Poems and a Play by Wallace Stevens. Vintage Books, 1990.
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