Nor, it turns out, can this voyager be separated from his vessel. “There was an ease of mind that was like being alone in a boat at sea”-the solitary sitter is at once at rest and in motion, voyaging calmly across an immense element. But the poem also presents several salient themes that anyone who has engaged in sitting meditation will recognize. “Prologues” offers a rich array of images that illustrate ideas frequent in Stevens’ work, such as the ecstasy of solitude and interiority. This was a new idea to me at the time, but having read Stevens’ beautiful poems constantly in the intervening years, and having myself practiced meditation for the past decade, I think I see what the professor meant.Ī fairly late and little-anthologized Stevens poem is “Prologues to What Is Possible.” The first three of the poem’s six stanzas are presented here. My professor was convinced that Stevens had been a practitioner of meditation. He did it for sheer love of the work, even though his specialty happened to be Russian poetry. When I was was a graduate student of comparative literature some thirty years ago, one of my professors taught a seminar on the poetry of Wallace Stevens (1879–1955). Removed from any shore, from any man or woman, and needing none. That it contained the meaning into which he wanted to enter,Ī meaning which, as he entered it, would shatter the boat and leaveĪs at a point of central arrival, an instant moment, much or little, Part of the glass-like sides on which it glided over the salt-stained water.Īs he traveled alone, like a man lured on by a syllable withoutĪ syllable of which he felt, with an appointed sureness, Part of the speculum of fire on its prow, its symbol, whatever it was, He belonged to the far-foreign departure of his vessel and was part of it, So that he that stood up in the boat leaning and looking before himĭid not pass like someone voyaging out of and beyond the familiar. Had left in them only a brilliance, of unaccustomed origin, The boat was built of stones that had lost their weight and being Wet with water and sparkling in the one-ness of their motion. Gripping their oars, as if they were sure of the way to their destination,īending over and pulling themselves erect on the wooden handles, There was an ease of mind that was like being alone in a boat at sea,Ī boat carried forward by waves resembling the bright backs of rowers, Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window).Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window).Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window).Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window).
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