Friday, August 14, 2015
Wallace Stevens: The Night-Wind of August
The Night-Wind of August
The night-wind of August
Is like an old mother to me.
It comforts me.
I rest in it,
As one would rest,
If one could,
Once again--
It moves about, quietly
And attentively.
Its old hands touch me.
Its breath touches me.
But sometimes its breath is a little cold,
Just a little,
And I know
That it is only the night-wind.
-- Wallace Stevens --
from Art and Nature: An Illustrated Anthology of Nature Poetry
I rest in it,
As one would rest,
If one could,
Once again--
Does this suggest that his mother has died? He would "rest" if he "could/Once again" which I see as saying that he can no longer do this, which leaves the night-wind as a substitute and perhaps a reminder.
It is that "breath" that is a "little cold" that I wonder about. The comfort of having an old mother attentive once again is qualified by that breath that is a little cold. Is that the cold of the grave?
As usual, I find Stevens' poetry to be intriguing as well as enigmatic.
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"Intriguing as well as enigmatic" says it perfectly. When you solve the puzzle of Wallace Stevens, let me know. He remains for me too opaque and incomprehensible. My mind turns to lesser challenges these days. But I look forward to hearing about your solutions.
ReplyDeleteR.T.,
DeleteChuckle. . .
My solutions?
One of the reasons I post Stevens' poetry is that I'm hoping for enlightenment from others. Since nobody I know reads poetry, my only hope is from commentators here.
I like it, Fred. Not that I can enlighten you any, but I like it.
ReplyDeleteTaking the last four lines, when it's "a little cold" is when he remembers that "it is only the night-wind."
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletemadamevauquer,
DeleteAh! And I was so hoping for enlightenment!
Part of my problem might be that I haven't experienced here in Tucson a cold breath in an August night-wind. Night-winds don't turn cool around here until October. That's when the first signs of cooler weather appear.
I liked it also--a very quiet, restful poem with but a tinge of something lurking in the corner--perhaps an omen of Fall and then, inevitably, Winter.
I was thinking the same thing about cool night winds in August. In fact, not being familiar with the author, I looked him up to see if he was Australian or from somewhere else in the southern hemisphere.
Deletemadamevauquer,
ReplyDeleteHe's East Coast and might get those cool August night-winds from the ocean.