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December 21, 2007
“The Nothing that Is:” Poetry Friday
One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow
-from “The Snow Man” by Wallace Stevens
There must be something of late December in this poem, because I see that I wrote about it on December 22 last year. Whatever, I’ll write about it again. Jay Keyser thinks it’s the best short poem in the English language; it’s certainly one of my favorites. Like Keyser, I love the way the poem keeps you on your toes, asking the reader to think again, look again, consider a little more. Why do more people not expound on the beauty and wonder of the word “and”? Look at how Stevens is using it there: freaking amazing. I love what this poem is about, too—perspective, I think, growing older, learning to see things for what they are instead of what others tell us they should be. It is the poem I’ve been trying to memorize, although with all my unexpected activity over the last few weeks, I’m lagging behind. It might be a good holiday weekend project.
Gina at AmoXicalli is rounding them up today. Woot, Gina!
Posted by adrienne at December 21, 2007 11:13 AM
Comments
You are the second person to post about this poem so I've read it a bunch of times today. The last two lines keep knocking me over and sending me back to the beginning. Freaking amazing.
Posted by: cloudscome at December 21, 2007 12:14 PM
Beautiful. Good luck on the memorization. And happy ho-ho-holidays.
Posted by: Jules at December 21, 2007 12:46 PM
P.S. The first two verses make me think of my favorite poem ever ever ever in the whole wide world, "Kindness" (http://www.snowcrest.net/ksnow/kindness.htm) by Naomi Shihab Nye.
Posted by: Jules at December 21, 2007 12:48 PM
I've never seen snow in person.
Posted by: Little Willow at December 21, 2007 12:49 PM
Cloudscome, It's definitely something about the time of year.
Jules, Happy Christmas to you and your family, too!
Little Willow, That just BLOWS MY MIND. I can't imagine not ever seeing snow. It can be a pain, but I also still think it's kind of magic.
Posted by: adrienne at December 21, 2007 01:19 PM
Winter amazes me...it changes our scenery like nothing else, it's so beautiful...
Wishing Merry Christmas all across WATAT...may you all be blessed.
Adrienne, you still amaze me...Merry Christmas my friend!!
Posted by: Kristen at December 21, 2007 05:29 PM
I do love this. Your memorization will come. You will learn all the words that are there, and nothing that is not there. :)
Posted by: Sara at December 21, 2007 05:49 PM
Right back at you, Kristen. :)
Sara, Ginger's supposed to be good for one's memory, so I'm sure all the gingerbread I'm eating will help.
Posted by: adrienne at December 22, 2007 03:54 PM