Title: Whose Words These Are (7): Vendler’s Stevens

" I'm Christopher -- with the close reader of portrait Pella invented this time for open source from the Watson institute at Brown University. Because of the American conversation with the global attitude could be about almost anything. In the run up to the Massachusetts portrait festival -- mid October 09 that we're trying to locate the -- reports today. In and American tradition. In a new musician to. As descendants of Emerson. To contend among others and Wallace Stevens."

" As the -- keep explaining. To us -- we -- Wallace Stevens. And they always referred to him as sort of an expression be beautiful and utterly mysterious. Stephens the modernist I think it is a huge list of thirteen ways of looking at blackbird. And so much more famously. An insurance company lawyer in Hartford Connecticut. Harvard men but not an academic. Helen I always think you used the ports. And the poems and the reader's best friend. We'd love you to. Decode this this magic writer. And maybe specially on the occasion of his selected poems which you reviewed in the New York Times so beautifully to me. Where do we begin."

" Well we could begin with his being a new Englander. He had a flirtation with Florida. And the self and tropics. And then he eventually came not in a phone call farewell to Florida. Saying -- north is leaflets and lives in a wintry slime. So. It was sort of abdication from the sensual but she sighed as forbidden to him in the future really because marriage was an epic. And that he was going to be a solitary and he was going to be living in snowy Connecticut. And essentially poetic solitude and a big house. Where he had an upstairs room and he wrote in and night and was -- life -- life. But and a very reticent life so that in writing about. His own inner most feelings he usually displays them on to an abstract little. Who sometimes -- just to sometimes not but. It's not so much decoding as moving up to the plane on which he lives and limiting yourself on the plane for awhile instead of living on a confessional plain or of the playing awfully familiar let her or something like that that's playing out. -- symbolic description. But symbolic description that is linked to the tradition of poetry she talks about winter we don't know what went to stands for -- but often stands -- of pizza parlors. He's very much -- within that tradition."

" They can -- other new englanders specially Emerson."

" He's more romantic than -- and certainly. In the it. Demonstrators I think of essentially an intellectual we formulating. Philosophical front for the American context and along with floral -- and others. But -- Took -- Stevens. As a poet of me out of tourists he writes a great deal without the look of the landscape. Which is what Emerson does except once upon on the road to aura of something like that dozens and sentenced to. A more philosophical abstraction out of them sensuous obstruction. And of course -- and isn't a very composed. Hot -- Feliciano should look for them."

" Robert -- pretty good. Problem think she's pretty good but I was just thinking of self reliance and kind of Americanism. In -- and and maybe and Stephens to."

" Yes it's true that in each case. The independence of the American artists to sentient. Stephenson who went to Europe also he could've done. The closest she wants to anything foreign was Havana this. And he felt his European heritage had propelled him into poetry so that in his early. Sequence of comedians the literacy. Connick. Sequence about his own. Coming of age as a poet he represents itself is coming first from -- And then going -- Khatami and then to Havana and finally coming to South Carolina. And eventually South Carolina and Florida complex stuff so -- adopting New England."

" Where shall we begin there where would you like to begin I love your unfolding of the caricature. Of bird review understood among the poems."

" Well we can start with the most famous 1 Sunday morning if you're like it's a long -- we can't talk about Oliphant that we can talk about what it represents in his own evolution. It make you my favorite. Completion she's of the paranormal. Well I should say something about it because. I was reading a lot of bottom poetry is apparel plant -- keep coming to complacency of the pain aren't saying how can obtain I have complacency. And turning the page and then the next page would have thirteen months of looking at the blackbird. And seemed to sort of -- idea to me at the time because I was into both live on high romanticism of whatnot and I was just unavailable for thirteen race. So I went on not paying any attention to Stevens until that the torture room here at her had a friend. I ask you listen to me then commercially unavailable record of Stephens. And I put on headphones to be polite and suddenly her at this gorgeous voice. Greeting to the one effective music which I could understand because it's akin to the news. And that was on my way flank so I could penetrate -- enter into it and from then on I was hooked on students. So much so that every -- of my first book which was. My dissertation on yanks sent. There is crypto book on Stephen's going on in the footnotes to this food products and those troops everything I wanted to -- But the Mobo was about statements that he has always been the closest to being able poets and just -- Before I understood. And stood him. And -- for some strange transfusion like ability."

" And -- you tell us about sort of bemoaning. All right we'll -- into the chair with pension or changes in policy."

" That comes from a painting by many in the non metropolitan. Witness a woman in a -- on she's wearing -- around her neck and she's standing next to wouldn't column. Which -- which is -- a bird. -- some -- and then around the bottom of column their orange people's so. Clearly he takes off from that -- he was a great -- of paint Dixon spent a lot of time in the metropolitan looking at paintings and other museums as well. So at the point of Capone starting off with this is. Emily Dickinson also started off from the Stephens started off in another -- cult following on Sunday is I am not going to go to church. And instead of going to church she's staying home she's not getting dressed the public. In plowing on Sunday evening polished persona is. -- doing -- work quote unquote which weren't supposed to do on a Sunday but -- plowing North America hates us. And prolific -- at church and as you'd commonly Dickenson. On cents and one for poems some keep the sense of going to church. I keep sitting at home with a bubbling for a car restaurants salons -- this tradition of staying at home as a rebellion against our theocratic puritan etc. Origins. So you begin with that. And although it begins in doors. With the woman in her opinion -- coffee and oranges at breakfast what you really should be a church. According to opinion data for 9% her parents and various other people it doesn't end up into incidents up outside in certain -- full panorama. Of America. Which is Tribune might say from keeps us. 02 some. And it keeps is owed to us and takes place in and domesticated landscape with people having kitchen gardens and orchards with apples and -- fields and so on. Birds singing at the end and Stevens. Writes it over as an American -- So at the end he says deer walk upon around mountains. And the quail with slip on us they're spontaneous cranks. Sweet -- bright but in the wilderness. So that that is taking hold the domesticated English agricultural landscape and putting an end to the American. Wilderness but yet showing that the sweet berries are ripening here in the do you want the problem accountants and -- around us. And that's a great part of students poetic impulse is to take -- English tradition European tradition really of the seasons and landscapes. And transfer them to the American season's American landscaped beautiful season opponents. So Sunday morning this one of those problems in the tradition. Of Matthew Arnold Stouffer PH which is probably the most famous of these -- to -- faith was wants to with a full. And founder of surely necklace folds of rights group unfurled and now I only -- It's melancholy long withdrawing room. And solvency of faith begins to withdraw. And end what you put in its place. There are many solutions to for life philosophers theologians poets. Novelists. The initial mistake I think that Stevens. Along with the investment. Was thinking that you could eviscerate the content of christianity. And put in a different content to keep the same structure of when he would have some sort of divinity. He would have some sort of ritual he would have some sort of coral participation. Only it wouldn't be angels and it wouldn't be inside a Protestant church. -- it's eviscerate that the system in the engine of the systems is home on the basis of Blake's saying I must create my own system -- being enslaved by another man's so Stephenson Sunday morning excess. The that we didn't go to church for wouldn't do and he begins to explore. -- more appetite for eternity. Through the woman -- itself filter through the sensibility of the woman. And she says that she can't even -- even though she staying at home. The pressure. Of the story of Jesus especially the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus. And history is like up. A big ocean she travels over a wide want to without sound."

" And she has to think. About silent Palestine dominion of the blood and -- So what will she do with the story she has inherited from christianity. And then she decides that divinity. Me and -- and moment to winning teams live within herself. Passions of rain boots and falling snow but all of summer her on the into branch these of the measures destined for personal. Then she reviews the history of pathology. Starting with general -- a totally inhuman gone. Coming down to Jesus that she sees as half human have to sign. And then I can't we have adopted is all human and you can actually host to -- And if that could happen. She says. -- blood failed most welcome -- Sar -- blood failed. We'll show it comes to being the blood of paradise. And -- earned single parent solution -- This time will be much friendly here then than now. The part of labor and part of pain. And next in glory to enduring love not this dividing and in different blue. With regard to the vanished from the heavens so it's dividing and in different little. Then she wanders. After she's talks of her satisfaction in the natural world bucks when the birds going on -- feels return more. Where then is -- so she questions for the natural world can suffice. And she remembers a home for beauties and constellations of the natural world and -- she says but in contentment. I still feel the need of some in perishable twists and children have tenants eternity comes into play. And the most beautiful. Of -- sequence of stone. What shall I say reflections comes incentive in section five can -- Where she says. The famous phrase are always quoted death is the mother of -- she decides to nonperishable must would be a -- more -- and that's the way. Swift for often parish Obama's appeal from an alternative to -- drugs if we kept. Around. So she's Cecil. Reward. In the procession of desire from generation to generation. And says. Alone she strewn Celine so sure obliteration -- parts of obliterates a song. Nonetheless she makes the world should -- in the sun for maintenance who won't to sit and gaze upon grant. And they pushed to their feet so certainly the girls of -- sitting there -- conscious of voice and something you feel shattered. In the willow. So the boys come home the girls get up from sparking the grants. The maintenance taste and strange impassioned. And returning leafs. -- phone but. Desire is starting up again and still protect estimate its taste of course is reminiscent of even paradise tasting -- But the Bruins within. Plums and parents and the girls tasting -- from some parents is his justification. -- justification for being here at all. Let's see -- and he decides to think about and you ritual -- would be like if we have a new ritual. My new religious ritual and opened were -- was the sound instead of Joe followed Jesus or anybody else when he writes the worst. Piece of upon. Where he mentions an orgy of man worshipped. The song. Sup -- on turbulent Birmingham man -- Kenton or GM some more on their boisterous devotion to the sun. Melissa confidence that god might be naked among them like a savage sorts Danny tries to change all that christianity. The achievement shall be a chant of paradise. And in the Accenture and to voice her voice the trees like censorship. And then it was quite beautifully after the orgy. The man shall know well the heavenly fellowship of men perished and of summer moment. And whence they came. With an initial goal the two opponent's feet shaman thing. The descends from the heavens. Has a proof right here on earth and then this re excellent into the heavens. And so just as some more -- vanishes so little why do you like moments. Immediately vanished and then he can end and he tries to land on a for a -- doesn't. At first kind of philosophical note hopefully rightly describes a -- then that we are living. Which is only for natural life -- he's sinking of words synthesis of its on this earth that we find a paradise on not enough. That's where it's -- in the -- use of this is not care about is how we characterize that. And the first thing Stephens does this have the woman here. The voice of maternity that repudiates the Jesus story. She fierce opponent want to without sound -- voice the trends. The -- in Palestine is not the porch of spirits lingering. It is the grave of Jesus -- day. There are no angels of tomb saying his -- and he is not here. We have to think of as a grave which company can displace -- resurrection does a grain of Jesus for you today. And he thinks from his life in hand like his first solution is we live in an old chaos of the sun. It's all chaotic that he -- let's not quite true we do have things cyclical two nations of life in nature. That he tries again we live in the old dependency. Of today and not so this something we can count on the regular routine nature. Kenny thinks upon our emotional condition. Even if it is stay in the night and -- and then ninth and he sends his next war is or Ireland solitude. I'm sponsor. And the nonsense. But his take care -- for any Mexican decent free. So he's balancing offering instant sponsored. We live in an -- and solitude of that wide -- of history. Inescapable. In any case that's where we have in the middle of history and sponsors united solitude but also free. -- philosophical. Heart in -- he ends with -- imitation of keeps. Dear welcome Tom home mountains -- bonus this. Continues crannies. Sweet berries -- pollutants. And in the isolation for sprang into evening. Casual flocks of -- make him BQ loosen regulations. As they sink. Down into darkness. On extended links. Their -- are standards. They're going down voluntarily. You know is sinking -- up kitchens and not done so for holy spirit they have been naturalized should ordinary birds. And then. They're visible in the isolation of the -- which goes back to and solitude he salon and isolation the -- and the more casual. Fan not foreordained cannot providential birds coming down like the holy spirit. And the foreign relations -- make movements but I'm emotions essentially make as we sit down into darkness and extended -- RM deaconess. You can't say it's -- resurfacing happy you can't say it's on the --"

" Pessimistic. As soon come to life but consider this an it is strong finish is he gonna -- is -- has --"

" And -- an undue relations for the very reason is the perfect word because it's the waves of that Whitewater. Into relations of history mirrored might say in the intimations of the pigeons wings. So he insult as a firm. And the answer off the immense beauty to be had in the natural and on cultivated wilderness of America. And in the reliance on this cycles of nature is organizing on natural life and in the fact that meaning is alternately. Present an -- sent to us and our lives in Mozambique -- generations. It's not harmed -- really. -- Once you see it in the tradition is a seasonal traditions to keep him tradition the words were saying we found that -- happiness here and out of all. And a tradition of the C offensive recession of the sensation but couldn't put in its place. And -- remember. -- thought there was nothing to be put in its place and his images where we end up. Quite unlike Stevens beautiful ones here but he says sound. Alone let us be -- to one another. For this world which seems to before it's like a land of dreams so -- So beautiful -- you. That's really not the joy. Malone. Right. -- help for pain. We hear -- sound in tackling -- swept was confused along earns extra conflict. Ignorant armies clash by eight that's a very -- and of course. Darkened and an old K a for the sudden absolutely hands."

" Hello I'm not because I mean all of these things is true. Early clear as you and -- from they always escapes me but how are we supposed to know what the painting for example of the."

" We don't need to know about the painting -- I'm just saying it because. It is one of his status I think one of his soul sister his many Sosa's assault poets to me she took the open marbles I mean you can't help. Then noticing things they were born -- Robert little sister perform to notice. And it's not important she's an anonymous woman here. It's not important that you attach to anything except that she is an uncertain. Rather luxurious stage with her -- learned her coffee in her -- is a woman of leisure she's not. A -- something like that proposal she's."

" To mention the -- freedom of the park to upon a relative to check the drug. Keep going and ability to unfurl. You're reading of the snowman and the one sentence poem that lot of people. No that's sort of quintessential Stevens but then I want -- explain -- these phrases this thinking. The shape of poetry is such a -- touched on her. -- today."

" All of likened it to us the last first he has a great -- of maternity. And the American ness whereas Eliot and pound essentially turn themselves into on the tragic turn themselves into European poets. So much slowly it. Pound external the whole person -- dropped a whole American part of the wasteland which took place -- in Gloucester where he spent his Summers. But as it stands now with beacons. In the holy European -- goes on through European literature and America doesn't feature in the waste plant. It was external literally and pounds occupation is with America in part in the economic criticisms. But I'm thinks about the president's and I can't tell us. But fundamentally he was more interest is from China and the Renaissance some of the things I think than men. America as such and he knew it doesn't mention American literature much you mentioned -- excellent. But he's more interest to then -- and the European tradition in general. Even trust -- to go to. Wouldn't be published. Nobody was going publishing in this country they found repudiated by the indifference to poetry -- this country has always shown. It was connected. With the other arts to in the -- tradition. And it seemed to be detect and occupational therapist Chris instead if something isn't practical Americans -- Alone that was -- of music of course is well on this Tolbert took a full vote for board of trustees at swarthmore in 1979 something to allow piano on campus and -- it was not submit --"

" True jazz do given them well. But can seriously until we went to London authorities."

" Exactly I mean you couldn't get an audience than native American. Productions and accept that the popular little but not at the reflective level of the Stephens is -- The -- is true novelists to win of action FitzGerald and someone -- went to America. Blank Faulkner students stay home. Doesn't. -- of it as part of his duty to become a poet of America and not to. Give up on American go over to London Paris -- go by Apollo. So that I think that's one reason why he seems so attractive to. Contemporary poets because he took on what they're taking on you really can't be in single file Poland any longer -- lives in Paris and think you could -- from there is an American. Of course it could be done by anybody can go anywhere in two wonderful work but nonetheless very impulse here now is to try to create an American -- will be viable on its own terms and he's really. Info at the two big examples of that muscle than for an instant think trust is always -- lesson he's always writing and -- classics and things like that. Town officials already colloquial sense but trustees' closer. To. Listen in some ways than misconceptions. That looks for us as always writing books. For a Stevens is thinking up new forms. But he's also writing -- But stripped of its. American poems at the same time. Like phantoms. And pine woods where he's being a little bantam roosters standing up to a great big. Brewster who was presumably European tradition. With. But likened likened Inca chief with a big fan of the cape and the poor little -- to have. Access to the big rooster. Fast fast fast fast. I and the personal. Country big universal Christian pastor he seems finally to the personally -- happens in the pine woods of America. Beating back the big. Impressive rooster. So rich Stevens is the -- standing up for his own terrain. And has -- Right to be rhetoric rather than. Philosophical."

" chorus the snowman. And then tell us what you will. But with that thing that's doing."

" Well that's coming from another poem to a -- famous poem by Keats. And acute sense. Injury in -- in December he pretends upon. Too happy happy tree. -- branches near remembered did green felicity. And -- the natural world when it comes to people in turn. Doesn't fret about the frozen tone as Kate says. It goes with the seasons with complete. The tournament TSA common goal we however when we lose the green season regret it have nostalgia for. Tend to Breaston on nostalgia rather -- Look around assessing what there is to be rejoicing in now. S -- are having to construct something upon which to rejoice sometimes not even willing to do best. So this is a poem about trying to resist."

" Me. Aching nonstop action of the loss of decision was vegetation. And green grass. And looking around him he sees -- there -- to be seen that he stand to feel enjoy it. And so all -- they -- also some beautiful landscape around him is he's not prepared. To join in with if he still regretting the past he would like to have a mind of winter but unfortunately he still has. A mind of summer but he's trying to get rid of to have them kind of went to and to live in the moment as we would say reminiscent."

" Living in the past. When must have reminders of winter. To retard the frosts and the piles of the pine trees Chris stood with snow."

" And has been -- a long time. To be equaled the juniper is checked with place this Bruce's rough in the distant glitter of the January son. And not to think of any misery and the sound of the wind. In the sound of a few leafs. Which is the sound of Finland and full of the same thing and that is blowing in the same -- place for the listener. Who listens in this home. And nothing himself. Be holds nothing that is not there. And done nothing that is. Voted by the long."

" He's come around to looking where he is. Trying not to say what isn't there of the green leaves the misery in the crime of the wind from the from looking around to -- isn't it it's not a motive here it's full of the general the shag. Which I hasten the spruce is roughly the distance glitter of the January sunk with your son you have everything you could want to regional listen. But he doesn't want to be choice and just that because he wants to leave soon release a file and there's a few of them around him on the ground. And so it's a great fight against nostalgia. And the emptying out of the self. In the store man for speaker. Phone. Of course it into spoken and impersonal way. It's not time it is one must have a mind to winter to look at these this winter seeing frost and -- there's some ice and on the rest. And not to think of any misery. -- begins as a -- holder to retard to be cold hands up as a listener he tones the other Simpson to listen to the misery of the wind element of the wind but again he's exposed to listen to. And he says he mean part of this agreement can't. You mean have to listen to nothing that this wind. And friendly he turns into a listener who listens and snow. And then you just completed consideration of self which is required. Funny stepped. Into the present. -- away from nostalgia for hints to become nothing himself. He can't be the person he wants any longer -- Indian person. That he must be cold prospect of being a be colder. -- nothing that is not there it can't be -- green trees he can't be equal Greengrass. He kind of long -- to be -- went to South Korea and then he must contemplate he must look at the nothing that is. And it's. He helps define -- nothing right now he can't defend this or something you can not be shown a solid wonderful something of the glitter. Of the January son. Should appreciate with closest line to something slim but for him at the moment. It is -- nothing that he Heston. Taking. Sure he's."

" Playing with the an idea of an idealism."

" I have been approached for saying that this is about his marriage that seems to me in his book -- marriage it's just got nothing -- There's nothing -- don't have any longer their self satisfaction there's no choice. There is nothing but to look at them nothing but is there and not to look back. Just to look at what instant. And missed -- is didn't. Eviscerate -- of your own past. Insane moments in life I have to live this life not the life I thought I was going on living. And the mean nothing seems to me the absence of -- When you have pitched July funny Arabs. As he's had. And discovered he was conspicuously mistaken. When his choice. Then. It was like a domestic. When that's done nothing. To do it's it's a waste -- hand in -- as the absence of -- house. So he had had all of -- Promise. Of following in my own panels early poems to LC. And me rapturous sense of his little June of two LC and then it had congenial to into this very bad marriage. So this is of -- Until hopelessness for a pests that won't mean return but it's also but the French call -- start -- all recognition of what. And whose state of life that he's going have to live will be and certainly -- 43. A week before that he knew with the wounds."

" What you mean that people have -- you -- for for. Saying it's about his marriage."

" They think it's a larger Poland and they want to see it emotional assault for clean -- let's -- crystals. -- I just can't imagine what it could put could erase. Your entire past -- tuner built Charlotte on. -- compelled to to eviscerate yourself and to start something. Stoic. Recognition of COLT in this room. And it's testified to by so many -- poems since. --"

" I think of many people unfolding opponents. -- completely lost poem in the collective poems. Which such a beautiful poem that's sort of the opposite of snowman. And."

" It's a coma for very old man. Who doesn't think he'll live to see another spring. He thinks he'll -- in the winter. And it's like house then -- look at things and bloom fifty springs a little room. About the with -- go to C the cherry hung with smoke and that's the only answer -- won't. So I don't have enough time to seal springs. -- even if I lived for fifty more years so you can measure when you're at the end of your life and taken legacy springing them which was always. A resuscitate a time for Stephen -- in the low winter and beat him again in the spring. And it's. He wakes up early. And he hears. A cry of from bird. And he thinks. It's spring I've lived to see it and in things don't know it's part of my dream I was making it up. And thinks -- must have real it was not me. Many tries to confirm may be another sign of spring and the sentences. And is coming up at six early announcement came -- It is spring Samsung is no longer this tired. Old son Nixon knew -- control of potash -- longer battered parish alone among battered one. And he's so glad that it wasn't a dream that it didn't come from sleeps -- packing machine -- conduct. And then he decided it's the single most of the bird. It's like the pitch pipe that is playing to kids require signaled to start in. And so now he knows that requires coming in and out the sun is coming up earlier handles of the colossal sum is coming. As."

" Decrease is huge sigh of joy that he has lived she seemed to spring becomes that not ideas about the thing. But the thing itself he has once again come to editing -- real reality of the new here. And it's on a hindrance many homes on the cusp of the seasons from one seasons turning into Lebanon he announced that indefinite ness. And so he doesn't coddle the beginning of spring he constantly earliest -- winter hasn't yet ready to come from. At the earliest landing of winter in March. Squirming current from outside seemed like a sound in his mind. He knew that he heard the birds crying that they lines are performed. In the early march wind. The sun was rising sixth. No longer had better come on -- Simone. It would've been outside it was not from the vast ventriloquism. The sleeps stated -- The sun was coming from science. That's crony crowd. That was a current student who see -- siege at the -- It was part of the colossal -- surrounded by its coral rings. Still -- only. It was like and you know lynch for him."

" I think it's a wonderful -- a full page."

" Malone it's so simple again just a single person crying missile from mason sent -- But on that tiny. Fragile. Base he builds the whole of the -- to colossal songs surrounded by its coral wings the intimidation of the whole. Lies in the first. Perceptions. -- from the field and."

" What's the huge difference. You student in that and the darker impressions today."

" Who who yes and to get up there it's Susan traditional -- Glenn thrush semblance of hope. Of which she knew and I was unaware until I heard him but I mean. It's a slow party is so struck. By the blessed hope of -- Capitol Hill he says he was unaware of any over -- for hope to Chile seems the bird. Nonetheless -- He shields heartened by hearing the verdict turn of the century and centuries on timing and did."

" But it later court together as -- it's a real chance about it and and party."

" Almost not almost -- no Stevens was always exhilarated by the spring you can and it's the most tenuous form. It's always grieved by the fall. Which seems to make life unintelligible."

" You know I mentioned is this cubist notion of Stevens and -- I didn't shoot me down and complete. Insanity but. You also compare him in a certain way to burn notice him to. Pull -- it -- is brilliant."

" Rebuffed while -- it was a summit we did reducing this favorite painter. Make that connection. Well it's whimsical and I think that the playful side of clarity is. Encouraging to the clinical signs Stevens. Because poetry -- on the whole been quite sound serious poetry has been quite Solomon and you have memorex and -- peninsula and so -- from the other side. But to find a way to be serious -- whimsical. Something he sees -- clinic and acting assistant himself. I don't know more than enough but I I think it is still light hearted -- of clinic. As opposed to I suppose you could say to. Gloom of some of the council and -- to counsel group. When you think of the absence conclusion thinks that Clinton is great to fall asleep and."

" Hillary you take one more familiar poem glittering wonderful. But to me deeply -- on short one. But the kind of thing people love it -- that disillusionment at 10 o'clock."

" Or if it's a very American hope to. It's both hitting the suburbs. Isn't living in the -- Verizon and thirty you know I was the only person in the three streets principal who still ahead in the evening light on. -- They -- logical to -- and thirty mean I have a child to wasn't just because they have children thing some home. Retreated from life of every very carefully much earlier than I. One and just think about retreating from life and -- thing for his postings awake at night. Let me -- to solution out of 10 o'clock. The house is haunted. By plate when it counts. -- green. -- purple with green drinks. Or green with elements. Or yellow with blue links. None of them must change what's hawks of race and -- shoeless. People are not going to dream of -- and -- wrinkles. Only here and there. An old sailor. Drunk and asleep in his boots. Catches tigers in movement --"

" And the -- sailor of course has seen the world but America is desperately provincial especially the American suburbs. And we have no borders which makes us territory for potential we don't often see foreign cultures. Decent Stephen's day of wind. If you lived in. Hartford Connecticut universal but it wasn't like Q moralists. He knows an enormous possibility. Of you governments in life. I'm planning on wearing the same thing plentiful little mannequins. As -- cost of skipping about in the streets. That are scant Linksys Whitman also calls and why should a great country like America produced scant -- like these little men in McCain's. And but he tests and realize that America is open changed least not in his lifetime. People are not what the hippies hadn't arrived to. Woodstock what have people who can accounts with green and a conference in purple one dollar rest but. That kind of particular. Liberation of dress. Hadn't appeared. Nor -- the wish to see exotica which does not mention the great Dubai television people don't want to think about -- and Terry -- but. It was not so fan and he felt of course Hamdan constricted with his own elaborate imagination. In the middle of our least people are wearing -- point nine counts of depressing. They didn't have any sense of the past they weren't going to have stocks of laced a nice little things people war. Maybe an eighteenth century -- counts and beaded belts on the night counts and none of them that was puritan nobody had decorated dresses. They're being imitated in two factions. Nobody dreamed of excellent places he feels. Really. Dissolution by his own country in its potentiality. As puritanism. And it's an availability of the imagination."

" The bitterness. Ever since."

" Yes. And James set it to whom we have no past essentially put his house a novelist so many about Arafat whose enormous poster right. When he has nothing to build up and wave cultural past."

" better this is very huge treat I feel like the embodiment of generations of people who have heard poachers from you and especially Stephens and you are touchstone for me now of what it means to be for so many ports we talked to to be connected. This man."

" Of course she's delightful and every time. Adults who would not from the Internet especially is very beautiful quite aside from anywhere yet penetrated the -- As ethical -- poetry to communicate communicate before his perfectly and the students. A lot of people find that communication coming out these pages."

" When you open a huge amount held in the good thank you enormous -- for this conversation you're welcome Paul to be here."

" Paul McCarthy added to this conversation was professor Helen then learned about her first and closest so it. Wallace Stevens. Are Brown University interns and -- and and then -- current have been up to their necks with us and American -- told the new. You can link to all the Stevens poems that Helen -- dimensions. On our website radioopensource.org. And while you're there leave a comment -- your own take on Wallace Stevens for your alternative inspirations and portrait. I'm Christopher like yeah thank you for being part of this conversation."