Thursday, August 04, 2022

Poetry Friday: "Things of August" by Wallace Stevens




Some lines from Wallace Stevens for this August Friday. 

Locusts and crickets as ambits of the soul? It rings satisfyingly true. 

This poem appeared in the 

 



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Past musings on Wallace Stevens are here

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Molly is hosting the Poetry Friday round-up at 
Nix the Comfort Zone



13 comments:

Linda Mitchell said...

ooooh. I love this. I have a desire to write about August but nothing that I've scribbled is worth sharing yet. It's my birthday month so I think I'm too close to the emotional connection. I'm going to look for August poems. Thanks!

Irene Latham said...

August is not my favorite month. Yet I have quite a few stunning memories/moments I've experienced in August, and you've just reminded me to write about them. Thank you!

Patricia Franz said...

How can we not think/reflect/over-reach? after reading Stevens? :) "... a new aspect, bright in discovery -"

Janice Scully said...

Wallace Stevens has always fascinated and challenged me, his ideas of nature and spirituality. I'd like to know more about him. I've always loved August, a bittersweet time with hints of change preceding September.

Karen Eastlund said...

A fascinating Wallace Stevens quote... thank you for sharing. This is a great impetus to read more...

Alan j Wright said...

Karen, your reference to Wallace Stevens delivers two small creatures synonymous with summer. They are suggestive of hot summer days and nights. Thanks for the short yet, evocative reminder of summertime.

mbhmaine said...

This is lovely, but I must admit that I first read "ambit" as "armpit" and had to revise my thinking! lol Hot summer days and nights don't typically thrill me and honestly, I do find them more akin to armpits than a time for bright discovery! Thanks for the nudge to reconsider my lens on these dog days of summer.

Karen Edmisten said...

Linda, happy birthday month! And happy scribblings, too.
Irene, it's never been my favorite month either but these four lines inspire me, too.
Patricia, I agree. He often pushes me to consider a "new aspect."
Janice, he fascinates me too. I wrote about him in my book on deathbed conversions. In many ways, he remained inscrutable until the end.
Karen, so happy to share that impetus.
Alan, yes, I can hear the song of the cicada as I read those lines.
Molly, you made me laugh! I'm with you on disliking (and associating) hot days and nights with armpits. :D So funny and so true.

Thanks, everyone, for stopping by.

Mary Lee said...

I was just thinking about how I might capture August's particular vibe in one of my embroidery mandalas, but so much of August is sweat and crickets and locusts...and how does that translate into thread? Still pondering...

Rose Cappelli said...

Love Wallace Stevens! Thanks for sharing, Karen!

Bridget Magee said...

Stevens has me listening to August in a new way. Thanks for sharing, Karen. :)

Karen Edmisten said...

Oh, Mary Lee, I'll be eager to see how you translate August into thread.
Rose, my pleasure, and Bridget, thanks!

Carol Varsalona said...

August is always the time to soak in the goodness of summer.