What makes the poetry of Wallace Stevens modern?
He posited the notion that it should be the function of the poet to create a new fiction, a supreme fiction, which would center on the world here and now, as it is. You don’t need to any longer look to the old notions which have now been exploded. What do you think of Stevens’ reflection from the Necessary Angel: “Philosophers attempt to prove that they exist; poets merely enjoy existence.” Well, that’s one of those pseudo-profound statements that Wally Stevens was good at. But it’s true, of course. The problem, I suppose, is one could go into an art gallery and have an immediate reaction. Even if you don’t understand it, you can have visceral reaction. It is difficult to create that effect with words. With words, there’s always the interpretive problem. Stevens was always trying to subvert that problem. He thought one must play with the language so that it doesn’t immediately give up its meaning. A poet must be obliquely revelatory. The words can’t tell you everything, because it has
